Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-03-03
PIRATES many
FIRST BASEMEN
Pittsburgh Has Had Nineteen
In Past Twelve Years.
ITS UP TO WAGNER IN 1917
Veteran shortstop Will Be Transferred
to Initial Sack by Manager Callahan.
Buccaneers Haven't Had Good Man
Since Days Of "kitty" BransfieId.

Since Days Of "kitty" 6ransfield.
I The recent appointment of William
+. c'Kitty'D Bransfield to the Nationa
league umpire staff recalls his days a,
member Of the Pittsburgh infelt
and the twelve years Of search. not
yet ended, by Barney Dreyfuss. Fred
Clarke and more recently Jimmy Cal
lahan for successor. No club In re
cent major league history has had The
difficult time filling the shoes of play
er that Pittsburgh managers have had
in their attempts to get real sue.
cessor TO Rranstield
When Kitty" was n member of the
Pirates he played first base in way
that made the critics pronounce him
one OF the best to show in many years
After Dreyfuss traded him TO Phila
delphia for Del Howard aud Pau
Kruger. Bransfield continued to play
the position as only experts can. When
the trade was made 1t was believed
that Howard was to develop into one
OF the games greatest stars, but he fell
short. This was indeed sorry trade
for Dreyfuss. In the twelve seasons
since BranStield babe farewell to
Pittsburgh fans no fewer than nineteen
players have been used as first base.
men by the Pirates.
Next season HOnus Wagner is to get
the steady berth. according to report.
lIonus Is about through as short
stop. but he has plenty Of baseball tai
cnt and can do us well as many of the
men who have been tried out since
Bransield starred at the position. The
latter was a member of the Pirates
for four seasons. and since his de-
parture only one player, Jack Miller
has been able to hold the place through
two seasons.
Del Howard, who figured in the trade
which sent Bransfield to Philadelphia.
was the first Of the long line Of sue
cessors. He started the 1905 season as
first baseman for the Pirates. but be-
fore the season was over two other
players, Homer Hillbrand and Bill
Clancy. got chance to show how
well they could play the position. That
all three failed to show the necessary
skill is indicated by the fact that Joe
Nealon was the regular first sacker in
1906. Nealon held the place all sea
son. something that did not happen in
any other season between 1904 and
1912, Two. three or four were on the
Job in the six other seasons between
Bransfield's departure and the shifting
OF Jack Miller from second base to first
in 1912.
Nealon was again on hand in 1907.
but he did not do all the work. Al
Storke and Harry Swacina also had op-
portunities In that year to prove them.
selves first basemen Of major league
callber. In 1908 Swacina and Storke
made up half Of the field which tried
out for the position Of regular. War
rem Gill and Jimmy Kane were also
tried out, but failed to make good
The 1909 season marked the advent
OF Bill Abstein into the fast growing
ranks Of Pittsburgh first sackers. and
Bill was fortunate in coming In dur.
Ing pennant winning year, sharing in
the worlds series money in October.
He played most Of the season at first
base. Storke filling in for about TWEEN.
IS games. Though he helped to make
n pennant winner. Abstein did not last
until the next season When the 1910
season got under Roadway Jack Flynn
occupied first base for the Pirates, but
he had some real opposition Ham
Hyatt and Bud Sharpe were others
to try their hand at the position, and
all seemed to rattle in the shoes which
Branstlcd had left. BY this time Bar
ney Dreyfuss had concluded that Exit
ty" was worth more to Pittsburgh than
be ever before had dreamed.
Fred Hunter got the call In 1911, but
he also failed to answer It. He played
almost half the season at the position,
and Bill McKechnie did the honOrs
during the greater part of the cam
paign. Both were among the missing
when another season rolled around.
mute evidence that they had failed.
About this time Fred Clarke hit upon
the scheme Of making a first baseman
OF Jack Miller. who had broken into
the Pittsburgh lineup as a second sack
or. Miller lasted longer at the POSI-
ton than has any other of the nu
merous candidates. He was the reg.
ular during two full seasons. 1912 and
1918 Then came the trade which sent
Miller to ST. Louis and took Ed
Konctchy to Pittsburgh to swell the
ranks of those who tried to fiji Brans-
fields shoes Honey felded well and
hit poorly. but might have lasted an
other year but for big offer to join
the Pittsburgh Feds after he had play,
cd one entire season with the Pirates
Then. came Doc Johnston. who held
the position through 1915. but slowed
up 80 much in 1916 that Wagner and
Bill Hinchman were tried out.
Now comes Honus back again to be
the regular. He may not shake in
Bransfeld's shoes. but time has exact.
cd Its toll IN recent years. and the
chances are that Hans will rattle as, so
many others have done. Some day