Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-23
MAKING over
BALL PLAYERS
Instances Rare Of 0uifieId0rs
Developing Into Pitchers.
MANY BOXMEN IN 0UTFIElD

Some Baseball Men Maintain That
Marvellous Twrer Was Ruined When
Fred Merkle Became First 5aseman.
George Sisler of St. Louis Browns
Can Play Any Position.
The rather unique attempt of John
Mctiraw 10 turn George Kelley, the
lanky outticlder, into a pitcher appears
In be attracting lot of attention
among baseball people, but this trick
of shifting bah players into new roles
overnight is not without precedent
Memory fails to record an instance
where ouilicllers were turned into
pitchers, it is true, but the shifting of
pitchers to the outticld IS common.
There are many baseball men who
firmly maintain 10 this day that mar
velouS pitcher was ruined when Fred
Merklc became n first hascman. Since
he began work with the Giants Merkle
has pitched exhibition games. aud on
one occasion ut Newark or Jersey City
lie held his opponents to four hits.
1t may surprise the average fan TO
know that Mike Donlin started out as
left handed pitcher with bright pros
poets. 1t may be equally surprising to
some to know that Jack Murray enter
cd the big league as a catcher for Phil
adelphia.
Fred Mitchell. manager of the cubs,
pitched regularly in the American
league until something went wrong
with his fcet-not his armand he be-
came catcher. n good one too.
Harry VOTERS was ut one time
pitcher. and Beals Becker was perhaps
the widest southpaw that the game
has ever known. His hitting turned
him into an outfielder, but on the bases
he is just as wild as ever
During his long stay on the diamond
Hans Wagner has been an outiieldcr, n
shortstop and first baseman. But for
]
needed in the regular lineup he would
have been pitcher
The oldest little things often bring
about these changes. For instance.
Davy Robertson came to the Giants as
pitching phenom. During the fall he
played In football game and injured
his shoulder. The next spring he could
not use his arm for pitching purposes
and kept IN condition by shagging flies
in the putiield AT the Polo grounds
one morning while at BAT he slammed
q drive into the centerfield blcachers.
McGraw promptly turned him into an
outfielder. and now he ranks next to
Ty Cobb, according to ball players.
Jimmy Callahan was a corking pitch
er for years, but could always hit. His
arm went back on him once ands he
was Immediately shifted to the outiicld
where he starred for years. Doc White
was another who could pitch one day
and play the outfield the next.
Perhaps the best example of versa
tile ball players today Is George Sscr
OF the Browns. As rule he plays first
base. but when the club gets In hole
he goes into the box and is regarded
MS the best twirler on the staff. When
I the club wants to try out new bats
man Sister plays the outfield. Not only
can Sisler play these positions, but he
can play either of them just as well as
anybody else.
George Kelley, McGrnw's new exper-
tment. has terrific fast ball, and he is
Of that physical build that will permit
him to pitch all day II necessary. AS
he has little need Of another outfield-
err. McGraw will make ten strike il
he can develop this boy into even an
ordinary pitcher. George Gibson says
that Kelley needs little sharper break
/ to his curve ball and he will he good
pitcher this season.