The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-09-27
By HUGH s. FULLERTON.

The Giants make a tremendous gain
in the figure dope in the compare
tive study Of the shortstops. The diff
ference between the two men who are
pitted against each other in the sec
ond most important of the regular
positions is much. more marked than
we who are. roofing for the White
Sox imagined it could be. You see
we have watched Risberg during this
year, and we have rated him more
on his future than on his present
value.
We think We have one OF the com
ing great stars OF the game, and
while we have seen him err and
blunder, have watched him smash up
time and again in a frantic panic, We
have charged IL against youth and
inexperience and tolC each other how
good he is going to be when he hits
his true gait.
That is good stuff. The boy has It
in him. In fact, two years from now
I think he will be the premier short
stop of the country, but unfortunate
ly that doesn't get us anywhere when
we are vsluing players only for the
coming series. %
RIsberE speedy But ErratIe.
Fletcher has Risberg beaten many
points in experience, in reliability, in
steadiness under fire, as a batter,
and as a team factor and in practi-
ely every department OF the game
with the exception OF speed, both on
the bases and in the field. For this
Swede, erratic as he has been during
the playing season, covers a world
of ground in both directions, and in
sensationalism he has his rival
cheated.
He is liable to be a sensation one
minute and the Grape hanger the next
for he can throw them away as FAR
and as hard as any one. In circulating
this point you win find that you
must add las 1 did points to Gan
dis credit for saving the shortstop
many breaks.
From Risbergs standpoint IT is
rather unfortunate that he must go
into a worlds series this season. The
boy is high-strung, nervous and In
clined to panic. He may get through
the series without kicking the ball
once, but IL he makes a bad error he
is almost certain to boot the next
ball or throw II away.
Risberg is rather an embarrassing
study in himself He is unseasoned.
rather raw in some things. and be;
yond a doubt he has as much nerve
and courage as any Of his team. His
fault is that he seems striving con-
stantly to conceal his nervousness I'M
der a veneer of pretended carelessness
fu 80 NJ 80
pear unconcerned when he is disturbed
cause him to assume an exaggerated
which. believe, lis large
ly responsible for the. fact that he
makes his errors in punches.
He Doesn't Block the BALL.
He has a bad mechanical fault,
which he has curbed to some extent.
That fault consists in playing prac-
ticaIIy every ball that is hit to him
at one side, instead OF getting in
front Of the ball. He does this more
while fielding toward third than to-
ward second. and unless he comes up
clean with the ball. II means that he
must follow the ball, make a turn,
and hurry his throw to get 1t to first.
The majority of his wild throws
nave Deen Vi AlllS ldCI
of hurrying. the play. 1t would be
quite as easy for him to play in
front of the ball, block it down in
front of him. and keep the play al
ways before him. and his style in this
respect has been changed greatly
since he Joined the White Sox.
With temperamental failings such
as the boy possesses. a worlds series
ia about the severest test that could
be imagined. II is most natural for
him to be nervous tall players are
more or less). and IL he steadies and
plays the game OF which he is capa-
BILE. 1t Oil be a great tribute to his
courage. II he breaks
early in the series, or haJ a tough
run OF bad bounding balls. the re-
suit will be disastrous TO the White
SoE.
There is one thing certain, that he