The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-03
COLLINS is KING

base figures Eddie Collins, alone OF the
great second basemen who have shone IN
the last dozen years, remains and not one
annroa ehes him either in attack or de-
tense.
pratt and wambsbanss and Young rate
well up IN the American league, anu
Cutshaw i nthe National, but Tor the
others they are either just ayerage OF
lust below the average standard Oh see
ond basemen for. major league service.
The Boston Braves would have much
higher rating if we could figure Heroes
to play second, but the intention u
Stalings has been to work the hrst eA
Giant 1T shortstop. Beyond douot he
will be at second part of the season, put
not often enough to change the com
plexion OF the infield dope to any great
extent. as he is desperately needea "
stop the gan left by the enlistment OF
Walter Maranville.
In the American league there is only
one chance that any team will De ap4e
to class with Chicago at second base
and that is that Johnny Tvers can teacn
Stuffy McInnis enough Of the fine points
of the game to make him competen.
second pac1er There might be liant
chance that the wonderful little Irojan
may recover his health sufficiently 10
play the bag himself. If Evers can come
half way back to What he was before
neuritis hit MIN the Red Sox Will us
more dangerous than they look with NC
Innis experimenting down there.
TEAM WORK ESSENTIAL
In studying second base play, you will
discover one thing, and that is that you
must never figure second baseman IN
dependently of the shortstop. The value
of CHI CT second basement
ponds more upon the method of work.
ing together than that of any other Two
men. For instance, when Collins first
Joined the White Sox we rate him at
his Philadelphia value, his value as an
Individual, plsls his value working with
Jack Barry and discovered with some
chagrin that he was vastf, overrated for
the simple reason that he4and Weaver
did not work we'll together. Further, his
coming detracted for the time being from
the value of Weaver. 1t took them yeaf
to start working together, and when they
did Collins was as valuable to Chicago
as he was to the Athletics. Then Ris-
berg went to short and again Collins
value slumped and kept slumping until
they began to work together. The big
Improvement in the White Sox team after
September last year was not due to the
fact that Collins was a better man, but
that he again had Weaver working with
him round the base and could work
faster and with more certainty.
II is that way in every team. great
shortstop may look bad and may play
bad ball, with an uncertain or incompe-
tent second baseman. and you will OBJ
serve, further that practically all great
championship clubs have this team work
combination around second base. In fact,
when we recall great teams we find
such combinations as Williamson PETER
y -. ID NV,t ~
ris, Evers- Tinker, Collins-Barry.
In case anyone following the dope
objects to the defensive value assigned
to any shortstop or second baseman he
would do we'll to study the other man.
] find five second basemen in this list
whose Individual values are reduced
because of lack of team work with
the shortstops
CATSHAW A STAR
The National league second basemen
this season do not promise much and
they rate so closely together that there
is little advantage in any spot. IL
may be rather surprise to find Pitts
burg, team consigned by many crit
les to tail-end honors before they
start, possessing the most competent
second baseman of the lot. This fell
low CutShaw is a peculiar player and
handles second base in a manner no
other second baseman I ever saw dil
He faces right field and has his back
to second while on defensive, from
which position he can go far and fast
toward first and far out into right
field after ground balls. He is an ex-
traordinary aid to his first baseman.
allowing him to play close to the line
ard deeper and, at the same time, he
gets back to second well. He has for
years been the leader in starting dou-
ond baseman. which is odd considering
his position. understand Cutshaw was
out of sympathy with the Brooklyn
thinker and should do better with
Bezdek than with Robinson.
There is going to be a tremendous
National this season, as the league
material. There are five American
UP with the leading National Lacquer
New york Giants are weak there be-
carse Doyle is aging and no longer can
go 1ar or last His broken leg, which
slowed him up all through last wear.
ought 70 De stronger. and he can hit
ana ne kSows the game Cincinnati
needs better man than Shsan. ono
stronger at bat to be OF real cham
pionships class Chicago's Cubs have 4.
sign at promise Kilduff Is a battor
man than the majority IMAGINE be ~.
gritty fighting fellow. who goes II
with his jaw set. McGraw probahIv ~
HeAmONArAaA~>eA~