New-York tribune., 1918-05-19
Midget Players
Most 'Flashy'
In Baseball.
Spectacular Work of Owen
Bush Feature of All
Tiger Games
By w. ]. Macbeth

|i"o pSi"S equai, perhaps, size and
weight might even cut some figure in
the national pastime. AS a rule. the
big athletes are the strongest and ia
requires physical endurance to remain
Throughout. a campaign of 154 games
six months of steady play-at a fine
point of physical condition.
The history of the national game il
replete with the successes of littls
men. From time to time the public
has worshlpped its Everses and Maran-
villes quite as religiously as its Laioie.
and Wagners. If the little fellows. az
a rule, fail to exercise the hitting pro-
clivties of their giant rivals from
their limited size, they appear far more
lively either in covering the same
ground or on the bases.
One might easily pick out a team of
midgets that would give the best Of
the physical giants a battle to the
finish every day. Ray Schalk and All
Walters arc two of the smallest catch
crs that ever entertained the public:
at the same time they are two of the
very best. The public laughed at
Connie Mack when he assigned Stuffy
McIinnis to first base. Everybody
thought the player too small for the
position. But, next to Hal Chase.
the great master of this position, Nc.
lnnis is IN class by himself.
Johnny Evers. a comparative pygmy.
was three-fourths nerve and aggres-
siveness and one of the very most
sensational second basemen of the big
show for fifteen summers. Where could
you find a smaller or better shcrtstop
than Rabbit Maranville? And, speak,
ing of third basemen, does not little
Heine Groh come pretty close to being
the class of the present generation.
Some folks insist that Wee Willie
Keller was the greatest player Of ali !,
time, though Willie himself awards
that distinction to Ty Cobb. Dick
Rudolph, a pony pitcher, has been one
of the very best in the National League
for many years.
Most Spectacular in Game
Size below the collar band cuts little
figure IN baseball-a fact evidenced by
Exhibit A-Owen Bush, of the Detroit
/ Tigers. Since Rabbit Maranviile an
swered the call to the colors, this little
OWen-or Donie, as he is more famil-
iarly known to the professionals
easily the most spectacular shortstop
appearing before the public. Mind you,
the writer does not say that Bush is
the best shortstop. He will rate Roger
Peckinpaugh second to none of the
profession. But Bush, on account of
his size. is far more spectacular than
Peck.
Bush needs no introduction to New
York fandom. For years he has been
nothing short of a complete sensation
in this city. If Bush played all his
games on the Polo Grounds and played
up to the standard he has maintained
locally he would soon crowd his illustri-
GUS team mate, Tyrus Raymond Cobb,
from the throne. For in New York,
ever since he first joined the Tigers,
full factor to Hughie Jennings than the
Georgian Peach, eve, though Ty was
never known to be bashful or reserved
before metropolitan audience. Cobb
usually rises to the heights with occa-
sion.
During the recent visit of the De-
troit Americans to the Polo Grounds
metropolitan fandom saw the most
wonderful exhibition of shortstop play
since the good-old davs of the three
cornered fued among Giants, Cubs and
Pirates when the great and only Honus
Wagner was in his prime. Three games
were played during the series, and
/ though New York won two of them.
Higgins lads had to scratch gravel
every second. Bush, singlehanded,
cheated New York of one victory. But
for him the two ard-fought battles
Huggins did snatch would have been
comparatively walk-aways.
In one sense Bush is somewhat un-
fortunately situated in Detroit. Much
of the mstre that should be his be-
cause of pure merit is absorbed, quite
naturally, by the spectacular and tenn
Ill
we'll; SO well that elsewhere he would
usurp many more headlines than now
fall to his lot. But what chance has
guy against a fellow like Cobb? Bush,
for one thing, is not nearly so good .
press agent as the Georgian Peach.
|. Though he has peppered up greatly
within the last season or two Donie
Bush is still far from being spitfre.
He is more on the shrinking violet,
George Burns, type, content always to
give the best that is in him without
fuss or splurge.
They say there is no going behind
any mans record. Well. DOME Bush
can stand on his official figures with
this young gentleman one of the
most valuable infelders of the game.
And the figures do not do DOME Bush
complete justice.
Hitting at .25o clip, Bush is moro
valuable to a club than almost any
other big league player would be hit
ting 800 or more. The reason for this
is DOME Bush's almost uncanny ability
to worm bases on balls out of rival
pitchers. For the last five years Bush
has led the major league field at this
particular branch of the baseball art.
And, as he is the lead-off man of his
club, a majority of these passes are
quite as useful as base hits would be
under the circumstances.
Bush Has Speed
For DOME Bush has the speed 20 help
convert his walks into runs. Indeed,
for years he had been one of the most
| successful run getters in the Amer.
ican League. 1t must be remembered
in this connection, at least, he was
mighty fortunate to have Immediately
behind him the most redoubtable heavy
artillery of the business-Cobo ana
Crawford, when Wahco Sam was at his
best.
Certainly, Owen Bush has to make
no apologies for his defensive ability.
! He is one of the very classiest fielders
! developed in the last ten years. When
one remembers both his pencnant Tor
! getting on. combined with his phe-
! nomenal speed, it will be readily ap-
preciated that Bush is likewise of un-
usual value extensively. Few players
before the public to-day are more dan
! gerous in the pinch than this same
I little Donie. :,
! Owen Bush. who is playing his tentn
! the Tigers. Is