The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-06
nv HUGH 8. FULLERTON
THE LEFT FIELDERS
AMERICAN LEAGUE

finished fielder, hangs on close 10 tne
top because of his swattatorial strength
jackson has not hit as well since ne
joined the White Sox as he did prior to
that time, yet he is in many respects
much improved ball player, hitting TOT
the team rather than for his individual
average. and fielding lot better Jack
son is learning and has learned lot OF
baseball.
Cleveland. with Graney and Smith to
alternate. shows fairly high rank, and
New York is better for having Ping
Bodie Don't laugh at that statement
Ping will add punch to any club when
he is used to best advantage, and Will
be a big asset in helping round out the
outfield where it has been weakest III
hitting. ST. Louis probably will use
Dan,n1i+t practically all season in left
ana Demmitt. if he plays anywhere near
his last years association form, viii help
lot to make the Brown outfield more
reliable.
DAVIDSON A STAR
OF all the youngsters who are 10 pe
given trials, there is but one candidate
Who PROMISES to show anything above
the average and he belongs to Connie
Mack, from which it il not hard TO guess
that he is a college man. 1t is nara 70
II edict that any college man will make
good in the majors right off the reel pu'
&c there has bee none in recent years VINO
lustifies this prediction it is Claude "a
wilson, who played for Brown UNIVERSITY.
When Davidson was with Brown, nan
a dozen clubs were striving to get me
tied to him and it was reported that ne
would not listen to any proposition.
Then he turns up in the Athletic camp.
HE was, with the probable exception o.
Sammy White of Princeton, the eAeates'
nasesbal player turned out by any east
arn college in the last half dozen years
He is fast, hits well S(or did in eohege}
and big league scouts who watched MN
say he looks to be finished PLAYER. He
is versatile, and played third base well
enough 20 be rated as a third baseman
of the AIl-Eastern college team, but il
is said ne excels in the outfield. IL ne
does make good his college promise the
Athletics will have to be given higher
rating than they do in the figures. Bos-
ton loses lot of points in left through
| the loss of DUFF Lewis and the certainty
that there will be changes before the
left fielder finally is selected
The National league left fielders are
| improving and showing better quality
/ while the American leaguers are goine
back. Burns of the Giants undoubtedly
outranks them all, and barring accident
will be in every game, vet were it no
for the fact that conditions may inJurt
his playing, Cruise of the Cardinals
would be close UP to him in ability. JUS
what effect the slashing of salaries will
I have upon the Cardinal infield is hare
! to tell--Cruise, Long and Smith all hat
| big years last year, and there was som'
! frantic protesting when their salaries
were trimmed according to reports cur
| rent III other teams.
4 lack Wheat still holds well in rank
| although not the ball player he was. FL
had a good year with the war club las
! season. and that covered some of the in
| creasing fielding weaknesses.
WHITFIELD TEAM-PLAYER
! Mathewson has Neale and Sherry Ma
/ gee-a strong pair, for use in right. In
| deed Matty has a wealth of outfiel'
/ material and he might even yet b.
| tempted to make a trade to brace hi
! short pitching staff especially if he lose
pitchers in the draft. Philadelphia hat
trouble with Whitfield this winter, and i
1 was reported that he was eager to ge