Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-19
PLAYERS GAINED fame /.
BY CHANGING POSITIONS
Larry Lajoic Was Mediocre Catcher,
but Made Undying Name for Him
self at Second Base.
KID GLEASON ONCE INTIELDER
Latest Example of Converted Player
Is George Sislcr, First Bascman
for Browns, Who Attracted Attcn-
ton OF Scouts as Pitcher.
ny JAMES j. CoRBETT.

NEW YORK, August lS.--Many OF
H. players who gal gained undying fame
broke in as performers ia some other
part OF the diamond.
Larry l.ajoie. whose performing
remair as the standard by which other
Keystone sackcrs a-e judged debutted
as n catcher. lie was fair sort OF
back OF the bat indefinitely If an injury
TO The first bascman hadn't sent him 10
the infleld. Larry remained there for
only Il short time. and then another
was needed and Lajoic was tried out
Al the start 1t was feared that the
Frenchman was too big and too awt-
wad 10 succeed at second. where agii-
~ is the vital asset But i.ajoie dem
onstrated almost from the first that
nature had intended for him to play
for nearly twenty years. his work
there made his work d baseball by
word
William r'kid') Gleason. who is
his greatest fame as an infeldcr.
When veteran fans recall his playing
greatness they usually speak only OF
his second basins work Yet earlier
Gleason was pitcher. and a good one.
too. He quit the mound and took up
inheld work only after his arm went
back on him.
Wagner Originally OutHeIder.
iiafS w dSHeT originally vas
nelder 1t was as such that he p,ayed
in the minors. And his FIRST work in
the majors was gardening. But one
day Hans was shifted TO short in an
prise OF all. d!sportcd remarkably
there. despite his clumsness and from
then on ne began to make shortstop-
ping history.
Few greater Arst basemen ever lived
THAN Fred Toney, a real wizard In iu!-
va Dag guardianship. Yet he was
catcher when nc entered the big
Frank Chance. who led the Cubs to
four pennants while managing and
playing first for them.
Jury ago Rnly Wallace joined tho
Cleveland Spiders as peitcher. His
success was only fair. An iniury 20
IN, 7 regular ,n third haseman brough:
sWrfcd. The way ne played third that
afternoon was revelation From then
on the Knoll knew him no more. and
the res, OF his long baseball career
was lived in the inne!d, where he va.
eve' satellite.
'Cnp" .tnson Started mt First.
Charles CDuke'D Farrell. whose
catehins performances made him ma.
p ioslS sbo famous , was an innelder.
WIN indifferent success Lair Cross.
one Of the best inhelders that baseball
ever proaGeed' was a catcher a, tho
VI tH' tulCteo
Colts. played third base. Quilted and
catcher before he really found him
SELF as Il first baseman
Ask the old timers. who was the
greatest outhelder OF byEone days.
ana they viii answer BILL Langc" AL
most unanimously. Yet LANCE caught.
during his novice days and whci, il
was suggested that he try the outncld
he was opposed to IL. He didn't feel
That he could make good
y marvellous inncldcr OF the other
days OF baseball was Deacon" White
who started as a catcher Jimmy CAL
lahaE was pitcher for many years
Ills arm Went wrong and Jimmy moved
to The outhcid. There hc gathered
enduring fame.
Mix. Donl!n was pitcher and a
failure. lie went to the outheld and
carved his name indellibly in basebalrs
hail OF fame. Joe Wood was the
leagues leader while pitching for the
Red SoN in 1912. His arm gave out
And now Wood is Comeback" as
an outnelder.
Johnny Wnrd Was Sensation.
Two generations ago the sensation
or the NinginE world was Johnny Ward.
Pitching :or Providence in 1879 he
won siNty-hve games for the remark
able average OF .7o2. In all baseball
history only two men--Charles Rad
Continued on Tenth Page)