New-York tribune., 1919-03-30

nature of injury, illness, charley h
moment of writing.
1t can now be safely said that tho
youngsters here trying for places with
the veteran talent with which McGraw
will challenge the proud honors now
to bide their time. There appears no
likelihood of them displacing any of
the tried and true regulars from any
of the infeld or outfeld positions. One
may readily see from the few practice
games already played that McGraw is
satisfied with the old inficld, bolstered
by Hal Chase, and the outhcld of
Burns, Kauff and Young. which could
scarcely be improved upon.
Chase TO date has given every evi-
dence Of proving one Of the most valu-
able additions TO the club within the
past ten years. Age, apparently, has
left him untouched Hc is as fast afold
with both hands md feet ns he was
when he first came TO the Yankees,
fourteen years ago. IL Ii doubtful II ut
that time he had more speed on the
paths. Certainly he was not no fin-
ished base runner. The ripe expert
ence OF later years makes him for the
time by far the most able and potent
Irst baseman the Giants have ever en-
joyed.
Takes Game More Seriously
Chase seems to be taking the game,
both life and baseball, far more seri-
ously than ever before, and he is
showing unusual interest in the de-
velopment of his immediate associates.
He is taking pains to help them with
his throws and to coach them in their
plays. This all is said with due respect
to the thinking and performing abili-
ties of the other infelders, yet it must
be remembered that Prince Hal is in
tutively one of the brainest and quick
est witted infield stars of all time, not
even the great Trojan Johnny Evers
excepted.
Zimmerman, Fletcher and Doyle all
seem to regard life with a roster out
look. now that the king Of first sackers
is their able ally. No longer have they
the least hesitation in trying for the
most desperate of plays at the initial
corner. They know If they get the
ball within hailing distance of him,
Hal Chase will come to the rescue. He
converts into outs low throws, high
throws and wide throws that would be
extra base errors for his infield asso-
ciates with most any other first base
man.
Larry Doyle in particular shows the
benefit of close association with Hal.
Larry is covering more ground this sea-
son, or at least is able to cover more.
= But it is not necessary. Chase, who
is left handed, ranges much further to
the right than any other first baseman
of the game, and this fact somewhat
limits the territory it was necessary
for Doyle to patrol formerly.
Consequently with Larry's zone of
action compressed, Doyle is able to
cavort with a far greater assurance
than heretofore. Whether from the
precept of example or because he has
now more time to prepare, it is notice
able that Larry appears to have got
over that old habit Of booting easy
chances all over the infeld. The pro-
verbal assurance of Chase evidently
mas .reassured Laughing Larry Doyle.
What Is true of the veteran second
FLETCHER and Zimmerman. The captain
lor many years has peen the class of
National League shortstops He be-
gins TINS spring where he left off last
IAN. zimmerman was not at his best
iast year for reasons best known to
nimseif. In 1917 Heine proved the best
tnird baseTnan Of the National Leapue
re is evidently out to duplicate his
pes.orInance OF that last championship
car OF the Giants and if application
and careful living will turn the trick
stands reasonably certain of accorn-
s plishing his end. NN0'''-
Great Driving Power
Vow. as to the outfcld. 1t seems
rather foolish to paint the lily, and the
outficld CT McGraw's team since the e =
acquisition OF Ross Young has beer
: enc with the greatest of driving now.
crs. foung seems destined within The
v ear 70 take his place among the mos,
srasa..ous ar s..:a outheiders Of history. He is
an intuitIve young athlete, who shift
10 the danger zone with a premon;t;or
%nlch makes of him a real giant or
ueIence. Ohensively, his virtues neel
not De extoiied. He has the speed of s
eeer on the bases and is possessed of !,
oeadiy wallop. He is a young man q.
exceptional brilliancy at the moment
~ ~"u yet one bound to improve with ex
per'ehcc Tor several seasons to come
considering only the main array th.
w'iI to,i daily~-that is, the infeld an,
outneid-McGraw should be able +,
present lineup possessed of y rnor,
oeadiy waiiop than any team he ba,
commanded since 1905, when the Giant,
won worlds championship. The ad
fah'age OF d Chase on defensive "a,
neareeiy yet be realized. Hail. nrea
cnec' TOO, adds greatly to the necessar,
efement OF speed, an adjunct wh;ci
counts heavily toward success in N,
present style Of play. ~ '"'
speed this year should be the m;adi,
name OF the Giants. All three ontf;eid
crs are sensations on the paths. DovI
mas never been so fast since he ~,
his leg, and neither Fletcher nor Z;,n
norman has as yet threatened :,
weaken in the clutches of Fatbc,
= Time. "'"e'
II remains, then, for McCraw n 4.
vciop battery strength in keeping will
his well balanced team Of other mar
70 figure prominently in the haiti
throughout the 1919 campaign. 1t ha
oeen proved concIuslYely in inc vecl
here that he will have vetcraus' mn
s elcus around which to construct. Thcr
10 absolutely no reason for apprchen
sion over Jess Barnes and Rube Ben
ton. Ferdie Schupp promises to be hi
brilliant self Of 1917 Bob Steele
George Smith and "Rcd" Causcy hay
s had enough major experience With In
!, Giants or elsewhere not 70 be rcekone,
Il exactly after the status Of the flock o
faL in fo{.a 4. ~ i,