Evening star., 1921-12-22

Notwithstanding the fielding de-
ficiencies of the Griffmen as whole.
| IT IS apparent from the authentic sta
tistics that they were stroRg in one
spot where they were supposed to be
weak-at the far corner. Howard
Shanks led all the third basemen in
Ban JohnSon'S circuit with a $50 per-
| centage in handling 571 chances in
154 games.
1t has been observed on numerous
i occasions and with some degree of
truth that figures are not necessarily
true gauge of a mans fielding.
player cannot be charged with an err
ror on a ball he does not reach and
the athletes have been known to pass
up difficult chances for fear of being
penaliZed in the records. but evidence
that the figures in regard to ShankS
are not misleading is furnished by
the fact that he also had an average
of 3.49 chances per game. better
mark than any Of the other third
Sackers.
Hanks Ability Underestimated.
This Intelligence. coming in the
wake of the batting averages pub
. lished yesterday, which showed
| Shanks hit for mark of 1902 and led
the league in manufacturing three
base blows. is Illuminating. to say
the least. Looks as if the views prev
tlent in many quarters that Howard
is a distinct frost on the hot assign
ment are subject to radical revision.
1t would seem that Hank is a pretty
capable citizen at third base, regard
less of from what angle his value Is
est timated.
The distinction held by Rice in 1870
Of being the busiest outfielder in the
league last season passed to BobhE
, Veach of the Tigers. who handl. Il
3s4 putouts and twenty-one assists.
as against Sans total of $50 and
eighteen. However. Iris Speaker, gen.
fielder of all time, was the best fielder
among the picket men with percen-
tage of 1884.
McInnis' Remarkable Feat.
Stuffy McInnis of Boston turned in
/ the most remarkable individual per
| formance of the season by attaining
an average of .999. being charged
with only one error in 152 games. all
| the more notable when it is consid-
! cred that the hitters were on a ram
! page of unprecedented vigor and the
scoring was unusually llbera!
throughout the campaign. Earl Shee-
! ly of Chicago. however, topped Nc
| Innis in chances accepted at first base
| with an average of 11.40 against
! 1886.
| For the third successive season
Jimmy Dykes of the lowly Mackmen
! led in accepted chances for second
baseman with 6.11. as against Eddie
| Collins 6.13, the latter. however. hav-
| ing the best fielding percentage. -915.
Everett Scott of the Red SoN. in ad-
dition to maintaining his great record
! for continuous playing, topped all the
! shortstops with the fine average of
| e72 and accepted almost six chances
! per game.
SchaIk Again Tops Catchers.
! Ray Schalk, who now has caught
more than 1000 games in nine con-
secutive years. headed the back-stop-
ping delegation. an experience by no
| means novel to him. Steve O'Neill of
the Indians ranked second. and Pat
Charity was third on the list.
Washington. Chicago, Detroit and
ST. Louis each turned in a triple play.
Four in one season is hitherto un-
| precedented number and is sagely
ascribed by Irwin Howe. the leagues
| official figure manipulation, to the fact
| that never before were so many men
| IN the bases as this year