Evening star., 1923-02-22
<MY THIRTY YEARS IN BASE BALL"
BY JOHN j. McGRAW,
Ne1u York Three Times World
the North American Newspaper Allisnce.)


Wagner the greatest ball player that
ever lived, regardless of position.
If Wagner had any weakness as a
batter we never discovered it. On
occasions he would strike out on an
outcurve. The next time up he was
likely to hit the same kind Of d curve
out Of the lot.
Wagner had a faculty of hitting bad
make up his mind to hit, and hit he
would, regardless of what the pitcher
gave him. He always stood in the
far corner of the box and would run
into the ball, swinging with deadly
| accuracy. On the defensive. Wagner
could throw from any position. and
he had a pair of hands that never
failed him. 1t was common saying
among ball players that wagner
never made wild peg in his life.
ball history as the greatest OF all
| time. / believe that he could have
played several more years than ne
| did.
| Jimmy Collins mt Third.
There have been many great third
basemen, and l have had several on
my teams, but in my mind there Is
no question that the honor of the
All America third baseman of all
time should go to Jimmy Collins: In
cidentally, Jimmy Collins and Eddie
Collins are not related.
/
cellence as a fielder, a hitter and a
man. He was a great fellow on and
off the field and a credit TO base pail.
Jimmy Collins was particularly adept
at going for bunts. The art of bunt-
ing had just come into being when
/ Collins began playing third base ana
he was one of the first to solve this
| style of play. i remember very wen
a game in which we had the oppos-
ing third baseman standing on his
4 hao inc ~
| izing little jabs. Collins was playing
the outf1eld. He was called in. In a
few innings, it seemed, he had COM
pletely blocked our efforts.
| Jimmy Collins was an originator
the real pioneer of the modern style
of playing third base. He is clearly
entitled TO the All-America honor.
| Hugh Duffy and Ty Cobb.
! In the outheld have selected Hugh
| Duffy of the old Boston champions as
the All-America left fielder. Fans OF
| today do not remember Duffy quite so
should. Not only was he marvel
Gus fielder. but he was one of the
hardest hitters the game has ever
known. Duffy is not large man,
but. my. how he could sting the ball.
In Boston old fans still relate some
of his picturesque catches in the out
! field.
Duffy first played center field for the
Bostons. After they won the cham
pionship in 1897 and 1898. though, he
was shifted to left field and played
there to the end of his career. Duffy
IS one of the few men to hit as hig h
AS 400. He also was a great base
runner and had team spirit.
/ Ty Cobb is outstanding as d center
| fielder, a base runner and batter.
There is little use in me going into
| details about him. Everybody has
seen Ty Cobb and knows his ability.
The mere fact that he led the Amer
! lean League so many years in success
bat is sufficient. His aggressiveness
Is even a greater factor. There have
been many ball players who could
play the outfield as well as Cobb. but
none of them had his combination of
speed. aggressiveness and quick
thinking.
I doubt if anybody will dispute Ty
Cobbs claim to the honor as the ALI
American center fielder of all time.
Wee Willie Was n Wonder.
For many years 1 have selected
Willie Keeler for right field. Poor
Willie died on New Years day. 1923
after a long illness-heart trouble
When he passed out one of the great
est lights that ever shone in base ball
was dimmed. l played on the same
team with Keeler. the Orioles, and
knew him like book-knew his
ability in every department of the
game.
At bat Keeler and myself were a
| team that helped TO win many a pen
1nant. | led off and he followed. II ]
may be permitted to say SO, Keeler
and l practically revolutionized the
style of hitting to advance the run
ner, a form of attack that had never
been given much attention up to 1894
In previous chapters l have discussed
Keeler at length, giving many in
& q nf SnaHa
not permit repetition here.
AS a hitter, as fielder and as a
base runner l have no hesitation in
naming Willie Keeler as the greatest