The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-21


 honor.
 There is nothing that Collins does not know about playing that import ant position. The Giants played against Eddie in several worlds championship games in which we were defeated. have been a stanch admirer of that young mans ability ever since. saw him make his first play and, as pivot man on a double play. I don't remember ever having seen his equal. As an all around man he is superb. Not only does he play the game but he thinks 1t. Rare are the occasions when Collins does not anticipate the play. To cross him is almost impossible. And he is just as forceful on the offen- attitude is an inspiration to his fell low players.
 Wagner Peer of Elm All.
 In the selection of a shortstop there is no going behind the returns I doubt if there is a baseball man in the United States who would nor for any team, no matter how great without a moments hesitation. have never heard of anybody point ing to a man as the possible peer In these memoirs l have already devoted a chapter to show that think Hans 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 a curve out of the lot.
 Wagner had faculty of hitting bad balls as well as good ones. He would make up his mind to hit, and hit he would. regardless of what the pitcher gave him. He always stood In the far corner or the box and would run into the ball, swinging with deadly accuracy. On the defensive. Wagner could throw from any position. and he had pair of hands that never failed him. It was a common saying among ball players that Wagner never made a wild peg in his life.
 Hans Wagner will go down in baseball history as the greatest of all time. I believe that he could have played several more years than he did.
 There have been many great third basemen, and I have had several on my teams, but in my mind, there Is mo question that the honor of the All-American third baseman of all time should go to Jimmy Collins. Incidentally. Jimmy Collins and Eddie Collins are not related. A Credit to the Game.
 I select Jimmy for his generalSex- cellence as a fielder. hitter and a man. He was a great fellow on and off the field and a credit to baseball. 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, and he was one of the first to solve this style of play. 1 remember very well a game in which he had the opposing third baseman standing on his head trying to handle these tantalizlng little jabs. Collins was playing the outfield. He was called in. In a few innings, 1t seemed, he had complete .ly 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-American honor.
 In the outfield l have selected Hugh Duffy of the old Boston Champions as the all-American left fielder. Fans of today do not remember Duffy quite so we'll as the younger men. but they should. Not only was he a marvellous fielder but he was one of the hardest hitters the game has ever known. Duffy is not a large man