New Britain herald., 1923-12-04
Tanks Led in Defensive Play-Sheely of Chicago Had Most PutOuts at First Base.
Compiled by Irwin NJ. Howe. Chicago.

General improvement in fielding sas noticeable in the Am erican league during the season Of 1928. This espe- cial.y held good at third base, d posi- lion where the league as a whole showe1 weakness during tht preced- ing season. New material accounted Tor this. In Chicago the sensational William kamm plugged up hole. Joe Dugan with the Yankees finally arrived playing one Of the most spectacular games or his career. Lutzke made good al Cleveland and hale Of the Athletics, although new at the game. wound up the season in brilliant fashion.
 Regardless of other departments of the game, the defensive quality Of the Yankees play had much to do with with winning pennant and world s championship. The league cham plons lead in three of the infeld po sitions and are well up among the leaders in the outteld.
 Aaron Wards performance at sec ond base was one of the sensations of the year. Dugan's work at third was letter in most departments than that oi his competitors and Scott playing in l52 games, finished with per Centage Of .961 for leadership among the regulars. Pipp also figured pret- ty high among the first sackcrs.
 It might be deduced from the sta tistics that the so-called lively ball figured in fielding although it's effect is not noticeable in hitting. Students Of the game sec in its speed the an- swer 10 double play rcords of the year. Tn this department Washington, who led the year before in double killings, set new record of lS2. stanley Harris at second base figured in i2O Of these plays, while Judge, al- though he only participated in ll2 games. handled the ball ilS times. peekinpaugh took part in io5, playing ir every game on the schedule.
 One Of the features Of the game was the unassisted triple play by George Burns of Boston against Cleveland.
 The seasons brilliant playing was not confined 10 the leaders in their respective departments as the game shows general tightening ID in prac- tically every department. While rec ord breaking performances may not cild the figures tho improvement not pd is marked. The totals made, in many cases eases explain ihe value of the plavcr although this does not hold grod in all cases,
 Among the first bascnen sheely Of Chicago hold the record for putouts with 1888. The i9S assists Of Ward af the Yankees gives an indiction or his great playing. The 25S assists Of I.ufzke and 352 or Kamm, both at third base stand ont as the most brilliant of the season. and are far above any mark sct last year when Dykes Of Philadelphia led with 295. The l22 putouts Of Mostil or Chicago and Jacobson's 400 are tvo other stel- lar performances when it is taken into consideration that no outfelder last year reached the 400 figure.
 Harold Ruel of Washington led the caotchers in putouts with 52s. consid- erably below tho iure Of sehalk of Chicago last year. scbalk. this year. fell below his mark Of last season mainly because of the fewer number Of games in which he figured. Ruel of Washington and Bassler Of De- trnit figured in most assists.
 There were seven pitchers who fin- ished with clean records in fielding. In this connection the record Of Dauss is outstanding with mark Of 900 after having taken part in 50 games.
 As might be expected New York led the rest in team fielding with the mark of .a77. st Louis. even with 1 ont sisler. finished second, while Chi ! caro brought ID third.