The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-24

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their stars in our trip around the VIZ
chapter to the worlds tour later 0
/ have tried to be fair and just
after giving all of these players care
full consideration. 1 am inclined to
feel that my choice will meet with
the approval Of a majority of the
lovers of baseball. Here is my
selection:
Catchers-Ray Schalx. Lew Carter.
Pitchers-Rube Waddell, Addie
Joss, Ed Walsh, Chief Bender, Walter
Johnson.
First Base-George Sisler.
Second Base Eddie Collins.
Third Base-Jimmy Collins.
Shortstop-George Davis.
Left Field-Tris Speaker.
Center Field-Ty Cobb.
Right Ficld-Harry Hooper.
Substitute nfielder-Napoleon La
joie,
Substitute outfielder-B Ruth.
O O O
Brainy Bacistop.
l feel rather sure that my choice
of Ray Schalk for All-American
league catcher will meet with the
approval of the players in that
league. l have talked with a number
of them and it seems to be the gem
eral opinion that he stands out. Per-
sonally | am quite familiar with his
catching and l regard him as the
best packstop the American league
las ever produced. Schalk has all
he qualifications that go make the
perfect catcher, or as near to it as
we can get. He studies opposing
batters carefully and remembers their
weaknesses. Owing to the confidence
of fellow players in his judgment
Schall steadies the whole team. He
is a hard and conscientious worker
and loves his profession. Schalk IS
a hard and accurate thrower and due
to a wonderful pair of hands he is
seldom disabled. He is also very fast
on the bases, an unusual thing for
catcher, and is a good hitter.
have no hesitancy in selecting him
as the one great American league
star behind the bat.
Lew Criger was a catcher of the
cid school and one of the classiest.
He caught Cy Young, Bill Dineen and
other stars for years. All of them
pronounce him great. Criger was an
everyday, hardworking catcher that
always could be depended upon.
Though Lew was but fair hitter ne
was very dependable in the pinches.
His gentlemanly conduct, all around
even temperament. made him most
valuable to any organization. Lew
Criger was a credit to the game.
Chief BENDER Necessary.
/ have already discussed the ALI
American league pitchers, with the
exception of Chief Bender and Ed
Walsh. There is no question In my
mind that an All American league
team would be incomplete without
the willy Indian, Bender. The game
has produced very few such pitchers.
In addition to his natural strength
his wonderful speed and curves, Ben
der made an intensive study of
batters. 1t was seldom that he made
mistake. No pitcher ever had
more nerve. Bender was the one Ath-
letic pitcher to beat us in that first
World series.
Ed Walsh / have selected as a
pitcher for several reasons. He was
easily the most famous and effective
of all the spitball pitchers. While
with the White Sox Ed was prac-
tically invincible. A big factor in his
value to a ball club was his marvel
lous endurance. He could have
pitched every day If 1t had been
Walsh had tremendous speed and
splendid control. 1t waf the clever
pitching of Walsh. daF after day,
that enabled the White Sox, then
called the "hitless wonders" to win
the American league pennant and to
beat out the Cubs in the Worlds
series that followed in Chicago.
George Davis is my selection for
shortstop on account of his all
around ability. He excelled as a
hitter, was an expert shortstop, a
wonderful base runner and an excep-
uonally quick thinker He was at
one time a star with the Giants in
the old days and later with the