Evening star., 1924-12-26
His Choices
BY Ii. Ii. SALSINGER.

@ORNELIUS McGILLICUD-
DY'S Philadelphia Ameri-
~ cans OF 1910 and 1911 formed
in the opinion OF Cobb, the greatest
team he ever saw. They appealed
to him mostly because they were in
tclIigent. On that team was. what
they called in those days, "the $780,
900 inheld." This sounds funny in
the light OF recent base ball history.
The Philadelphia inreId Of 1910 and
19l1, coming to the top ten years
later, would have been called the
million dollar infield.' Imagine four
PLAYERS like 'Stuffy' McInnis. Eddie
Collins, Jack Barry and Frank Baker
going for 100000 at a time when one
recruit inffelder. Willie Kamm. a
player who had never played on a
major league field, brought 100000
alone.
Il believe that the Philadelphia
team had the smartest second base
combination the game ever produced.
They were better, in my opinion, than
Joe Tinker and Johnny Evers, and
while the Tinker to Evans to Chance
line received much publicity, I be-
1ieve that Barry to Collins to McInnis,
while the line did not suit the pur-
pose of rhyming, was a combination
much more valuable to base ball.
The Athletics were not alone a
great defensive team, but they had
remarkable power on attack. They
were intelligent at both ends Of the
game, more so than any team 1 have
ever seem
Before the Athletics developed to
their top form a simple signal system
was used by pitchers and catchers.
The catcher would point one finger
in his glove and the pitcher would
throw a fast ball. He would point
two fingers and that meant a curve
ball. But the Athletics made that
system obsolete and compelled teams
TO adopt combination signals.
The Athletics stole signals. This
was not done Illegally, but in a legiti-
mate manner. They would get a man
TO second base and he would watch
the catcher. The batter would make
the catcher waste a few balls. The
runner would get the signals. Then
he tipped off the batter.
Then the Athletics. coming to bat
and knowing the signals, would get
in position where they could watch
the catcher signal. They would tip
off the batter to what the pitcher in
tended throwing.
Long Time Solving.
1T took teams quite awhile to dis
cover why the Athletics We're hitting
so we'll When it became known, all
teams were compelled to change their
systems The catcher would use
three or four signals. Only one
would mean anything. 1t might be
the first, second or third signal. The
others would be used to confuse the
opposing team. And then the catch
er could call off whatever signal he
had given by tossing dirt in front OF
him or behind him and switch the
signals.
Besides a great infield. the Ath-
letics had a splendid pitching staff
with Coombs, Bender and Plank lead
ing. They had q good outfield and a
fairly good catching staff. They were
n balanced team; a smooth working
machine, highly Intelligent. highly
powered, mechanically skilled"
The greatest pitcher?
Cobb believes Ed. Walsh of the
Chicago White Sox was the great
est the league produced. He gives
Eddie Plank a place close up. He
also names Denton T. (Cy) Young
These three-Walsh, Plank and
Young, in order named-are his
choice.
He never names Carl Weilman
who had more success against him
than any pitcher Cobb ever faced
Although Weilman was Cobb's mas
ter, he never considered him a great
pitcher, and Cobb is correct in that
Plank WAS Intelligent. He knew
how to pitch. He had a crossfire tina,