San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-06
Famous Vet Looks for
Some Good Work at Hot
Corner This Year.
WHAT JOB REQUIRES
Giant Star of Other Days
G;yes His Idea Of How
to Play Bag.
BY GEORGE CHADWICK.

Copyright. 1924. by Consol. Press Assn.
New York, April 5.-The coming
season will bring forth the greatest
display of fast third-base playing
that the major leagues have seen in
years. That is the prediction of Ar
thur Devlin, one of the best third
sackers that the New York Giants or
any other club ever had, who now
is scout and coach for the Boston
Nationals.
In his travels about the country
this year, Devlin told the writer, he
has seen more good third base talent
than he has seen for many moons,
both in the majors and in the
minors.
Asked what a good guardian of
the hot corner is worth these days,
Devlin fixed the figure at $4,000,
adding:
Il know one minor league club
that is holding a third-baseman at
$4,000 on account of his showing
this spring. and he cost his club less
than S2000.'
Likes Smiths Looks.
Deylin, who is busy Just now
coaching Smith, of the Boston Ma
tionals, predicted that young man
would be one of the good third-sack-
ers Of 1924. Smith hasn't learned
quite all the tricks of the trade,
Devlin said. but he has done re-
markably well.
Pinelli of Cincinnati, Devlin thinks.
will have a good year and Groh may
do. well, although there is an i'm
Aka%
severe than imagined. Devlin is
loud in his praise of Traynor of
Pittsburg and of kamm of the White
Sox. Lester Bell of the st. Louis
Nationals, Devlin says, should play
fine game afield. although he may
be a light hitter. Friberg of the
Cubs is an improved player, and
Prothro, he says, will make a good
showing for Washington if he is able
to hit enough to keep in the game.
What constitutes high-class
third-baseman-a player worth S50.-
900 and up?" the writer asked Dew
lin.
To be a high-class third-baseman,
you must be able to do these things, :"
the old Giant star replied without
hesitation.
DE sure VI 1UufSeiI.
You must be on top of the bat
ter.
You must never-or at least very
seldom-permit n lefthand batter
TO outwit you by bunting when he
is the first batter in an inning.
"lOu must throw well from any
position more times at a longer as
lance, and with less time to lose,
than any other player on the in
field"
To 60 in at top speed, Devln ex-
planned, means that the third-base-
man must be on his. toes ready for
a short hit, whether the hit be fast,
medium fast, or slow. He cannot
play his position with his heels on
the ground and be successful. If
the ball rolls hallway between third
: and home, the third-baseman must be
{ on it like a flash, making up his
mind as he goes whether he will take
it with one band or both. If the bali
is quite close TO home plata bunt
hit perhaps-it is a one-hand play
or nothing, and that is why the
third-baseman must be a one-hand
player of skill.
No Dropping Back.
10 be on top OF the batter means
that the third-baseman must not
draw back TO get the ball on the
bound, but must force the fighting
and get the ball on the first clear
bounce, not always on the first hop.
of course, because that is very diff
cult TO handle. If third-baseman
could get most of the mean, awkward
hits that come TO him on the first
hop, he would be greater than Dew
lin or Collins, or any of those old
fellows.
Devlin is doubly emphatic when he
tails about the first lefthand batter
In any inning bunting safely. He
Insists to permit that will keep any
third-baseman in the Interchangeable
class as long as lie lives.
No third-baSeman can succeed who
cannot throw well. That is enc point
that admits of no denial. No argu-
ment can be brought to bear why a
weak-throwing third-baseman should
be permitted to stay on that corner
of the infield. His batting, if he
were a Babe Ruth, according TO Dew
lin, would not offset his inability to
get the ball over TO first base with
accuracy and speed. Devlin says
there is no infield position at which
the player cuts down more chances
by foot than third base. Not even
the shortstOp can shave them so
closely, and no player is so often
called upou TO heat the batters by