Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-28

1t 50 happened that the first game
Jones PLAYED for Detroit was against
Philadelphia 1t was the start of
four-game series. Philadelphia was
the team We had to beat if We want
ed to win the pennant again. In the
first inning Philadelphia damned
bases with one out. The next batter.
"A left handed hitter, cracked the first
ball pitched to Jones. lie scooped
it up, threw home. got the runner,
and was back on first in time TO take
the catcher's throw and complete
double play. We won the game he
cause of Jones play And this break
so upset the Athletics that we won
the remaining three games. making a
clean sweep of the series and putting
them out of the pennant race.
Very Important Play.
always regarded Jones play as
the most important of the season.
Had Rossman been on first in that
situation, he would either have watch
ed the man scored without throwing
the ball, or he would have heaved 1t
over the catcher's head and two runs
would have scored. We would have
lost the series and the pennant. for
We needed that series to repeat as
American League champions.
One first baseman who will always
live in American League history was
Jiggs Donohue. Next to the pitching
staff, Donohue was instrumental In
winning the pennant and world cham
pionship for the weakhittinS Chicago
White Sox in 1906. Donohue was not
a good hitter and not "A great fielder,
but he had "a high competitive spirit
He was aggressive, game and fighter
from the time he stepped on the field.
the guiding genius of the W hlte SoN.
Just before the world series of 1906.
at a club meeting. il was proposed
that the Cubs and White SoX agree
on an even division of the world
series purse. This would give each
player of the two teams an equal
sum of money. 1t was here that
Donohue got up and shouted: There
amt goin' to be no split. We take
the big end or the little end. If we
take the little end. they got to lick
us to get the big end"
Donohue stepped out and saw that
the White SoX got the big end His
play in that series was sheer genius.
| shall discuss it in later chapter,
particularly as 1t related to Rohe,
recruit who reached the height of
fame in those games and then drop
ped out of sight.
George Kelly of the Giants is one
of the great first basemen of the
game. Kelly stands feet 3 inches
and has an enormous reach. He is a
wonderful target for his infielderS.
His great reach enables him to get
high throws that no other first base
man could land and also he is able to
get wide ones and low ones. He is
strong and hard hitter and intelligent.
Kelly was a pitcher before he turned
to first base, and as pitcher he had
a tipping fast ball, but it was straight
as a string and therefore of little
value in pitching. However, this fast
ball makes Kelly the best-throwing
first sacker Of his day.
Lu Blue more resembles Hal Chase
in style than any man since the days
of Chase. Blue is supple. quick, fast,
agile: he plays exceptionally deep and
covers much ground: he is not so good
a hitter as Chase, nor is he quite up
to the Chase standard as fielder.
Judge Is Intelligent.
Joe Judge of Washington is an
intelligent flrst-sacker, but he would
be more valuable to his club if he was
not so easily hurt. Walter Pipp is a
dependable hitter, but not so good in
fielding as Blue or Judge. Shelly of
Chicago is a good hitter and a fine
target, but slow.
The National League has several
excellent first basemen besides Kelly
There is Jim Bottomley of St Louis.
a good hitter, good fielder, an eX-
cellent left-handed thrower, good on
ground balls and particularly good on
foul flies. Much the same applies to
Charlie Grimm, except that Grimm is
more aggressive and flasher, but not
In Bottomley's class at bat. Jacques
Fournier is a fair fielder His chief
value lies in his smuggling.
~ CoPSrlght. 1S2o, IN the United States and
knaaa ny North American Newspaper