Evening star., 1925-02-02

PecklnpaEg gH joined washington be-
fore the opening OF the 1922 season. /
found myself working with one of the
best shortstops in the history of the
game. With Judge. we set a record
for double plays We turned in 16S. |
figured in ia of them. ] don't think
there ever has been Peck's equal at
starting a double play. / had per-
fected the pivot. thanks to my work
with Jimmy ONeill when his arm
was sore. Judge, a truly great first
basemsn. invariably came up with
the ball IL 1 was bit wild. The next
year we turned in 1872 double plays.
| was in 120 of them.
l know my study of batters helped
me in being in the right place often
in making double plays, But ii wasn't
an easy matter to figure players lik e
Cobb, Speaker, Heilmann, Ruth, Sis
Ter, Collins. Jameson, Tobin and
Williams. They were terror to any
pitchers. They were all natural bat
ters. They were smart, too. They
seemed to know as much Sabout the
league twirlers as the latter did about
them. Judge Rice and Gosiin OF the
Washington club belonged in the
same class
Cobb "Grestest of All"
wasn't in the league when Cobb
was at his best as a base runner. But
found him always dangerous. once
ne reached first. If his legs had slow
ed up bit his headwork hadn't. He
was the best slider in the league
I've never found a man harder 10
tag. / might not have looked 3 good
at second II I'd been there when the
Georgian was in his prime as a base
runner.
Cobb developed himself by hard
knew him when he was breaking in
said he worked twice as hard as any
OF the other Detroit players He never
Ioaied. HIS energy was amazing He
was the finished product long before 7
entered the league He had perfected
himself in every detail. If you gave
MIN half chance he was sure TO
outguess you. He was generally Just
Jump ahead of the other fellow in
using mis- head. He backed his natural
speed with intelligent effort Cobb
was a self-made success IL there ever
was one. In my judgment he was the
greatest of them all
george Mcbride, who managed the
washington club in 1921, and had to
retire because of an injury. told me
10 study Cobb. You're Just break
ing in, Bucky.' he said Watch how
Iy runs the bases. | don't auppose
any one Will ever equal him when he
was at his best, but if you can learn
some of his tricks you'll be better
pan PLAYER. He has variety of
slides. Try to get them down pat.
He'll show you what fighting spirit
ana brains can do when added to
natural ability. He's the greatest
model in the game for a Young
player Pick out the best when YOU
want to follow some one"
Studied Way TO Stop Ty.
Mcbride knew what he was talk
ing about. He was a great shortstop
when Cobb was terror on the base
paths. In 1920, my first year as a
regular. Cobb stole only IA bases.
This was his lowest mark. barring
his opening season with DETROIT, up
to that time. l guess I underrated
him bit until he fooled me several
times. Then l studied out a way to
stop him. / figured that for all his
wonderful sliding to get away from
an infielder he had to come back to
the bag with his fingers or toes.
decided that if 1 went after him ]
was lost. / made up my mind Id
let him come to me, 1 would wait
at the bag for him to come in and
then tag him. Thereafter he didn't
steal often on ME. 1 don't know
whether or not the system would
have worked when Cobb was in his
prime.
Cobb, as playing manager, always
kept his men on their toes. He in
spired them by his own deeds. He
would never say quit. There was an
example of this in 1922. Washington
was playing Detroit. We had long
lead going into the ninth Ty kept
club, apparently badly beaten
fighting all the way. Under his driv-
ing the Tigers bobbed up in the
ninth with nine runs and won by II
To 9. He got five hits In six tim s