Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-07

1t is interesting to look back upon
the merits of old-time ball players and
find something in which the younger
element has not excelled them,
And there is one fielding accomplish
ment in which the modern ball player
has not excelled. That is in ability to
play with one handmade one hand
stops" as the boys say,
No third baseman ever has lived
who could equal Jerry Denny in MAX
ing plays at&third base with one hand.
There have been managers who have
paid their tribute to him by saying
they would take him as quickly TO
play third base with one hand tied
behind his back as they would take
other players with the liberty to use
both hands.
They were right. Denny could make
the most astounding stops with his
right hand at all places on the field
that ever third baseman has made
since base ball began. He could field
third base, shortstop, the territory
back of the pitcher and all of that up
to home plate in which modern play
ers must be good if they are to take
care of bunt hits. So sure was he
of the ball that many preferred to see
him play for ground hits with one
hand rather than use botk hands.
Wright Tops Shortstops.
The best one-hand shortstop per.
haps was George Wright, who had no
superior as a fielder since base nall
began to be played. OF course none
of the present generation has seen
him in activity. Like Denny he was
one of those infielders who could
handle a ground hit with certainty
merely by playing ii with one hand
He not only could play the bali with
his right hand, but he possessed that
faculty which few ball PLAYERS have
of throwing almost with the same mo.
ton as that by which he picked up
the BALL
Wright has been extolled as the
greatest ball player in the history of
our national sport. There is reason
for granting him that tribute. He
completely changed the method OF
playing shortstop and while he was
engaging in that unconsciously to
himself he was improving his owr
play He was worshiped by thou
sands of fans, almost all of whom
have passed on, while George Wright
still is alive. Each Winter and Sum.
her season he amuses himself by play.
ing golf merely so he may keep his
hand in at some athletic diversion.
Dunlap Best Second Baseman.
The greatest one hand second base.
man was Fred Dunlap. He also was
the best second baseman who has
played base ball. There are plenty
of fans who sing the praises of mod
ern players like Lajoie and Collins,
but Dunlap was q better player than
either.
Ie not only could play a one hand
game with his right hand, and he was
natural right handler, but he could
play a one-hand game with his left.
1t mattered little to him on which
side the ball bounded toward him and
because of his great skill in handling
hits on either side with one hand. this
second baseman covered the widest
range of any in base ball history.
Dunlap could get almost anything
behind first base within a reasonable
distance and almost anything behind
second base. He never tried to get
squarely in front of the hardest hits,
but simply ran across field and picked
up the ball either with the left hand
or the right hand and threw the bat
ter out.
The hest one-hand first baseman