Evening star., 1937-07-24
It Was No Accident.


THE answer is plain. The situation
is no part OF an accident. The
third baseman receded in Importance
when the magnates tossed into play
Il hall that could be hit farther and
with less effort than the so-called
dead ball-which became very dead,
indeed, with the first flush Of the
Ruthian era.
The lively ball was introduced into
the American League in 1920, and
into the National League in 1921. 1t
was Just at this time that Traynor
was poking his head up out of the
minor leagues. He had trial with
the Pirates in 1920. was farmed out
to Birmingham in 1921, and recalled
in the Fall of that year, making his
start as regular in Pittsburgh in 1922
For years, Pie was the best third
baseman in the National League. with
only Freddie Lindstrom, who came up
with the Giants in 1924. to rival him.
But Lindstrom lacked the stability of
Traynor, and SO missed greatness.
Moreover, Lindstrom's history was in
itself an indication OF what had hap
pened to the third baseman.
In the Spring of 1881. when he still
ranked right next to Traynor, John
McGraw shunted him to the outfield.
McGraw's explanation for this move
was that he was bringing Johnny
Vergez up from Oakland to play third
base, sight unseen, confident that
while he knew no more of Vergez than
what he had heard about him, he
could play third base well enough,
and that Lindstrom, because Of his
speed and the power of his arm, would
be more useful to the Giants in the
outfield.
This, mind you, from man who
had been one of the great third base
men OF his time and, as the greatest
of all managers, was conceded to
know exactly what he was talking
about!
Only Slightly Far-Fethed-
THAT same Spring Joe Mccarthy
taking over the management OF
the Yankees. took Ben Chapman C
Udsc dIli ptSbtO ilihA al ttAN SAI-
deld. Commenting on the change
Joe said:
Chapman is too good ball player
to waste on third base. The way base
ball is played today the third baseman
ought to have to pay to get into the
ball park"
Mccarthy used the aging Joe Sewel,
at third base and the move turned OUT
splendidly Sewell, although his legs
creaked. remained in active service
until Rolfe, just emerging from Dart
mouth. could have a couple Of years
of experience in Newark.
Maybe Joe was stretching it bi,
when he said that in the modern base
ball scheme a third baseman should
have TO pay to get into the ball park
but he wasn't stretching it much. The
chief value that third baseman has
to his team nowadays lies IN the power
he can muster at the plate. The ole
science Of third base play Waned witt
the art Of stealing bases. both rendered
largely unnecessary by home-run anC
other extra base hitting that now Is
such pronounced feature Of the
game
In the days when the big idea was
for q hitter to reach first base anc
work his way around to the plate, tht
third baseman was an important fig.
ure on the defense He had to bt
skillful at fielding bunts. He had tc
guard against thefts of third base
He had to be alert to cover the bas
when pitcher f1elded a bunt with /;
man on second, or to shut off run.
ner coming down from second on {
ball hit TO the shortstop How lon,
has 1t been since you saw a pitchel
field bunt 10 his right with a mar
on second base and whip the ball L
third to nail the runner moving dowr
from second? Or since YOU saw s
8hortstop throw man out at third
Nowadays. most balls handled b,
the third basemen are hard smack
right of the bat. Do or don't balls
the ball players call them. II tht
third baseman gets in front of them
they are putouts. And If he doesn't
they're base hits. Broadly speaking
anybody can play third base All h
has TO do to make the team is t,
be able TO hit
tcopyright. 1887, by the North American
Newspa per Alliance. lncJ
COASTAI PLAINS