Evening star., 1941-03-18
The
SPoRTLIGH7
Greet Baseball Trio
Amazingly Versatile
BY GRANTLAND RICE,
Special Correspondent Of The Star

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. March
18 IN They we're discussing
Joe Gordon's future as a first base
man. was sitting in the stands with
Joe Tinker at the time-Tinker of
the old Cubs Tinker to Evers to
Chance" fame.
Gordon can't miss" Joe said.
Hes a natural ball player He II
make plays at first which will be
raising. A natural ball player
can play almost anywhere, except
maybe pitch or catch"
So we drifted into a discussion,
seeking to name the greatest all
around ball player baseball had ever
known-the man who could handle
more jobs well.
The list was longer that you might
think.
"First of all" Joe said, there
was Babe Ruth. He started as a
pitcher, and still holds the best FIVE
year winning average in baseball
q great left-hander. Then he be-
came star outfielder-and I mean
one of the beSt-and he was good
first baseman. He was the greatest
home run hitter of all time, and
that's a tough record to beat"
Wagner, SisIer Roted
Along With Ruth
What about HonuS Wagner?" I
asked
Il was thinking about old Hans"
Tinker said He was known as a
great shortstop-probably the great
est. But did you know he had starred
in every position on the club except
in the box? He played every outfield
and every infield position, including
catcher. He led his league in bat
ting for seven or eight years. And he
used to steal from so to 60 bases a
season. There was a ball player.
Better than Babe Ruth? I'd hate
TO say. But old Hans was close. He
even might have been a good
pitcher, for he had great arm"
Now, you pick one" Tinker said,
who belongs with these"
What about George Sisler?" I
suggested. "Sisler started out at
Michigan as star left-handed
pitcher. He might have been one of
the best in baseball. But they
needed his hitting. After that he
was q crack outfielder, just as Ruth
was. Then they moved him to first
base, where he is one of the few to
challenge Hal Chase. Sisler hit as
high as .420. And he was one of the
best base runners the game ever
knew"
Tinker Insists Choices
Stort From 1900
Ty Cobb, one of baseball's i'm
mortals, played his string through
as an outfielder. Walter Johnson
was solely pitcher. So was Matty,
Grover Alexander, Cy Young and
Lefty Grove. Nap Lajoie was
great infielder. Iris Speaker and
Joe jackson were among the best
outfelders-as is Joe Di Maggie
today.
But the argument was about the
ell-around entries.
7 also nominated John Mont
gomery Ward of Providence and
the old New York Giants.
That was before my day."
Tinker said.
Ward" I said, was a star out
fielder, brilliant infielder, and
better pitcher than Hoss Rad
bourne, whom he discovered. Ward
pitched at least two no-hit games,
one of them perfect. And he was
one of the best base runners that
ever lived. He also was a manager
and scout at the time.
Maybe So" Tinker said, but let's
keep more modern. Let's not 60
back any farther than 1900"
Trio Selected Among
Greatest Hitters
We finally settled on the Big
Three for all-around ability-Ruth,
Wagner and Sisler.
All were great hitters-among the
greatest. Two of them-Ruth and
sisler-were star pitchers, although
Sisler never had the chance Babe
had to prove his ability along this
line. Wagner and Sisler were two
Of the best base runners in base
ball. Ruth, with his 230 to $50
pound body operating on slender
ankles, was out of the running here.
Wagner was never pitcher, but
he proved that he could handle the
eight remaining jobs, as well as
lead his league at bat year after
year and run bases like a scared
coyote.
There are many others-Rhody
Wallace, an old-timer; Jimmy Foxx
Of the Red Sox. Bucky Walters of
the Reds, Freddy Lindstrom of the
Giants, and many more.
But the Triple Top remain as
stated-Ruth, Wagner and Sisler-
as long as Tinker won't let me ring
in my old golfing partner from the
late 80s and the early 90s-John
Montgomery Ward.