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— e ——— SI o ITTING back of the press box at the Chicago American league’ park were three fans who were pals and regu- attendance. They were dis- cussing great players, and each had his favorites in whom he could see no fault, but each could pick some flaw in the pets of the others. Just then Eddie Collins pulled a play with a bit of the unexpected in it that wrecked the opposing team'’s offense,” writes Cy Sanborn, the veteran baseball expert. “Said one of the thiree: “‘I've hardly missed a game this sea- ton, and I haven't seen that second baseman think of the wrong play.’ “‘Nor I’ sald another of the three. ‘Nor 1 echoed the third. “That is why Eddie Coilins is worth to a winning team every cent of the big price Charles A. Comiskey gave Philadelphia for his services and every cent of his big bi-monthly pay check. No Attempt at Comparison. “This is no attempt to compare Eddie Collins with other great players—past, present or future—nor to make him out an errorless wonder, than whomn there is not. or was, or ever will be a greater. But as I watched the White Sox and the Red Sox battling for the lead in the double header which opencd their recent series the incident of those three fan pals was recalled, and I wondered it they were there to see what the Sox keystone guardian did and how earn- estly and brilliantly he worked to win both those games, one of which was lost in spite of him. Perhaps the fans who did not see that double combat would like to know too. “In the attack Collins twice put the ‘White Sox in the lead in the first game after the Bostonlans had tied up the score, and in each case he did it with little help from his pals. In Chicago's fourth, after the Red Sox had scored one run, knotting the tally made by Felsch’s home run, Collins led the at- tack on Foster with a three base hit before anybody was out. Anything would- score him, but Fournier made sure of it with a single. And before that round was over the White Sox bad & lead of two runs. Two Bases on Sacrifices. “That lead was wiped out in the eighth whon Boston counted twice. Again in the Chicago half Collins put victory within Chicago's grasp, and by a bril- liant feat. On an error and an out he reached second base with one down. With Leibold at bat, Collins started for third just as the batsman laid down a bunt which pulled Gardner off that sack. Lelbold was thrown out at first, dut when the ball reached Gainer Col- lins was halfway -between third and icme, and he finished with a terrific _1*¢e which eluded the catcher’'s touch, Jchough Gainer relayed the ball to the tiate in time for an even Lreak at "¥st. Tkrat this one run lead, estab- liered by Colling’ speed, was wiped out by Roston in the ninth inning does not ir any way detract from the value of bir efforts. “On the defense in that-first game Col- lins enmacted. the role of life saver three ¢ifferent times, not by brilliant stops or throws or catches so'much as by be- ing at the right spot in the right in- stant to nip Boston base runners. In the third inning the first two Boston A Few Reasons lins Gets »Big Money Why Eddie Col- batsmen fell down in attempted hit and run plays, and each time Schalk threw to Collins. Neither throw was good, be- cause the batsmen interfered with Schalk, but Collins took both throws in bad positions, yet tagged out the run- ners. Plays Great Fielding Game. “In the fourth, when Gardner on third and Thomas on first tried a double steal, Collins took Schalk’s, throw, chased Thomas back toward first, keep- ing one eye on Gardner all the time, and suddenly wheeled and threw to third, nipping Gardner off that base. In the sixth, when Speaker tried to steal second after a pass, Collins received a low throw, scooping it off the dirt, and with catlike quickness tagged the great Tris as he slid past. That was follow- ed by a single and a muffed fly that would have made several runs for Bos- ton but for Collins' feat. “In the second game, which Chicago won, Collins got on first every time he came to bat. In the first inning he sin- gled with two out, then sneaked to sec- ond_when an_extremely short passed ball escaped Carrigan. This put him in position to score, but Fournier missed the ball in a hit and run play, and Col- lins was called out at third by a hair. Makes Homer on Speed. “In the third Collins came to bat with batsmen made safe hits off Scott, but meither reached second base. Twice the Weaver on second and one out. This time he mauled a fast liner over sec- ond, and when the ball shot through Speaker, who was running in for a quick throw to the plate, Collins’ great speed enabled him to complete the cir- cuit while the ball was being retrieved. And that gave Chicago a lead of two runs, In the fifth Collins was passed with two out and got no farther, but in the eighth he led off with another pass, went to third on Fournier's single to right, where Hooper has a fine whip, and scored on Leibold’s fly to Speaker, who barely missed doubling him up at the plate and would have doubled up any one but a speed merchant. “Defensively Collins had nothing out of the ordinary to do in that second game, because Russell's pitching called for little assistance. “That was just one day's work for Collins.” Collins Not Temperamental. " Unlike most star ball players, Col- lins is not temperamental and is as easy for a manager to handle as a mod- el youth. His brilliancy has never turned his head, and he is just the same gentlemanly player whether he is winning or losing and whether he is hitting ‘or in a slump. Most players of Collins’ ability are vastly different in disposition according to the way things are breaking for them. Cleveland Wants to Honor Leibold. Unusual honors for a ball player are those that fans of Cleveland are try- ing to wish on to Harry Leibold, the De- troit boy who has taken his manager's place in center field and is regarded as having made good in his first year in major league ball. A place on the Cleveland board of education is the thing referred to. At the recent primarfes it was found that some of the dyed in the wool bugs of the Forest City had cast ballots for the nomination of Leibold, Larry La=- jole and Vean Gregg to the board named. None, of .course, got any great number of votes. Each, in fact, got six, showing that the same fans hand- ed in ballots for each of the players. Tt isn’t really material whether all or any of the young men are qualified for the job. None could take it if he were nominated and elected. Leibold lives in Detroit, Gregg in Washington state and Lajoie just outside the corporation limits of Cleveland. Jennings was once suggested for city attorney of Cleveland, but that is as near to po- litical preference as any Detroit player has got. High Cost of Baseball. That. the high cost of baseball and small margin of profit are not con- fined to the present day is proved by the report of the Boston baseball club of 18 The figures of forty years ago show that the expenses of the team for the season were $34,505.99 and the re- ceipts $37.767.06. leaving a profit of $3,261.07, which was less than 10 per cent of the gross receipts. Johnny Evers a Valuable Man. Johnny Evers is the most valuable man to his team of any player in the game. And that statement has the whole souled support of sport writ- ers, critics, statisticians, just plain fans—and, in fact, every one of those 16,000 odd spectators who saw the di- minutive dynamo break back into the game against the Giants in New York recently after a nine weeks' layoff with an injured ankle. New York fans hate Johnny Evers— from a baseball standpoint. The rea- son is they fear him. His every ap- pearance is a signal for hisses, cat- calls, hooting — everything that the great American fan indulges in when the object of his wrath floats across his vision. The Giants and Braves were playing a double header. The New Yorks had taken two games from Stallings’ crew the day before and had taken the first game of the second double header. As the teams lined up for the second game a slim figure slipped from the Boston bench and made his way, limping, to second base. The crowd knew him in- stantly, and there was a veritable bed- lam of jeering, hissing and yelling. Johnny Evers was back. Johnny Proves Worth. When he came in to the bench after the Giants had been retired the crowd around the Boston bench immediately “got on his neck,” riding him unmerci- fully. But Johnny never ducked. Ho came right back at them, hurling their imprecations back into their teeth, jeering at them, ridiculing them, brag- ging of what he would do the first time up and pitying them because they had to support the Giants. e shouldered his bat and went to the prare. Emery Ball Is \AKE a nice new ball, fresh from the factory. - Roughen a spot on the surface no bigger than a dime, if you wish,- and place it in the hand of a pitcher with only ordinary speed and still more ordinary curves. Instantly your pitcher becomes more formidable than Walter Johnson or Christy Math- ewson, and he has an article of goods which the greatest batsman in the world can’t fathom. He becomes an “emery ball” pitcher. The latest addition to the baseball category of freak terms is still Greek to most fans. It is only lately that the expression has crept into newspaper columns, although the thing which it describes has been known to the wise- acres of baseball for the last three or tour years. Russell Ford is said to be the discoverer of the new fooler. In a McLean Pays Very Heavy Fines. Photo by American Press Association. LARRY M'LEAN. ARRY . M’'LEAN, who was let go by the New York Giants a short time ago, states that during his career as a alaygr be has pald out $5,000 in fines. - a Real Puzzler confidential mood he passed the secret on to two or three other pitchers, and they in turn gave it to some other twirlers. Use Is Frowned On. But the sad thing to be noted in con- nection with the “emery ball” is that its use is frowned on. In the Ameri- can association there is a rule that any pifcher detected using the latest mem- ber of the deception family will be find $100 and suspended for thirty days. As far as it is known, this is the only league to take official action with re- gard to the “emery ball,” although all umpires have been instructed to main- tain a close watch against its use. The new twister gets its name from the fact that the roughened surface was first produced by massaging a small spot with a piece of sandpaper. 1t was discovered that the act made the horsehide perform gyrations which it had never been known to perform before. It needs to be thrown only with ordinary speed and comes up to the plate straight and true and look- ing as fat as a balloon to the waiting batsman. Breaks Suddenly Near Plate. Now, here is what it does. When within a foot or two of the plate it breaks suddenly and goes up or down, according to the way it was thrown, almost perpendicularly. The jump is generally for eight or ten inches, when it breaks suddenly again and shoots right across the plate. No batsman in the world can gauge it. It may go up or down, or the pitcher may make it take a side motion, and unless the catcher is aware of what's coming and the direction it will take he's as help- less as the batsman. The element of danger to the bats- man i{s the reason why the new ball is looked upon with disfavor. It breaks so fast that he has no chance of step- ping out of the way should he happen to get in the road of a fast throw. If the ball happened to be -high and thrown to break in toward the plate there'd be no escape for the batter. He would get as nice a beaning as if some one, stood over his head and pounded away with a club. How Players Shift About. EN years makes a big difference in baseball. For instance, ten years ago: Ty Cobb and Eddie Cicotte were playing together in Augusta, Ga. Hughey Jennings was shortstop for Baltimore. George Moriarity was playing third base for Toledo. Ira Thomas was catching for Provi- dence. Birdie Cree was shortstop for the Pennsylvania State college team. Jimmy Austin and Dode Paskert were with Dayton. Branch Rickey was catching for Dal- las, Tex. JLarry McLean and Gavvy Cravath were plaving ball in the Pacific coast leaguey | Photo by American Pr As 'Manager erzog Planmng For 1916 & MANAGER CHARLEY HERZOG states that he intends to make many changes in the Cincinnati team before the season ends. | material in sight Herzog figures the Reds Will be there next seasons ‘With good S Game of Fisticuffs an Uncertain Sport. “FIGHTING is just as uncertain a sport as polo, baseball or hock- ey,” said a promoter the other day, commenting on the two recent knock- outs in the lightweight ranks. “Just think of it! Joe Rivers knock- ed out by Frankie Callahan and Sam- my Robideau knocking out @ilbert Gal- lant! I don’'t remember two greater surprises since I've becen connected with the game, yet both of these boys are corking hitters. “That knockout of Rivers is nothing short of a tragedy. I wired him to come on to New York for a bout. He sent back a night letter saying that he had started. His wire ran: “‘On the way. Will figsht my way back so that I can pocket your expense money. Have a good match in Mil- waukee, but will start the ball rolling by bumping off a boob in Memphis. See you soon.’ “And,” concluded the promoter, with a sad face, “Callahan was the boob.” Leave It to Coach Yost IN Michigan the forward pass, which was so long in making a dent in the conservative Yost tactics a few sea- sons ago, is now more on the map than at any other school, seemingly. At least Yost is establishing a system tending to make his men thoroughly fa- miliar with handling long throws. This system consists of playing base- ball with a college football, forcing men to make long, fast and accurate throws across the diamond, as well as accus- toming them to handling the awkward- 1y shaped leather surely. The difference between regular base- ball and football baseball is that no catcher is required. The man up, in- stead of swinging a bat, advances to the plate, receives the pitcher's pass and then hurls the ball as far as he can in any direction he thinks will be out of reach of all fielders. Then he hikes for first. The play on him is made just as if the sphere had been batted. It surely ought to develop facility in handling the old pigskin. No Warming Up For the Detroit Players. FLUGH JENNINGS won't let any of h players other than pitchers do any “warming up.” “Ty Cobb's ambition to become a pitcher nearly ruined his arm,” said Hughey. “He used to spend most of his practice time shooting the ball to the catchers, putting as much stuff on it as he could. That practice hurt his | DE LIGHTS ON TWO GREATEST SECOND BASEMEN IN G Johnny Evers Is Great Asset to Bostion Nattional Team. fleld for A elean sin, he jeered at e g Hie work oy the surcharged wigy o oo marks. He. rajjeq gy cursed them, cajg,, e and they likeq y, bench all that ceg, “Say, ain't it greayy g back ?" That day he got a and a homer, and m."‘x drove in a man ahead d two runs scored in th Braves won, 2 to 0. Maybe Detroit couldn't without Cobb, maybe the would fall through the bt league without Speaker, or Sox go flooey but for Collk diminutive, dynamic Evers! the Boston Braves simply estimated, rie addressed a few uncom- |“wake up,” threatened young Stroud. plimentary remarks to Meyers, who was | pitching for the Giants, and then pro- | catching for the Giants, told Rigler tolceeded to slam the ball into center Sporting Topics of General I larm. When Cobb came into the league he had an arm that was more powerful than any outflelder in the business. Trying out curves robbed it of some of its power, and you can bet on it that I won't let any of my other infielders or outflelders hurt their arms by trying to throw curves.” Big Salary Lists. HE Chicago White Sox's payroll this 000. The Chicago Cubs' budget calls for $70,000. The salary list of the New York Giants this year will exceed $100,000. There is not a regular on the team vho will draw less than $3,000, while half a dozen of them will receive more than $6,000. Even the New York Yankees take down $60,000 before the end of the season will be something like $80,- | | they will | nerve enough to do that could Isaac Mackie How to Mak Long Driv SAAC MACKIE, the no sional, is considered one gest drivers among golfers. tremendous ball from the usually straight down something uncommon with ¥ long drivers. Mackie explains his idea © drive in this way: “It is & cult thing to give one single drive. When we consider tha both its mental and physi cannot tell which one partie is the most important. about a dozen different th member when you are on the | | first is the advice handed out ginners, ‘Keep your eye on keep your head down through.’ “This is, of course, good$ its way. It Is, you might ing at the door. 1 have do all three of these things | a poor shot. The real long drive, and aiso the st is contained in these three the ball. I mean by this to squarely and in such a way" will be no suspicion of a glang “Your pupil will invariabl; sounds easy, but how is it @ players—and I will include g advanced in the game—miss 8 really good drive by lifting from the ball before it has full force of the glow. The usually a slice or a top. P member to hit deep and put @ | the ball. The club should | ball on a line along the gro least six to eight inches., Th | we would call sweeping the | the tee. The face of the clubl the ball squarely. MULLIN HARD MAN TO H, I UGHEY JENNINGS v Pitcher George Mullin, hardest man to handle he e his team. Jennings handled long time and got good results nterest to 1915 season. The Brooklyn payroll will total $80,000, The Phillies and the Ath draw $60,000 each. The Sox have tied up President the extent of $100,000, while pion Braves are not far b figures. The Pittsburgh Pirates $65,000, the Cincinnati Reds $ St. Louis Browns $70,000, the $55,000, the Detroits §70,000, th ingtons $70,000 and the Cley dians $50,000. | ' | F Tip For Timid B (}EURI}E STALLINGS batters can cure themselves] ing into fast curve balls and e do not hurt. Any plj be called timid. Photo by American Press Assoclation. Walter Johnson Goes Back to Old Delivery “‘ALTER JOHNSON’S sudden re- turn to form after many critics believed the great strain had ruined his arm recalls one of the peculiar things about pitchers. Not one pitcher in a hundred knows how he is pitch- ing or when he changes his delivery. Johnson changed his delivery about two years ago. He did it partly because he was studying what Dad Clarke used to call “a new system of slants.” Recently Johnson decided to cut out all frills and pitch his old “smoke ball” as he always had done. The effect was instantaneous. In the first game he used his speed and fast curve alone and opposing batters returned to the bench with the sad tidings that the groat Walter was himself again, ]