New Britain Herald Newspaper, July 7, 1916, Page 11

Photos by American Press Association. J.— Johnston, Pittsburgh. 2.— Pipp, New York Yankees. 3.—Daubert, Brooklyn. 4.—Luderus, Philadeiphia. ' 5—Merkle, New York Giants. 6.— Gandil, Cleveland. 7.— Mclnnis, Philadelphia Athletics. 8.—Hoblitzel, Boston Red Sox. 9.—Saier, Chicago Americans, 10.— Konetchy, Boston Braves. HERE was a time—and only a few years back, too—that managers of baseball teams found some difficulty in ob- talning competent first sackers, but as the seasons rolled on players rounded out, and this year finds both major leagues with a good supply of men to cover the initial station. Of course individual stars were to be seen right along, and when such was the case something usually happened .to take the joy out of life. When a player was injured in the old days it was usually the case that he could not be replaced by a player of like caliber, but today several teams have players | on reserve, showing how plentiful men are in this angle of the game. This condition has surely alleviated many of the managers' troubles, and | most of them are now directing their | attentions to other positions which are | In need of building up. Instance Merkle, Daubert, Fournier, Konetchy, Miller, Chase, Saier, McInnis and several others who are making an | :nviable record in the infield. Surely the brand of playing these men are| dfsplaying readily shows how first | - basemen are developing. S Many fans of the present day are studying the men playing the first sta- seem to be running neck and neck for the high esteem of the majority of those who patronize the ball parks. Of course every individual has his own favorite, and it would be a hard prop- osition tospick out the one who holds most of the fans all to himself and at the same time do all justice. Nevertheless a well known Brooklyn fan recently made this statement, “Take off your hat to Jake Daubert, the sterling first baseman. To him be- longs much credit in keeping the Brooklyn team in the running since the start of the 1916 season. tion because of the fact that they Not alone ! FRIDAY, JULY | has Daubert played a great game at first, but his batting has been sensa- tional, and he has won many games with his big stick.” Manager Robinson of the Brooklyn team added: “I have seen a number of first sackers in my day, but never the equal of the man who holds down first for the Superbas. Daubert can do anything and do it well. He is worth ‘350,000 to the Brooklyn club.” ‘ Managers Herzog and Connie Mack |and others have made like statements |about their first basemen. However, |this is like everything else when many are running for the highest hon- ors, and the latter part of the season may bring forth one player on whom all will be able to agree as the best first sacker in the game. The accom- panying layout shows some of the /) 1616, group are considered to have the most number of admirers. If your favorite isn’t there it is the experts fault. the field. Conditions were thoroughly present day stars as they appear on | | weighed, and those app: | aring in the | BIG LEAGUERS ARE WELL SUPPLIED WITH FIRST BASEMEN |San Francisco Boosts Tennis as Girls’ Sport 'ENNIS as an exercise for girls is an established condition in San Fran- cisco, where public courts are reserved for their use, and many tournaments for girls are held, but action of high school authorities elsewhere in exclud- ing high school girls from interschol- astic tournaments unless chaperons should be provided appears to have started discussion of the subject. Gen- eral sentiment, as developed: in inter- views, runs to expressions as to the value of the game, rather than to any discussion of chaperons. “Tennis is one of the greatest exer- cises and health builders for women,” said Mrs. May Sutton Bundy, known the world over as a wonderful tennis player. “Perhaps if carried to excess it might hurt one, but none of my sis- ters has ever been seriously ill, nor have I. “The not to mands girl with a weak heart ought play tennis, for the game de- considerable running. around, and it would be easy to overtax the heart. There is nothing unladylike or unwomanly about the game. It is just good, healthy, blood stirring exercise and sport.” “The modern girl is graceful on the dance floor, but the moment she is out of doors she is lost,” was the way Mau- rice E. McLoughlin, former national singles and doubles champion of ths United States, put it. “Tennis, of ail games, teaches poise and balance. They are two of the essentials of the game.” Star Baseball Player Must Be Good Forgetter FACULTY which enters largely into the makeup of every good ’ baseball player is the ability to forget. Were it not for this power very few players would ever reach the high de- gree of perfection which many of them possess today. The results in many cases are ex- seedingly hard to determine. A play- :r's ability to perform his work is the nost unstable of all elements. One ,day he looks like a “world beater,"” corralling everything that comes his way and hitting the ball to the four sorners of the lot, the next day, per- naps, he is equally extreme in the oth- s direction and much resembles the proverbial bush leaguer. ,. It may be that even though he is a star of the first water he will have a bad streak and go for weeks without veing able to do anything successfully, >r he may personally perform his work n the most approved manner, but hard uck, the presence of which cannot be ienied in baseball, enters in and spoils his efforts. Every fan has seen sharp line drives zo straight into the hands of some in- flelder or long ones which looked good 'or at least three bases caught by an sutfielder with hardly an effort on his part. The fans have said, “Too bad, old boy,” and that is all it has meant to him. But perhaps that batsman has been doing that same thing day after jay for weeks. He may have changed his style, al- tered his position, swung a little soon- er or a little later, “crowded” the plate *or stood a little farther away from it, but all to no purpose, until finally, there being no other explanation, he is pronounced by his teammates a “hard luck hitter.” If any one thinks there is no luck in baseball let him try to convert a play- er in one of these streaks to his way of thinking and it is safe betting that before the argument is over the con- yincer will himself be convinced. The " »xistence of these elements in base- ball has taught him to reconcile him- self to them and to do his work in spite of their presence. No matter how bad a day he may have he reports to practice the next | morning just as good a ball player in { pis own estimation as he was the day pefore and with equally as much con- fidence in himself. Every day begins new era with him, and even though pings have been “going bad” he is ab- splutely sure that the “breaks” will be Je | | | | Photo by American Press Associatfon g way in the next game. against hope to land Evers. Joe Tinker Is After John‘ny Evers JOHNNY EVERS. ixCCORDYNG to reports which are finding their way around the baseball cir- cuit, Manager Joe Tinker has manifested an anxiety to have his old side partner, Johnny Evers, back with the Cubs. ager Stallings would make the deal out of the question, but Tinker is hoping Some think the demands of Man- Sunday Greater Than Ty Gobb 'HERE'S at least one ball playing person who refuses to make it unani- mous about Ty Cobb being the great- est ball player of all time. And that's old Eagle Eye Jake Beckley, who play- ed the game nearly as long as Nap Lajoie and is now an umpire, living in Kansas City. A quarter century ago old Eagle Eye was in his prime, one of the hardest hitting first sackers the game ever knew. “You can have your Ty Cobbs and your Benny Kauffs,” Jake Beckley says, “I'll take Billy Sunday for my ball club right now, and I said the same thing back in the nineties. “He's fifty-two years old today, but he’s running bases and sliding every day in that pulpit just as he did back in the old days. If he’'d stayed in the game Cobb never would have been fa- mous. “He was greater than Ty Cobb ever dared to be in three departments of the game. “Everybody thinks Cobb can run bases. I'd spot him a second against Billy Sunday and then watch Bill score first. “They think Cobb covers outfield ter- ritory. They should have seen Sunday in his prime. “And throw—say he could throw from centerfield just as easily as Tris Speaker. “Batting was where Sunday was weak, but in another year or so he would have overcome that weakness. He was just that kind. “He had more fight in his heart than any man I ever saw. He was learning more about the art and science of bat- ting every day. “You see, Billy Sunday broke in un- der a handicap. Top Anson picked him up because of his speed and not because of his baseball ab He was fast, but when he started in a bat was strange to him. “He fanned so many times his first vear he must have been dizzy when the season ended. But when he came to our ball club he was improving and improving fast. “But he didn't give enough attention to his batting. He used to spend a lot of time before the game in the club- house alwavs reading the Bible or studying.'v Has Shéw WMort': Sx;eed Tl;an Johnsén? Photo by American Press Association. JIM SHAW, ! “'XH‘“\' Shaw, the lanky twirler of the Senators, was seen In action recently several of his teammates expressed the opinion that he has as much speed Thomas W. Murphy Should Lead Reinsmen Again PHOMAS W. MURPHY, the leading money winning driver of 1915, with $135,000 to his credit, bids fair to bo { the topnotch reinsman again this sea- son, he having in his racing string th pick of the country. His crackerjacki | entered in stakes on the grand circuit and minor tracks number twenty, thir teen trotters and seven pacers. The trotters inciude Yanko, 2:06%, by Un- ko; Trampright, 2:08%, by Trampfast; Expressive Lou (38), 2:15, by Atlantic Express; Brisac, 2:15, by Bingara; Azora Axworthy, 2:16%, hait mile, by Bale Axworthy; Royal Isle, 2:13%, by Peter the Great; FPeter Mount (3), 2:19%, by Peter the Great; Royal Mc- Kinney, : , by McKinn S H Kay, Jr . Kay; Helen ; Maple Tree (3), Sanardo (2), by Lady and trial 2:04%, by £ San Francisco Royal McKinney. The pacers include Peter Stevens, 2:023%, by Peter the Great; Peter Far- ren, 2:07%, by Peter the Great; Alta- wood, 2:08%, by Allanwood; The Prob- lem, 2:08%, by Cochato; Jay Ell Mack, 2:10%, by E. J.; Derby Custer, 2:13%, by Ed Custer, and Russell Boy, 2:02%, by Rustic Patenter. Among the horses Tommy Murphy marked in 1915 wer: TROTTERS. Peter Volo, br. c¢. (4), by Peter the Great-Nervolo Belle, by Nervolo... 2:02 Peter Scott, br. c, by Peter the Great-Jenny Scott, by Bryson. Lulu Lumine, br. m,, by Orator. . Mirthful, b. m., by The Star of Bateher, Jiri ot s ol s Sadie 8., b. m., by Archdale..... Bondella, b. £. (3), by Walnut Hall... Strafford, br. s., by Moko, half mile, FHEIL nilol. ot v s Trampright, b. ¢. (4), by Trampfa Humfast, b. f. (3), by Trampfast M. L. J., b. 8, by Red Will.. Binville, blk. s, by Binjolla. PACERS. Directum I, ch. s, by Directum Kelly (half mile, 2:05%), mile track Frank Bogash, Jr., br. g, by Frank Bogashie. S LR 32 Major Ong, b. ., by Major Gantz... Hal 8, r. g, by Hal Chaffin ... .2 RUSSIAN STUDIES SPORTS. JAY\ NES ANDERSSON, who has been sent by the czar of Russia to study athletics in the United States, re- cently reached San Francisco in'hig tour of this country. As a result of his visit the Russians will be taught American athletics by moving pictures, Andersson has secured pictures’ g many famous performers in action and\ as his colleague, Walter Johnson, if not more. They declared if this fellow develops good control he will be one of the greatest pitchers in the gamex will demonstrate the system in his country by this means, by