Show Jimmy Collins Third Base Star Defied Batters to Bunt at Him By Harry Grayson NEA Sports Editor Joe Dugan of the Yankees was wasa a a. pippin in the field Pie Traynor of the Pirates was a a. peach but when timers old-timers are asked to 0 I n name a. a mea an n all- all i of a time a. a star all 11 s t a. a r third baseman SerIes they say Jimmy Collins Period Veterans give the call to quiet going easy-going dignified James J. J Callins Collins Collins Col Cal lins on around all-around ability Collins had all the grace and rhythm of Napoleon Lajoie made difficult plays seem easy Collins was playing center field for Louisville in 1895 when the immortal Baltimore Orioles upset upset upset up up- set Walter Preston P-eston a a. bright prospect prospect prospect pros pros- to such an extent at third base that he made four errors When John McCloskey called in Collins Hughie Jennings patted him on the back told him the Orioles Orioles Ori Ori- oles weren't going to bunt any more all right replied Col Cal lins Bunt the ball to me Ill I'll show you something He did precisely that for 16 years played 18 in all 14 in the majors En Ewing ing Recognized Ability No one has come in on the grass to field bunts with the meat hand quite like Collins He had to be good for he faced such expert tappers as Wee Willie Keeler Jesse Burkett John McGraw Jennings Jennings Jennings Jen Jen- Jack Doyle and Billy Hami Ham Ham- i ilton It was almost impossible to hit the ball past him Collins was on the stocky side stood no more than five feet seven and a a. half weighed only pounds Soden Conant and Billings took Collins from Buffalo of the Eastern Eastern East East- em ern league to the Boston Nationals Nationals Nationals Na Na- In 1895 Loaned to Louisville Louisville Louisville Louis Louis- ville on May 17 Jimmy tacked 73 points on a a. batting average average aver aver- age to finish with Buck Ewing the Cincinnati manager offered the Colonels a a. couple of players for Jimmy but buthe buthe buthe he was Boston property Returning to the Collins damaged National league pitching for an even He batted in 97 91 in 98 left lifetime big league mark of He manufactured doubles during his major career and his 15 home runs topped the league in 98 I Eastern League Hartford 1 I 1 Elmira 0 O. Binghamton Barre Wilkes Vi e 5 5 S. S Springfield Albany 1 ell 2 2 Scranton 5 5 Utica 4 Southern Association Birmingham 7 2 Chattanooga a oga 0 02 ri f Memphis 12 Knoxville 0 8 New Orleans 3 3 Atlanta 0 O. Little Rock at Nashville postponed He had more than assists for a a. half dozen campaigns with 76 the maximum In 99 Collins joined the new American league In 01 as manager of Red Sox The Red Sox finished second and third then ran away to prevail prevail prevail pre pre- vail with points to spare They won the first world series five games to three after the Pittsburgh Pirates had captured three out of four Collins hit three triples in the fall show batted Helped Athletics in 1907 The Red Sox Sax came down In front again in 04 when Jack Chesbro of the Highlanders let go his celebrated wild pitch on the final day of the season but there was no world series that fall Collins was relieved of the management management management man man- in 06 returned In 07 01 as an enlisted man was traded to Athletics finished up managing Minneapolis and Providence The Athletics were fourth when Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Jim Jim- my joined them June 8 and moved up until they had a a. chance for forthe forthe forthe the flag until September 30 when instead of playing two games with Detroit they got In only the famous famous fa fa- amous a- a 17 inning 17 tie Jimmy Collins was a a. splendid around all-around ball player and a highly successful manager but he went down in history as the man who set the style for third basemen NEXT Doc Doe White II |