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Show " 6HEATEST BASEBALL PUYEBS OH BECOBC Lively Discussion Brings Out Ancient History of Bygone Stars. Trihune Spcclnl Sporting Service. NEW YORK. Sept. .11. A discussion occurred between the Now York American Ameri-can players the other day as to who was really the greatest all-around baseball player that ever lived. By ' all-around player" was meant not only a good baiter and a jood fielder, but. a mail who could play the infield or the outfield, and who could pitch or catch, all with equal ability. Manager George Shillings of the New York team stood up stoutly for Lew McAllister, ex-Tiger and University of Michigan baseball coach. "McAllister was the best all-around man T'vo ever seen in my life," said diallings. "Ho played for mc for years, two seasons alone in Detroit. One day he would catch, the next day he would pitch. The third day he would play second base. Then 1 would send linn to the oullield. "lie played every position with wonderful won-derful ability. 1 liad a chance to sign him for New York this fall, but took Catcher Mitchell of Toledo, solely because be-cause McAllister has home interests in Buffalo and J did not want to disturb him. There is no ball player in my recollection who gives a better return for his salary than does McAllister.'' One of the New York players, a veteran, vete-ran, by the way. chimed in with an apprcclal ion of Buck Ewing. "Hwing," he said, "was I he best catcher that ever lived, and was almost as good a pitcher as he was catcher. At first base he was a Hal Chase, at second base a Fred Dunlap. at third baso a .Jerry Denny and at shortstop n Jack Glasscock." "But tho greatest of them all," spoko up Tim Murnanc. "was Charley I'erguson of the old Philadelphia team. Last spring I wns in Charloltevillc. Va.. and I took a walk through the cemetery. ceme-tery. There 1 saw a. piece of marble, with nothing on it but tho name. 'Charles Ferguson.' It brought back to me a flood of recollections. "Ferguson died in his youth. TIo was as good a pitcher as was Charles Kadbourno, as good a catcher ns was Buck Fw'ing or Mike Kelly, and as good an infieldcr as ever lived. T 've seen him make regular Koolcr plavs in the outfield. Some of you boys do not remember re-member him at all, but were ho alive now when all the country is talking baseball, instead of tho few thousands that knew the game in Ferguson's day, he would be more famous than Ty Cobb. Napoleon La.joic, linns Wagner nnd Christy Mnthcwsou combined. "J have seen him pitch a no-hit game one day. and go in nnd coach another pitcher into a low-hit game tho next day. Tho next day, perhaps, he would bo. at third base, aud would play a gamo that would be flic talk of the country for months to come. "Baseball lost the greatest figure in till its history when Charley Ferguson died." |