Show I lUlU UI II III Ull II IllI U U UI II 13 ilMy Thirty Years I 1 II Of Baseball I B II I John J. J McGraw j Ed W Walsh als and Chief Bender Were Two of Wiliest Hurlers in Game ARTICLE ARTICLE 44 IN JN ATTEMPTING G to select a team of f American league stars I I mindful of the fact that I I am have not been so as closely closely associated as- as with them as those of the National league At the I same Bame time my various teams have played against most of them either in worlds world's series contests or in spring I g exhibition games Also I was rather Intimately associated associated asso asso- I elated with many of or their st stars In our trip around the world Incidentally Inci mc- dentally I Intend to devote a chapter chap t ter r to the worlds world's tour later on I have tried to b be b. fair fall and Just after giving gl an of ot these players plyers careful con con- I am Inclined to feel that my say choice meet with the approval of a majority of the lov lovers r. r of ot baseball Here 1 is s my sll selections selections- Catchers Catchers Ray Ray Schalk Lew ube Rube Pitchers Rubs Waddell Addle Joss Jos Ed El Walsh Chief Bender Walter Waiter Julia John ton Bon First base George base George Isler Second base Eddie base Eddie Collins Third base Jimmy base Jimmy Collins I Shortstop George Shortstop George Davis Left field field Tria Speaker Center Centar field Ty Ty Cobb Right field field larry Harry Hooper Substitute Substitute outfielder Babe outfielder Babe Ruth SCHALK U CERTAIN TO MELT WITH ITH APPROVAL AJ I feel feet rather rather sure that that my choice of nay lUy Schalk for all 11 American league catcher will vili meet with the app approval of ot the players In that flat league I Stave have ave talked with a a. number of them and It seems S to tobe tobo tobo bo be the general opinion that he stands stand out Personally I am ant quite familiar with itt his catching and I l' l regard legard gard him as the tho best but backstop the American league has haA ever produced Schalk has all the qualifications that go 0 to make the perfect perfect per per- catcher or as near to 10 it as we e can get lIet llo Ste studies opposing batters nesses carefully Owing and r to the the confidence h confidence their of weak weak- fellow tellow tel fel low players Player in his judgment Schalk steadies the whole team He lie Is It a bard hard and conscientious worker and loves his profession l is a hard and ac accurate accurate accurate ac- ac curate thrown thrower and due to a wonderful pair of handu han he Is seldom disabled He ito fall 10 Is al also very fast rut on the bases an unusual thing for foe a catcher and Is a good hitter I have hav no no in selecting him bini as the one uric great American Ameri Ameri- ca cato can league star stat behind the bat hat Lew Low s' s was sas a catcher of ot the Iho old eh school ol and aid and andone one ut of toe lbs classiest He lIe caught e Oy Cy Young Bill Dineen and other stars for tor years yearn All of or pronounce him great grest CrIger was an au every da day hard liarS working catcher that always could be depended depend 1 upon Though Lew was but buta a tt fair hitter he e. e was s very dependable fd fn In the pinches es Ill Ills gentlemanly conduct conduct con con- duct al around even temperament made him most valuable to any organization Low Criger was waa Va a credit to the game I have bave already discussed the all American league pitchers ra with tho ex exception exe ex- ex e o of Chief Bender and td Ed Walsh There Is 18 no DO question In my mind that an all American league Gue team would be I Incomplete without the tho wily Indian Bender The Tho game has haa pro produced very few tew such ucb pitchers In addition to his I natural strength th his wonderful speed and curves curses Bender made an intensive study of ot batters It Was seldom that he made roads a mistake Xo No pitcher ever hat had more e ner nerve e. e Bender wag has the e one Ath- Ath I rl oen 11 letlo I pitcher I r to beat t us In t that first t world series WASU WALSH WAR IVAS tREAT T Ed Walsh I hav have selected us u a pitcher pilcher for tor several seasons Cason He lie was easily the most famous and effective of or all the spitball pitchers While with the White Sox Ed was waA practically Invincible A AbIg Abig I big factor In his hia alue talus to a a. ball club was lilt Ills marvelous endurance Kle Ue could have pitched every day if It It had hac been necessary Aside from his spitball Walsh had tremendous speed and splendid control control control con con- It was the clever lev r pitching of Walsh day att after r- r day dy that enabled the White Sox then called the hitless won wonder er to win the American I league ague pennant to and-to beat out the Cubs Cuba In Inthe Inthe inthe the worlds world's series serlee that followed In Chi cage cago George Davis Dav Is my selection for shortstop on account of ot his all around ability He Ste excelled excell as a hitter was an expert shortstop a I wonderful base runner and an exceptionally quick thinker He Ste was at one time tinte a star with the Giants In the old das davs ays and later with the White Sox Sex When i t came Into the National league as manager of ot the Giants Davis was wa one of the first tint men n I 1 went after for my Infield when hen I started a raid on 01 the American l lealue ate ague I was wag not allowed to ke keep p him though under the tho national t agreement a t which t I already have a discussed ca a Getting down to my outfield It may occasion a little surprise to note that I 1 have havo placed Tris Speaker In left field As Ae ever everybody body knows knowlI Speaker Is la a 8 center fielder He Ste could play left just juet as well though Since I 1 already have pl placed ced Ty Cobb on the grand all American team eam of ot all times I could not consistently leave la him off the all alt American team At the same time I cannot In fairness leave Tris Speaker off It St BO so happens that the two greatest outfielders ha happen happen hap hap- pen to play the same canoe position It If I had hud them both on n my y club I 1 would certainly play them 0 as a. I have Indicated te 1 here COHn A AND D SPEAKER ARE GREAT As a matter of fact it It has baa been blen v very r difficult for me Sue to choose choo between Cobb and Speaker In 11 covering ground and actually m making catches It IL Is likely that Speaker would woul 1 Cobb but Ty Tyis Tyis is so supreme in tn all II other departments department and end In his aggressive spirit that I 1 gave him the lii edge has been an outstanding figure in baseball for years ears ear He Its has lias challenged Ty Cobbs Cobb's popularity In every wa way If It Tris has a areal areal areal real weakness I have never neer discovered It For years Harry H Hooper oper has hall been con- con outfielders one of ot the greatest that e ever er er lived He Ste Is la also of ot the most dangerous hitters hitter In a. a pinch that the game has ha known kno Many fany pitchers still eUIl rem remember to their sorrow what he ho did to them in the several worlds world's series aeries In width which he has haa played Hooper Sleeper made madea a a. catch ue in Ia Boston that beat beatus us Ua out of the worlds world's championship It if I 1 were an American league manager I dont don't know lenow where I 1 could dig up 5 a a. better better better bet bet- ter outfield than Sp Speaker aker Cobb and Hooper Steeper My y selection of ot Babe Bab Ruth as the extra ex ex- tra outfielder should be obvious to any baseball man I 1 have hav chosen hint him because because be be- cause of Isle his spectacular hitting Nobody could ever aver hit lilt a ball bail like Babe Ruth I He lie can Ian play either of ot the outfield O positions poal- poal Hons and as a pinch hitter la is supreme Despite hl his great at built and appal n t slowness Babe Ruth is a a. corking good goodwing base bae runner He has ha been bean the greatest reate t drawing dra wing card Laid that the game gamo has hall ever ver produced I 1 have to smile when I realize that I have picked a team for the American league ue and d. In Ip my opinion h have ve made it so strong as IU to necessitate k keeping Babe Dab Ruth on the bench as a a. utility out- out fielder After Arter looking over my ray lIel selections selection lor br th these Ae three thre great gret teams the teams the grand all America the all National and tho the all American AmerIcan l I hai have e discovered a a. loophole that may may cause cause some astute fan to jump through it and Question a a. previous statement ment that I made In r regard g rd to the advantage of college players Very few of my chol choices u are college players It develops I will endeavor to explain that In the next chapt chapter r. r Copyright 1923 1525 United States and Canada Canada Can Can- I ada by the tho Christy Walsh Syndicate |