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Show OUTFIELDERS BACK IN '80s WERE STABS Record Number of Assists Were Made in the Early Days. Statistics Show That Old Time Fly Chasers Had a Shade on Present Day Fielders in Throwing Out Base Runners. During the season of S0S George Van Haltren of the New York Giants in a game against the Washington club was playing center field. Cy Swain, who was pitching for the Senators, while at bat happened to make what looked like a safe drive to center. Nine times' out of ten it would have gone safe, but Van made a mad dash and gathered it in on the second bound and without stopping 'threw to first, the ball beating the slow-footed Swain by a good six feet, and, Cy was sprinting his best all the time. Of course Van didn't perform this stunt right along.' Statistics show that the outfielders back in the 'SOs and '90s had a shade on the present day outfielders in making mak-ing assists. Tho best record in number num-ber of assists made in one season in the majors in recent years, or since 3900, was stacked up by Harry Niles when with the S. Louis Cardinals in 1906. Harry nailed 39 men from the outfield, getting them at different bases. Mike Mitchell, while playing with the Cincinnati team, equaled the mark set by Niles, heading off 39 men by his power to shoot a ball from the furthest corner of the outfield with sufficient accuracy and speed to get his man. Ty Cobb, Joe Birmingham, Tris Speaker, Joe Jackson and Milan of Washington all have made especially especial-ly good records in this direction and lead their respective teams in throwing throw-ing out base-runners from the remote corners of the outer garden. In his day Fielder Jones was a past master in pegging the ball from the outfield and nipped many runners. In the National league since 1900 Murray of the Giants has the most consistent record of p.il the old league outfielders in making assists, he leading lead-ing the league in four different seasons. sea-sons. Ellis, who used to be with the Cards, was good at making long throws and had an average of 25 a season. Titus, Bates, Cravath and Snodgrass have good marks for accurate throwing throw-ing from the outfield. But the old boys back in the halcyon days of the 'SOs made some astonishing astonish-ing records In throwing out base runners run-ners from afar off. Jimmy Fogarty of the Phillies averaged an assist from the outfield every third game he played play-ed in. Sam Thompson of the old De-troits De-troits and Thillies was a mighty thrower throw-er in his day. Jimmy Ryan of the Chicago Nationals, Nation-als, left handed though he was, could shoot a ball from the furthest corner of the outfield with deadly effect. Bill Lange had a wonderful throwing arm and was feared by all base runners in ! the National league. The great Mike Kelly, back in 1S85, when with Chicago Nationals, made the greatest record in throwing out base runners from the outfield. Mike, by fair means or foul, pegged out 29 men in G7 games. |