Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1913 — BORTON IS A “FIND” [ARTICLE]

BORTON IS A “FIND”

White Sox Recruit Best Youngster of 1912 Season. Probably la -Best Player Coming to Either National or American Leagues From Minors or Bush 'Leagues—is a Giant William Borton, White Sox recruit first baseman, was the fielding and batting “find” of the season'in the American league in. 1312. No young player coming to the younger major league showed the class of this Western league product. He probably is the best all around performer coming to either the National or American league fresh from the minors or the bushes. This giant lad was the prize pick of the season in the American league. He is the best hitting player on the Chicago White Sox for many years.

, The fielding of Borton for the last three seasons has been near the perfect mark. His record for 1911 in the Western league rested at 993 when all the returns were footed up by the baseball statisticians. He aocepted nearly every, chance that came his way without 1 an error. Borton played in 31 games in. the American leagde and committed only one error. This stands as a record for the lnflelders and outfielders who appeared in 15 games. This might be considered an accident, if It was not for Borton’s record before he wore a major league uniform., SJnpsLh«_haßjjerformsi_MJ!sreditably in a long series of games, his .achievement shines the more brilliantly.

There is one thing peculiar about Borton that led wise ones like Callahan and Gleason to let him go to St. Joseph when they had him on the spring training trip. He fails to show major league class in the spring. It takes some time for Borton th warm to his task. Hlb batting eye seems defective in March, but by the time the umpires sound the signal to “Play ball!” in the spring the old judgment of distance comes back. At any rate, Borton admitted as much recently when asked he failed to show si ass in the springtime. Borton has solved a big problem for Manager Jimmy Callahan for the new White Sox of 1913. He has filled a gap that was made conspicuous and never filled acceptably after the departue of Jiggs Donohue. Borton plays with ease and bats with nerve. He hits any kind of pitching and is a difficult batter to “play for.”