Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 113, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1915 — STREAK OF LIGHTNING [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

STREAK OF LIGHTNING

Shortstop Maranville Regarded as Wonder of Baseball.

He Is About the Blze of a Boy, With Bpeed of a Jackrabblt, and a Mighty Btrong Arm—Has Odd Way of Catching a Fly.

Rabbit Maranville, shortstop of the Boston Braves, is the lightning spark of this amazing team. He is a wonder of baseball, being the size of a boy with the speed of a Jackrabblt and the arm of Moriarty.

When fans go out to see the Braves play they go chiefly to see Johnny Elvers, the great trio of pitchers—and Maranville.

Chief among the attractions is the manner in which he catches a fly. He dashes after it and then stands looking up at it as it descends. His arms lie loosely at his sides. He doesn't set himself a particle. It nears him, faster and faster.

Just as it comes on a level with his head he puts his hands together

at his waist and nonchalantly catches it. He is the only star in captivity who catches a ball in this remarkable manner.

Fans gasp when he performs the stunt. They are always looking for him to drop it —but he apparently never does.

Maranville geta a grounder unlike other shortstops. He gathers up the ball In a most unconcerned fashion and can whip it across at fearful speed. One has to wonder where he gets the strength. There is no jerk to his movement, no effort whatever. Then, when he is at the bat. He has a short, heavy stick. This he holds in the middle so that about a foot and a half is left to crack the ball. And it’s no infrequent thing to see him whale a double or a triple. The lad has all sorts of pep and works like a whirlwind with Evers around second.

Nobody wanted this little fellow be* cause he “wasn’t big enough for ?ast company.” George Stallings signed Maranville and said to him then: “You’re just the man I want. • My idea of a shortstop is a small man. He can get over the ground faster than a big man. Don’t worry about your size, Maranville. Just cover the ground and I’ll keep you with this big show.” And Maranville was relieved of the worry of stature and—did he make good?

Johnny Evers and Stallings claim that he is the greatest shortstop that ever played the game! Of course, .that’s a Boston claim but, truth to tell, Maranville played the position in a dazzling way during the Braves’ thrilling rush to the front. All of which goes to show that a man who is fast, game, and a hitter can get along no matter if he is not higher thAn a top hat.

“Rabbit” Maranville.