Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 163, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 July 1916 — HARD PLACE TO PLAY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HARD PLACE TO PLAY

Shortstop Most Difficult Position on the Diamond. On Account of Long Throw Player Must Make His Plays Quick and Clean—Third Base Is Easiest Position to Play. That shortstop is the most difficult of the seven fielding positions to play is the opinion of all good Judges among baseball men. The shortflelder has as many chances as the second baseman, and they are usually much more difficult. While the guardian of the second sack has oceans of time in which to make his plays to first base the short fielder, on account of the much longer throw, must make his plays as clean as a whistle. Plays to his right are exceptionally difficult. He has to cover a world of ground, and he must follow up most of his stops by a long and accurate throw. He must do his share of touching runners at second base. In many cases, as in that of Bancroft of the Phillies, he does practically all of the covering of second base on thrown balls to prevent stealing. While all are agreed that shortstop is the most difficult place to play in the Infield there is not so much unanimity about the easiest place to play, opinion being divided between this and second base. The preponderance, however, is in favor of third base, where chances are less numerous, and where there are only one or two difficult situations that can arise. The third baseman’s throw is not as a rule, so difficult as that of the shortstop. He plays rather close in, as a rule; gets the ball quickly, and has more time to get it away. The third baseman hffs a hfirdjtime when there is a man on secohOftse, with a batter up who can either hit or bunt. The fielder then does not know just what is coming off. If he plays back the batter may lay down a bunt and beat it out,

while if he plays too close up on the grass a clever hitter is likely to slip one past him for a clean hit. But, taking it all in all, the third base play is more mechanical than that at second and the number of chances to be taken is vastly less. Of the four infield positions it seems to be the least difficult to cover provided a man has the arm and the mechanical ability. *

Shortstop Bancroft.