Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 162, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1917 — LAUDS HIS OLD-TIMERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LAUDS HIS OLD-TIMERS

Were Superior to Modern Crop of Players, Says Anson. Amos Rusle, Buck Ewing and Bill Lange Best Men Game Has Ever Known —Tim Keefe Also Was Powerful Pitcher. Cap Anson, one of the daddies of baseball, believes the old-time ballplayers were superior to the modern crop. “Good baseball was played 20 years before the game was taken in hand by the National league in 1876,” said Anson, recently. “But, of course, in those days there were not so many ball players 'to be had. “Yet with the present wealth of material In the big leagues there are comparatively few really good players. In my opinion, Wagner and Lajoie, though they are growing old, possess more natural skill than the younger stars of today, with the possible exception of Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker." When asked if he had ever seen any pitchers better than Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Alexander and other modern stars, Anson said, “Yes.” He believes that Amos Rusie, who pitched for the Giants from 1890 until 1899, was the greatest of them all. “Rusie had as much speed as Johnson, better control and the fastest curve ball I ever saw,” said Anson. “He was physically the superior of John-

son, Mathewson and Alexander, and was built like Jeff Tesreau of the Giants. There was no limit to his endurance. “Tim Keefe, who was with the Giants back in 1888, was also a master. He was among the first pitchers to perfect what is known as ‘change of pace.’ “The best catcher I ever saw was Buck Ewing, who caught for the Giants when they won the world’s championship in 1888 and 1889. I have never to this day seen his equal, but little Walters of the New York Yankees, reminds me of Ewing’s throwing on bases. “Ewing w r as a quick thinker and a natural-born leader. Bill Lange, who played for me when I had charge of the Chicago National league club, was in a class by himself as an outfielder. He was a better outfielder than Cobb or Speaker and a .phenomenal thrower, and one year he stole 106 bases.” “How about Billy Sunday?” Cap was asked. “Billy is a better evangelist than a ball player,” w r as the reply. “He was the fastest runner that ever drew on a spiked shoe when we played on the Chicago team, but he didn’t always exercise the best judgment in stealing bases. He was an excellent outfielder and a fair hitter and his Influence among the Chicago players was good.”

“Cap" Anson.