Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 22

4 PA0T3 STX THE SUNDAY CITIZEN. SundayJuly 19, 1908. Why Hans Wagner Is the World's Greatest Baseball Player He Outclasses Napoleoii Lajoie oi His Actual Official Record. How Chase and Donlin Com pare A Sketch of Wagner's Playing Career and Exploits li-! stiitids haNehnll te hnhiuc better than atrenitth, and a Infield playing takes 2 WAGNCK ft BATTING RECORD. it of hi ugt- and I hitch rank than eguHlly C'kkI outfield playlnc (except -KJKiiihly aa reirardi He will become a great player some day." A few day latfdVzHans was given a tryout by Wright.

lans hnd posed aa a pitcher, and Wright put him In the DfHt base) Ltonlln niut be passed MTlt-iit'f In either league. He 1 In-Htincilvt-ly versatile. Donlin In fit) handicapped by the limitations of IiIh poKltlott, though he over. Iurln several weeks of the Such was the beginning of Wag' ner baseball career. Next be went to the Bteubenvflle (O.) team, at a salary of $30 a month and later signed with the Paterson (N.

team. At Patersou began to attract wide attention as a batsman, fielder and ground coverer. Harney Dreyfuta, then owner of the Louisville club, went to Paterson to Be him play and secured Wagner's release for prem-nt aenson Donlln h'tuhd the Na- lial take chaw that rntall tin iifffflKitry rink 111 one hand utops urc ry pretty, but when he does not colinei with the hull the result I ft Kerioua. Hi' should uHf hi two hum I mnr In hvidlng Hi position, tlmt base, hur liiullnli'iiiM lint do not exist sernnd ii ml third huse, linil shortstop, tnw the tit-Nt till Ufoiiiiil mm the fl. hllng un til un- developed haMC nli-nlt-rM lo Stop, he fttiv ft ehutl.e to to otnina; tlutu than tional batting list, with Wugner aec- hi the ettiiiitry.

ortd finv other right NATIONAL LBAflirit. I.KADKK. Position. Average. l-)-Wagnr 1 Itwi- Wgir I IM -WiikikT 1 JH iVt KftT i WmhuiT 1 HttCOMD A FT KM JOININO LnL'lHVlMdE IN IWf.

ii- ik the right fielder of the dtiy. II- Judge dlffh-ult hllM with wonderful iit urary, He -v-i Immense terrl- Now eomea the tug of war to deride between LMifIc und Wagner. Kor av- nil yiara the writer haa maintained that Lajoie toprwd the list a an all around at nr. Kour or five yenra ago the ex-hark driver anil ex-wood chop I-r e- rtHlnly should have been classed tnrv. II a wonid rrul throwing iii.V iirrn.

inilnic Ui IhM on lohfc llltchtfi ituiii without K'KlriK w-i for the throw atid tin from ulrno tt uny poxition. While he tf i'i'l an to hutl-d hull than other banernati. Tin- rnt imt rover ground than any HU. Av. U.

J4 AH. MI 61 144 M9 IU2 JMi HINt'K JCilNlNO H. Hit AH UAi Av. IWO 134 iwt HI IM4 1MU4 1.11 1MB .,,.,147 )WI l0 JW7 Ai nvt la tiz iH2 4W I.I 64N 114 1W (.111 103 Hans had become an outfielder after leaving Dennlson. When the National league waa reduced from twelve to eight clubs and Barney Dreyfus purchased a controlling Interest in the Pittsburg dub, Wagner went there with Leach, Clarke, Waddell, Rltchey.

Phllllppe, Zi turner and others. He played an outneld position until Fred Kly waa let out. when he was shlfttsf to short. From th start hi fielding was sensational, while his batting has been tha greatest in the history of the game. By winning the batting championship In 1907 he established a record never before mude by any bull player, that of leading the National league batsmen five times.

A brief summing up of Wagner's playing career may be mada as He has played every position on a ball team except that of catcher. Ha haa played every position but catcher and pitcher for the Pittsburg team. In one week several years ago he play Wagner, ton the rarea of team captaincy and mnniiKeinent have taken the edge off Ijtrry diamond work. It I too much to expert of any one man that he keep a team together and away up In the pennant column and almul-tun'imly excel the world In diamond work. Then, too, Lujoie'a severe leg Injury of two yearn ago guve.

him a thuck. Today he Is lea reliable -than bfforo. lie mak-'S error wher he never made tlurn before. In hl-j hatting he today la not the terror of the pHHt. 'Now going at a than I rival, Wngiier.

"the Flying Dutch-I man," at a rucctit computation ranked .3:, making forty-two Kfnta almve Iajofe at the same period. Wagm 1 also lead InJole In the number of. busea aecured from his hlta by a dif 67 f.3 bis M'KINNEY, PITCHING RECRUIT OF NEW YORK NATI0NAL8. AvrriM bfttllng fur 11 BOER UNHOLTZ, LIGHTWEIGHT WHO AGAIN CHALLENGES 1 NELSON. ference of over forty basea.

Wagner la covering an much ground: at shortstop for Pittsburg a lajoie cover at second base for Cleveland, and. according to some critic, he ed right, left and center field, being shifted fiom third base to do It. He ha made over 1.000 base hits. cle rone firm, yet clastic. Ill leg, irm and shouhtem even then showed signs of becoming like those, of Attlla and (lenserlc, he leader of he horde of barbarian that wiped Rome from the face of tho earth.

At the age of fourteen he had begun playing bail In the back lots of Carnegie in his odd moments, und at rlxteen he waa put Into the professional game by hla brother Al Wagner. A a good a ha been en ga ged by Jim manager nf the Iennln team, but he would not play unless Wright took on Han also. Wright protested, but finally aaid. "All right. I'll glvT the boy Tt a week und hi board, and he can try hi luck." "You won't make any mistake.

aald Al Wugner. "Hans 1 all right. box against a strong team. Hans was wild and hit with terrl'le force the In 1900 he batted .380. His general average of batting for elevent years la EVKR litrfi bunrbnll ham brf-n an oritufilxid Katii mnny of Jin follower huv.

Mrjcmtl. quir-rl-d. fouuhl, rwrlmltiutid and had hysteria ovr who nhould he Urmrd th beat all around player In 1h country. Kreqittuiry the nuine Itlayers dlscuftiwl by thine experts are the autijeeu of Brgurncnt as to whl them would prove to be the mont Valuable player to a team. The term "the beat all around player untl "the most valuable pluyer" are thus untd Interr hrifahly, are rtmslib-r- pv-nonyntous expression, but thry are far from being aurh, und thus a srl-ou error Is mutiv.

for rl arly a h. iihu-t tonal pltrher rould well be hall-d a the moat valuoNe of all from a plavltif viewMtnt. and yet no plt tier haa evr ben cncHl-d to runk ut the tup or e-en muni the leaders a an all around player. The very nature of pJtrher'e work nTeurlly pre-1 covers more than the French Cana- jdlau. In their knowledge of the game! and of their opposing player prob- ably laile haa the advantage, a hV la one of the keenest observer In the, i game.

Wagner 1 tnoro more reliable, than Iajole. The con-; tlnilou excellence nf Wagner' pluy- first three men that faced him. one narrowly escaping a fractured skull. letter he threw the hall clear over the 1 grand stand. Hut the members of lhe np-MiKlng tram were so stared by this! performance that they would not stand squarely up to the plate.

They con- sequent ly luttted very KKrly and lost the game to Han. .353. Ioes that show consistency? He has stolen hatc In eleven and one-half years and has scored almost a thousand runs. He ha the longest reach of any ball player, and his r.klll at handling ground balls Is considered marvelous. HARRY GRANT.

Ing la one of Ita chief and moat valu- able characteristics. Iloth are tall and riiiiMcijhir. Itoth are strong, qulclt jthrowtrs. Itoth arc natural bull play-: era, thinking and acting simultaneous ly, a areut lutll playera should Iloth an' big men with big hearts, with hi? Ilkea and big dl-dtk but to Wagni must lie given precedence in the mut-l t' ut hand. Hans Wagner Is the hctt all around buavbull player In' the; I world today.

I What of Hun Wagner? What ofi i this greatest of player? I'erhapij jr7 i. rtwlea Hi harlmrliic of an hi' a that I he couki be ronldend a leailliiff all some intimate details nf hi life. hi! JO I personality and hi brilliant playln; will not go a tn I an. John liana Maimer be- gan life a a little hoy. and biter, i the age of twelve, became, a helper In around pluyer while he oonttnuea a a pltt'hor.

I It I the wrlter'a purpose to take up the present with ly prevalllua: "nray-Ilea Ion" over the tMt all a ran ml problem, an "arnyhVatlon" thnl threateM to plunye our fair IhiiiI Into, c4vll war, and he -ir' to add a little nor fuel to the verbal rUimre. Thera are two mn In eaeh or the' tnaar UaKUea who are Hil(e ylmh-st for this much wmuht title- linns Wa-1 tier and alike Ihoilin In the Natlonnl leaarue, and Uirry IjiHe and llalj Chaae In the Amerhun In the oft, la coal mine. At Carnegie, pa wheroi hla father also waa emj hyed a a tui.ier, he uaeil to receive for a week urduou work, underground. and frequently was hi life endangen .1 throuah underground iM'cld-nt. Man HANS WAGNER AT THE BAT.

h-ard dlatuaalona on the iibWt hyjlwaeman horauae then, are ire men cannot throw aa far a hla team male, resldt nta of niggle n-matn wha id my Muiwlfd b.rn m.iitlti- ty HeymiMir. he gt the lal away reiiieinber the sturdy little Oerniun laJ more atH Mlilv. Ills Initiing for much walked thmugh the sin. is to tl -j Britne, and lie thus must "boa the hit. ri- to .1.....

tv i. inu year ha leen the tnot tlmelv mltiea i ii mornioa i-urrvinv hai i ni IB nil II, l.r.n. any hiiaile hitler. It la a tend lunch prill In one hand and a ik Irrittory un IiIm l. ft liiiml gwM thing to tcNN bitter.

It In an en noi tilled with In ihci writer-, mrmnrr ami hr inu.i in. hlil.T. III. Ilul Ihl. h.nl tifi- IihiI Im i.ui M.

"in" iVITu K' In of .1 arr. nw mf rllmlii.ll,,.,. Klr.l I i. iriini in, or I he maKlill N.I I. k- .7.

7. t. ir. IH.M. hi li Tu 1 i i i i i 111 1 1 1 i 4 1 i.l ,,1 1.

und.r- Ik Ih-Iow Waaiirr In Lulling' Im.ii.-, ir.w tfnii( atiu thl.k, his mm iiuilr howtf iilayrr. T. TtOUWAN. WALKER. J.

BINKS. MILE RUNNER. TAYLOR. HALF MILE SWIMMER FAMOUS ENGLISH CONTESTANTS IN OLYMPIC GAMES IN LONDON. More New Plays Announced For Next SeasonA Pinero Failure In London- ctnei Barryntore-" I He Mischief as Macbeth and Lear avuNdrnt I ll.r manrr.

dramatic t.hl.lUu. and unuoul.r.lir MMHK bl.i.a llr al m.m. attain hilnhla rrann-la. all Iho h.arta at l.ralna uf 1h rllmblns of lli land inu.t lial. fliltlrrrd anu llm.l.U I h-n hwril tlH nra-a, Utr ht la tltrr a air! In all ata.Ui.l thai hi not 4 1..

the worltl h. Ijdy alailu-lh ah.Hiia br and the llimw" and "The Muktc Mn-fer." I enraged In writing a new drama thiit. like attou his formr u. a. ha a rful theme, strng un reorn-nt nf "human Inter -et." Th atihir I the lllte.

atld the ptt Wtt possibly iK gentid by The Witt hing Hir." Augiifttus Thomas. I'lav rights. It la well kown. have an in li.r nt tendency Ilnu. br I.

ant I ljt, Ma.b.h- and -Kin. lh lalxr .11.1, 1.1. 1, lk I mnm ,4 i Kl.ln In llw that otall Hinciit man throuah llw Innmui n. rioua he uiHlrcM aud prva-aor hrourlit lo bmr un him ran raua.1 lo nmfM la lh. ronirnl.alun of a rrlm.

that hr oul- did at rommlt. luil alKiul hi. "-tliln In lh nrat Inaianr. In- arruard Mn in tha nlar aol.t-ctnl tha third for a i.rhnl of Ova hour, ban hr Ihm cuutM.ta.lua of th criu.r. Wliilr iha alorla of "Tha Mia.

hi. U.kra- a.ot -n. MTM. IM wad of chewing gum from her musll-lariea, better to give rmphanls lo word altuoat anv rising young Aimrl ran dranmttc etnta graduate tNtHv will aer that Charlotte Ctjt.hit.an. II Hlddona and Janauh-k did falrtv w-H.

dineh-r kmiw, but oh, tht "l'iit" thse aitnt vn tn ttlirR atage art wa und p.i .1 and putdlc taxte waa untmtn.d. In th year vt, tiw stMiidard mut be evlal-IUhed. and "Hmy. I am lit lit tie glrlte what i on the to allow folks the real thing Mr Hither a will Inetttd In hi nt -Ikio wlwte." "Ird iHiBnlrrarv." rtr. martin, M.ao.1,1 I.

li follow ahoig tlve Ho, of eucr-iful pUy of other writer Honte MIww hnn oiii. rs The UIm il. VaL r- ha largely lO HO With 1h purler of Mih- am i Uala tn uiii atrni a.r....d to of m.nt.1 aust-atto. Urclr in llr. 1 4i- i.u.ia iim- dtauullr ritirh-.

In ad- dlta.B lo the l-ilk-e, nr.wurr rruot- ar.d nlltura ara lv" 1. Mr KI-UV. pU. aeetliln.lr mva malu- dramatlr to tl. h.

bla- I pai.ii.-a or the lop haul-luea of loid-ai. UvrrtaMt ma4 HU-mlriffham Jahn Draw. J'dia ill be aenl out lb tha cold world lo at.r an i.k..... b.aut.-oua otarrtni ladr ali I I'laT hla InroMM. lie alll aobeur I tn -Ja.

a roinaoiw. muIi. and Roar f.MlMan a u. Inc feminine rule. Pineraa Lain! ity KHIaa." Arthur Wind l-inero buaaalb arrttteb Way that Ihrvaleoa the Hrtttah llra a Ilk IndioetKMV Hoar he to Ita emuthauU ayuelllb the dramatic that anducal nldhlmarea lh.

Itrltune, aWua and 1.1 oea" arheb ha awahaal The bra p4ar la -The the HI Jwi theater. wkldl aa- to aa takea d.li.ht tn ai.4dln That It la ecHl to Sea ha nam. .11 the mora admit. Thaaxb A 1 i i-'i. a b.

iief. teu.hr and hie oMmbaae. Ihe jnwraadJty of lh. br aar ent nmkea resnlalra a mntv of m.aorrm. I rvutivea aba tbtnt far tha naoter of a d-ad klaaaaaa and aa U- ANOTHER ADDITION TO THE LIST OF A' -'iJ LOUISE ORES b-th- .,.4 -K 0RESSER, STAGE Uif ha.

r. oauchler nra Iba anala.it the aaar'a atury. Maaae fVi.rlea rruhaaai. he. JULIA MARLOWE, WHO HAS A NEW ROMANTIC DRAMA FOR 'Z, rlTr h.r.

iih.i alt lh. fVmi Nam tha Riallo a 'hr- ac I'-t sill lkal mM i.r aVMMr rutira Hcuwiumj (lurwuair tttebUnukua "EXT SEASON. 'that b. all! vr.oca Tha Tbnadar. hue .1 the aiir.

tbealer. x.m 1 lurk, beat nlatr rRtltRil-'lf TfEOKLU MARGARET ANGLIN, WHO WILL TOUR AUSTRALIA..