Clipping:The early shortstop
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| Date | Sunday, April 8, 1888 |
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| Text | Tim Murnan, one of the oldest veterans in the business, is preparing a book of reminiscences. Among other things he says: “As near as I can learn the position of short-stop was the last one to be added to the make-up of a base-ball nine. In its early days the game was played on large open fields, and the outfielders had some long runs to get a ball hit by them. Sometimes they were obliged to go to the extreme end of the field. Men played but a few games and their arms were not in condition to make long throws, and the basement hugged their bases much close than at the present time. The short-stop acted as utility man, and would go out in the field to take the ball from the out-fielders and send it to the home-plate or to the in-field. Dickey Pearce of the Atlantics of Brooklyn was the first man to play the position as it is played now. He began to do so in 1856. George Wright was the first man to play the position deep and close to second base, so as to give the baseman an opportunity to move away from his position, and in 1869 Wright and Charley Sweasy were the first players to work the two positions as they are worked today. |
| Source | Chicago Tribune |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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