A 1901 All-Star Team

Frank Isbell

Toward the end of the 1901 Connie Mack and Clark Griffith picked a “champion team” of the American League, judged by the work done by players at each position. The two men agreed at seven positions:

1b: Frank Isbell, Chicago

2b: Nap Lajoie, Cleveland

ss: Wid Conroy, Milwaukee

3b: Jimmy Collins, Boston

rf: Fielder Jones, Chicago

cf: Chick Stahl, Boston

lf: Jack McCarthy, Cleveland.

The following comments were made by an unknown reporter, published in the September 16, 1901 Milwaukee Journal.

      Buck Freeman (Boston) is a close rival of Isbell for the place at first. So far as hitting the ball goes he is the best first sacker in the league, but his fielding is not that of the White Stocking. Strictly as a first baseman Isbell deserves the position.

For second base there is no rival for the mighty Lajoie. His batting is far beyond any one else in either of the big leagues and his fielding is equal or better to any other second baseman for many years.

In the short field there is another question. Both [Bill] Ely of the Athletics and [Freddy] Parent of the Somersett being close rivals of Conroy of Milwaukee. The stick work of these two shortstops is about even, but both Connie Mack and Griffith agree that Conroy is the steadier and probably will outshine his rival.

As at second with Lajoie, there is no one to dispute the supremacy of Jimmy Collins at third. Both Lave Cross [Philadelphia] and Mugsy McGraw [Baltimore] are stars of the first magnitude at the third sack, but hardly rank with the manager of the Boston club.

In the outfield Jones, Stahl and McCarthy have no superiors. [Mike] Donlin [Baltimore] would be close to McCarthy in left on account of his ability with the willow, but his poor work on grounders precludes any possibility of his being given the preference. Jones and Stahl are entirely in a class by themselves in right and center.

Griffith would not pick the batteries he believed the strongest in the AL, other than to say that Cy Young is the best pitcher in the country today.

Connie Mack’s choice is as follows, and in the order named. Clark Griffith (Chicago), Cy Young (Boston), Joe McGinnity (Baltimore), Chick Fraser (Philadelphia), among the ex-National Leaguers, and Roy Patterson (Chicago), Earl Moore (Cleveland), Watty Lee (Washington), George Winter (Boston) and Bill Reidy (Milwaukee) among the youngsters and those who were with the AL last year.

For backstops Mack picked Billy Sullivan (Chicago) first, then William Clarke (Washington) and then Doc  Powers (Philadelphia).

OK, some picks are surprising, but I was not there.

But a word or two on Ely as a contender at shortstop. William “Bones” Ely was 38 years old in 1901. According to BB-Ref he was released by the Pirates in July and signed with the Athletics on August 3. He hit a whopping .216 with the Athletics in 45 games. His 23 errors in 264 chances (.913) does not put him in a sure-hands class at short, although he was fourth in the league for players playing over 15 games at short, behind Billy Clingman (.932), Conroy and Parent.

However, the copy of the Milwaukee Journal I am reading on-line is not clear at this point. The first two letters of the name are almost impossible to read, but it ends in y and had only three letters. A spot check (nothing to even resemble research) makes it appear Ely had been the A’s shortstop in the late season. The regular shortstop of the A’s had been Joe Dolan.  Dolan also hit .216 on the season and made 42 errors at shortstop for a .881 fielding average. (Conroy made  59 errors for a .922 fielding average). The article said the stick work of these two (which two I am not sure) shortstops was about the same. Freddy Parent hit .306 for Boston. Conroy hit. .256 for the Brewers and Ely .216.

I am thinking these also mentioned players are from the un-named reporter, but am not certain.  But if they came from Mack and Griffith, could the reasoning for Ely be because he played for Mack? But then have we not shaken our heads many times at All-Star picks?

P.S—No Tigers on the above squad or honorable mentions. Roscoe Miller was 23 and 13 on the season. At shortstop Kid Elberfeld hit .308, and had a .921 fielding average.

Take care, and choose wisely for the 2016 All-Star game.