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, SIFOW Q2W» * EfftHS’
Beating Marquard Makes Georgia Boy a Hero
-i- • -i- + • %- -r • <• • -r -r • -I-
Crackers Have a Big Boost for Jimmy Lavender
By Percy 11. Whiting.
ROYSTON has its Cobb, and Al
pharetta Its Rucker And
now. by heck. Montezuma has
its Lavender. Also, as has been
stated. Lavendei isn't a colot but,
with the Giants, anyhow, a state
of mind For James Lavender
It was who brought to a close the
most marvelous tun of games ever
pitched by living man tin nine
teen straight of Richard l.f.Vlai
quts. alias Rube Marquard Also
Jimmy has pitched* such ball that
ho ranks as one of great
pitchers of the big leagues today
Delving into baseball histories
brings to light these facts about the
career of James Lavender:
tAMES SANFORD LAVENDER Is
J a native of Georgia, and hails
from Montezuma. Macon county,
where he first saw the light of day
on March 20, 1885. in the Eastern
league, from which he was grad
uated to the Cubs, Lavender earn
ed the sobriquet of "iron man" by
filling the role of ready rescuer in
addition to pitching in his regu
lar turn or oftener.
Lavender would not have had a
try-out with the Cubs this spring
but for the Interpositions of the
national commission. Obtained by
means of the draft from Providence
last fall. Lavender was almost Im
mediately turned over to the Mon
treal club in part payment # for
Ward Miller, who was purchased
from the Royals earlier in the sea
son. The deal was a cold blooded
attempt on Montreal’s part to grab
the man from Providence. The
Cubs had no idea of keeping him,
but merely tried to do a little
friendly stunt for Montreal.
Montreal, however, belongs to Ute
same league in which Providence is
included. Objection was made by
the Rhode Island club against hav
ing a pitcher taken from its ranks
only to be dumped unceremonious
ly into the lap of a rival club with
out trial and with no chance to bld
for his return. The national com
mission vetoed the deal and re
manded Lavender to the t übs, with
orders to give him a trial, and if
found wanting to give Providence
first call on hl.« services. unless, of
course, some other major league
team refused to waive on him
When Lavender was compara
tively a kid his family moved from
Montezuma to Barnesville and
Lavender went to Gordon institute.
He was not a regular pitcher for
the Gordon team, but worked in
some games. His first real pitch
ing was done for the independent
team which represented Barnes
ville in neighborhod games.
Later the Montezuma lad attend
ed Georgia Tech, entering tn sopho
more year, and undertook the
course in mechanical engineering
That he was serious tn his search
of a profession is evidenced by the
fact he was not considered any
kind of a pitcher while in college.
He pitched a few games for his class
team in interclass championship
affairs, but never made the varsity
nine It was not until afterwards
that he really discovered he could
pitch.
In 1906 his professional career
began in the South Atlantic league,
as a member of the Augusta team,
though previous to that time he had
had a brief experience with the
luckless Georgia State league of
1906. Ed Ranslck. the Augusta
mogul. decided that I.a vender
would do. In 1907 the Georgian
went to Danville, in the Virginia
league and was a teammate of
Martin Walsh, but that is nothing
against Lavender. The next yeai
found Lavender a long way from
home in Holyoke, of the Connecti
cut league. There he was under
the tutelage of Jack Tighe, now
manager of the Louisville Colonels
In the fall of 1908 Lavender was
drafted by the Providence club Into
the Eastern league. and there
m uned until rescued by the nation
al commission via the Cubs.
While in Providence. Lavender
-erv ed under three masters, but not
simultaneausly Hugh Duffy had
charge of the Clam Diggers in 19"9.
the first year l avender pitched for
them Then Jimmy Collins was
marie manager, and held the job
until the middle of last season,
when he was superseded temporar
ily by Jakey Atz.
In spite of the discouragement
of working with a losing team. Lav
enders record was a good one In
1909 the team finished in tile first
division, and he won nearly 60 per
cent of his games. The last two
years h< was there Providence was
a tail-ender. yet Lavender was re
turned a winner in neatly half tin
games he pitched in both seasons
Last yeai the records show he
worked tn 49 battles, and he was
credited with nineteen victories, 22
defeats and one draw by the a< -
countant. That gave him a pitch
ing record of 163 while his team
was w inning only 35 per rent of its
games and was below the middle in
both batting and fielding
The Providence team played 155
game- and as Lavender plt< bed
49 them he < ame close to w m king
every third day . am! from that wil
i lingmss p, tnak< a truck-hol-e <.f
WHAT LAVENDER HAS DONE IN BASEBALL
Club’s Bat. Field’g
Year. Team. W. L. T. Pct. . Pct. Av. Av.
1911 Providence 19 22 1 463 .355 .190 .930
* 1910 Providence 15 22 0 .405 .399 .065 963
1909 Providence 14 17 n 452 533 .134 955
1908 Holyoke 21 17 0 .533 .473 .157 978
1907 Danville 18 16 n .529 .528 .1 14 .940
himself he gained the title of "iron
man.”
BOUT the best thing that J. Lav
‘ * ender has is a spit ball. Says
Whlt’ey Alperman, who worked
with him in the Eastern league last
season: "All Lavender has is a
spit ter and a fast one. And he
usually wastes his fast one. He
never puts it over unless he has
to. He hasn’t any curve to speak
of. Any time he has to deliver he
uses the spitter”
Tommy Atkins, who has pitched
In the Eastern, says: "V.ou can put
Lavender down as a m ‘v smart
pitc her. He Isn't a big /. . ■ ,iy-
be my size or a shade larger. Rut
he has a good spitter and a better
head. You can put him down for
me as a smart pitcher. He has a
good bean, and that gets him by a
lot of times.”
• • •
cpHAT Lavender, a pitcher the
Cubs kept sorely against their
will, should beat the Giants and
break the winning streak of the
greatest of modern pitchers, Rube
Marquard, was wonderful. But Per
haps a little more wonderful was
the fact that the day previous to
the one when he accomplished the
miracle he was sent In to finish a
game in St. Louis. Then, after rid
ing back to Chicago, he was sent in
to trim Marquard.
An odd feature' of it is that Frank
Chance planned that very thing.
When the Peerless Leader left St.
Louis before the end of the series
he instructed Tinker, who was put
in charge, that if a pitcher were
needed to finish the Sunday game
and only a few Innings remained,
to use the Georgian.
The condition arose and Laven
der was used. He came back the
very next day stronger than ever,
and not only whipped the Giants,
hut almost broke their hearts by
breaking the winning streak of the
popular "Rube.”
Which shows Lavender in the
role of "iron mail," and that is ex
actly what he is. Lavender works
better when he pitches every third
day. At any ra'e, that is what he
claims, and he has had much better
success when worked often than
when given a long rest.
Not long ago Lavendet and
Chance were discussing the for
mer's pitching
”1 haven't had enough work."
said the twirlcr it was not in the
nature of a complaint, but Chance
is one of those managers who likes
to have the other fellow’s opinion
and wants to look at it from the
player’s as well as the manager's
viewpoint.
"I work better when 1 pitch every
third day," continued Lavender,
"and I’m still more effective when
I am sent tn for a few innings be
tween games,"
Take a glance at Lavender’s rec
ord last year and you will see that
his words are borne out by the
figures.
• • •
/sllAN'i'E broke one of his rules
w hen he held to Lavender. The
West Side manager has always
been in favor of the big. strong,
husky tw triers. He can't see the
little fellows with a Spy glass He
likes the powet which should ac
company .1 large frame. Rut Lav
ender caught his eye.
Now. don't get the impression
that Jimmy is a midget He's fai
from that He s a pretty hunky
sort of an individual and. while
scarcely husky enough to give Jack
Johnson .1 battle, possesses much
strength, Otherwise. lie would not
be a three-day pitcher. Just the
same he doesn't compare to the
Overall. Brown, Reulbach type of
twirlcr when it comes to size.
Lavender has been .1 deceptive
fellow to the Cubs. All the re
ports of the scouts and the men
who played with and against him
in tin International were to the
effect that lie was a spit ball pitch
er, puie and simple, and that lie
wa without anything else. That
may have been true last year. Rut
it doesn't go this.
He is one of the best little bluff
ers of tile spit ball in the game, and
Io- lias a good saliva sphere. But
he is shooting that curve ball across
tin plate or in the immediate vicin
ity about as often as lie is the wet
one. Willi tlie result that the bat
ter seldom guesses right.
Lav< rider s start was not sensa
tional and there was nothing to
indicate that he would develop into
tile talk <>l the league. At the start
of the season he seemed to be un
able to go the distance. He would
pitch like a whirlwind for a few
innings. Then along about the sixth
or s< venth he seemed to lose every
thing that he possessed with the
txi eption of his glove. He's got
over that habit now He's an iron
man all the way.
I 'm of the surprising things
about :111s y -ungster is the fait
that w hili he is a spit ball pitch
er he has excellent control. As a
m itter of r ~ t. it is doubtful wheth
er then- is a twirlcr on the I'nh
team who will give fewer bases on
balls.
\\’l I Fl' 11 EI .II 11 l-rciid.-r is .1
’’ 1..' pitcher or mefely an ex
t..i brilliant bloomer hasn't been
fully demonstrated yet. They » ail
him a kc ii; Chicago, but Jim is
27 year* "id H is at or nr ar th<
height ot ids abiiily. If he can
THE ATLANTA GEORGf AN A'TD NEWS. THURSDAY, JULY 11. 1912.
keep his present stride, he is the
wonder of 1912 baseball Even if
he isn’t, ho will go down to utter
most baseball history as the man
w ho broke MarquaFri's famous run
For. as they say in Chicago now :
"Marquard is feeling blue—he
says he prefers Brown to Laven
der,"
This story is the first of a se
ries on Georgia boys who are
making good in baseball. Percy
II Whiting. The Georgian's
Ijiistbtdl expert wWL from time
to time, contribute others,
which should be of great inter
est to Atlanta fans.
i V
X? «*:» A
'MB
BENDING OVER A PUZZLING CURVE
FODDER FOR FANS
Charlie Carr. manager of the Kansas
City team, has entered formal protest
against the language used by I'mpirv
Gerald Hayes Gerald might to be
ashamed of himself
* « «
Johnny Paley. the new infielder of the
Browns, is playing his second year of pro
fessional ball John has kept the Mans
field team up in the Ohio State league
race He t ost th- Browns $1,500
• • *
Lefty George, the guy that made the
Stovall trade a joke, has been sent to the
'Toledo team He was once a star with
Indianapolis
• • -
Last year baseball fans stopped going to!
games in St. Louis This year there I
aren't any fans there
• • •
The (‘tibs are pigging the batting hon
ors. Zimmerman was absolutely first, at
409 the last time we looked, while Hood
was absolute!* last and unchallenged at
000.
• ♦ •
Was it George Stovall or Harry Wolv
erton who gut the Bn-wns out of the cel
lar?
• • *
Boston -first in (he Amor.pm. lasi in
the National! New York-first in the Na
tional, last in the American!
• • •
With Bill Smith coaching and Have
Bunting playing good ball in the infield
Chattanooga fans arc again smiling faint
ly Smith's coaching ought to add a go-'-l ]
bit to the strength of the team.
Richmond has released lack riouYnoy
and signer*. Bol* ti ter in his p’..u <•
4 • •
'The International league has a peek of
ex-Southern leaguers this year, among
•l » rn Viebahn. Maxwell. McTigue. Sw <
etna. Higgins and Zimmerman
The ground keepers of the Cardinal path
have struck because their pa* was cut
fr mt C a da* t" <I L-
I (ties.- the Giants art t lit civ-, during i
Jimmy Lavender, the Georgia
Boy IVho Downed Marquard
SHOOTING HOME A FAST HOP BALL.
...
z
HF
Z I
‘he Western trip they can settle down
when the* return home and begin plan
ning on the world's championship series.
This is the last chance.
» «■ 4
<>h. *es; in addition to suspending Ray
I’aldwell for lack of condition Manager
Wolverton fined him $250.
• • »
Altoona is out of the Tri-State league
for good, the park has been sold for S2BO
and the franchise is on the market. In
the meantime the league is operating the
homeless ex-.\ltouna club at a profit.
• * •
Tren; »n‘s chief of pulice has notified the
baseball association that it will arrest ev-
I erybody concerned if they try to play
• Sunday ball, so the jig is up.
• • •
If you happen to get famous it's hard on
your folks. It has lust come out on Rube
Marquar ■ mother that she does her own
washing.
• 4 B
Chief Leßoy. of the St, Paul team,
"snapped" his arm the other da.* in a
game at Kansas city and appears to be
out for good
B * •
The White Sox are making their East
ern trip with five pitchers.
Eom of them are fiends for work.
\* tlsh. Peters, Bern-, and Lange.
Eddie llohnhorst. former Cracker first
baseman with Toledo who lias been out
of the game because of injuries, is about
| well again ami read* to go to work.
Mert Whittle*, ex-Cracker. is batting
.338 with Trenton.
• • •
The George pierce who struck out 22
men for Scranton the other da* used to
be with Augusta tn the Sally league.
BAT NELSON FIGHTS AGAIN.
WINNIPI-G MANITOBA. .I ll* 11.
:I’ >. t ling > -on nd Mick"* M< Intyre
I'.'i" flash he n mmor’ow night tit
patch weights in t twelve-round go.
' - < *7M./
J
GRIFFITH
By William F. Kirk.
Maybe the Bostons will win the flag -
That is the Boston boast and brag.
They have shown no signs of fear or
fatigue
As they breeze along in the Johnson
league.
Their pitchers good and their team
is fast,
And they play like the Bostons of sea
sons past.
Maybe they'll get the post-season
rocks.
But we're pulling for Griffith, the good
"Old Fox."
Maybe the team run by Connie Mack
Will clean things up on the homeward
track.
Many fond hopes have been put in the
tombs
By pitchers like Bender and Plank and
Coombs.
Many a team from its throne has slid
Because of the things that Baker did.
So the old Xthleties may win out IF—
Bdt we're pulling for Griff!
MAY FINE DAVIS FOR
FAKING PLAYER'S NAME
CLEVELAND. OHIO. July 11.—Man
ager Harry Davis, of the Naps, may
diaw a tin of SSO or SIOO, and Just be
i aufee one of Iris players "put one over"
on Cinpire Hart in the game at the
White Sox park on the morning of
July I. When Empire Connolly re
fused to allow Birmingham to go to
his r.gulai station in center field Man
ager Davis sent a substitute to that
garden.
Hart inquired the name of the new
come: from one of the <’leveland play
ers and the reply was "Costello." The
truth regarding tjje player's name did
not become known until the Naps re
turned to Cleveland, where it was
learned that the player was Kenneth
Nash, former captain and shortstop of
the Biown university team. The name
"Costello" was given, not by Nash, but
by another Nap. to get even with the
umpires for what the player termed a
bum decision on Birmingham at third.
DEVLIN BEATS SCHWARTZ.
BUT REFEREE SAYS DRAW
NASHVILLE. TENN.. July 11.—
"Yankee” Schwartz, of Philadelphia,
and Tommy Devlin, of Chicago, fought
eight fast rounds, to what the referee
called a draw The last two rounds
went to Schwartz, while the other six
went to Devlin. Schwartz at no time
had a change to win the fight.
KIRSCH GOES TO REDS.
CINCINNATI. July 11.—The Cincin
nati National league club has secured
Pitcher Hirsch from the Meridian team,
of the Cotton St ites league. Hirsch
has a record of twelve straight games
won in the minors.
SCULL RACE ON TODAY.
TiillOXTO. July 11.- The race between
Eddie Durnan. of Toronto, and William
Hains, of Boston, for the smiling cham
pionship of America and a pgrse of SI,OOO.
scheduled to take place yesterday after
noon. wa s postponed until today
of a storm yesterday afternoon.
Becker and Waldorf Slated
To Hurl Today’s Double Bill
IF the weather deigns to permit,
which isn't any too probable
during these watery days, a
double-header will be played at
Ponce DeLeon park this afternoon.
The opposition will be furnished
by the prize in-and-out performers
of the league—the New Orleans
Pelicans.
Very likely Buck Bieke will
hurl in the first game today.
In the second game Mana
ger Hemphill may decide to give
Rudolph Waldorf, the Dutch Kid,
another chance. If he does there
will be excitement surely. For
■whenever Waldorf works there is
work for all.
A couple of ill-advised, watery
showers beat Atlanta out of a bail
game yesterday afternoon. A good
crowd risked the weather and
turned out for the doings at 2:30.
It looked bad for Atlanta in the
first spasm, for Messenger singled,
with one out. Johnston lived on an
error, and Almeida was walked.
With the bases full, Bad Bill Mc-
Gilvray selected a willow and
strode to the plate. Sitton gulped,
put all he had on the ball and let
tty. Bill swung, the ball cantered
down to Alperman. Almeida was
touched out and MeGilvray doubled
at first.
Nothing happened after that un
til one was down in the first of the
second. Then one of the pesky
little showers that has been run
ning loose in Fulton and DeKalb
counties for the last month hit
the park. And the game ceased.
For one hour and twelve'min
utes there was nothing stirring
except the vigorous efforts of the
ground keeper's force to dry off
the field.
NEWS FROM RINGSIDE
Officials of the Plaza A C.. in Chicago,
are planning to lift the lid on boxing in
that city July 15. when Steve Ketchel and
Jimmy Murphy are scheduled to go eight
rounds to a decision.
• * •
If the Chicago promoters carry out their
plan, this will be the first effort to stage
boxing in the Windy City since the “£ood
old days.”
• • »
Al Palzer is in Chicago and many ex
perts say he is loking for a competent
manager. It Is very likely Palzer will
Sign Emil Tliiry to look after his matches.
V * •
Terry Nelson has started training for
his eight-round bout with Curley Jordan
in Chattanooga July 18.
Packey McFarland has signed articles
to box Young McCartney six rounds in
Philadelphia tomorrow night.
« • M
McCartney is from Port Richmond,
where he is looked on as a comer in the
lightweight" division.
NEGRO PITCHER HURLS A
NO-MAN-TO-FIRST GAME
MOULTRIE. GA., July 11. -Moultrie
claims the distinction of possessing the
greatest find of the year in baseball cir
cles, even though he is a negro.
In a game played on the local diamond
last week he achieved the distinction of
equaling the world's record for a pitcher
in not allowing" a runner to reach first
base throughout the nine innings of play.
This phenom, however, is handicapped
on account of his color, being a negro. It
is a safe bet that if he could change "'his
spots” he would be eagerly sought by the
big league clubs and would prove a sen
sation.
DANNY MURPHY MAY BE
OUT OF GAME FOR YEAR
PHILADELPHIA, July 11.- Captain
Murphy, of the Athletics, probably is out
of business for the remainder of the sea
son Manager Mack reported today that
Murphy has developed water on the knee
from an injury received July 3, when in
the game at Chicago he made a slide for
ihe home plate.
The absence of Murphy from right field
is regarded here as endangering the
club's chances for the championship.
STATE CHECKER TOURNEY
OPENS AT ENGINE HOUSE 2
' The Georgia state checker champion
ship will he decided in Atlanta this
week. A tournament will commence
today at 1 o’clock at engine house No.
2. corner of Washington and East
Hunter streets. All entrants are re
quested lo be on hand at that time,
and the general public is invited to at
tend'the meet.
KAUFMAN AND MILLER AGAIN.
SAN FRANCISCO. July 11.—Fight
Promoter Eddie Graney announced here
today that he had decided to stage a
twenty-round fight between Al Kauf
man ami Charlie Miller either July 26
or 31.
Humors in the blood
When the blood becomes infected with any unhealthy humor the effect >
shown by some definitely marked disorder like Eczema, Acne, Tetter, 1’•
riasis. Salt Rheum, etc. Humors get into the blood usually because o!
inactive condition of the system. Those members whose duty it is to c 'd j
all refuse matter do not properly perform their work, and an unhealthy
cumulation is absorbed into the blood. Then instead of performing ’
a—natural function of nourishing the skin the cue’.: 1
tion irritates and inflames it because of its imp 1 .
JTp]condition. A thorough cleansing of the blood
the only certain cure for any skin disease; exte
S \ applications can only give temporary relief.
I I goes into the circulation and drives all humorsii 1 ' ■
i hwS. / the blood, and in this way makes a permanent ■’
complete cure iti every form of skin trou
j S. S. S. supplies the blood with the nutritive qtm
ities necessary to sustain the skin and preserve
natural texture and perfect appearance. S S
cures Eczema. Acne, Tetter. Salt Rheum, and all other skin eruptv n
diseases. Book on Skin Diseases and medical advice free.
THE SW7FT SPECIFIC CO., ATLANTA, GA.
At 3:42 the rain was over :
hostilities were resumed un
an agreement to wave the > P
which automatically ended th'-1
game after 30 minutes had passe,’
And they were some hostility-,
too. when they got started t
the mud was deep as the Pit :
gummy as glue. Bailey got ;
first taste of it. In the last of the
second he walked. On Hemphii -
short single he foolishly tried
go to third. But the gooy -
stuck to his feet and slowed he
down. And when he got to th •
he saw that there was but on,
chance, and that a poor one. He
had to slide. Normally it is ca 11,,;
"hitting the dirt.” On this occa
sion it was "hitting the mud."
Bailey shut his eyes. Jumped and
second later was the center of (
mucky splash. The umpire couldn
see the play at all. for the spatter
ing gumbo, but called Harry om
on general principles. And it m. .
the park force, with hoes, to dig
down to his uniform.
Hemphill scored a bit later on
Harbison's single and In the no-,
mal course of events that run
would have won the game. I',r
Sitton was pitching ball.
It began to rain early In 1 ...
third and rained gently all thro..,-
•the inning, adding to the discom
fort of the already disgusted play
ers. And with two gone tn the last
of the third the game was again
called. After a bit the show, r
passed and the sun came out—an
infrequent happening these days
But the har,m was done. The park
was deep in water and Umpire
O'Toole declared the game off
It was a shame, for the Crack
ers were winning easily.
Floyd Fitzsimmons, who is promote g
i boxing matches at Benton Harbor, is
trying to secure Eddie McGoorty s signa
ture for a match with Howard Morrow
at his club some time in the near future
« • •
Should these two be matched a record
1 crowd would probably attend the bout, as
i Morrow is a Renton Harbor product, n w
being managed by Tommy Ryan
• ♦ *
Eugene Corri, the noted English ref
! eree. says he Is in favor of adopting th®
American plan of refereeing a houi
Cdrri ' believes the referee should be , '»n
the inside of the ring Instead of the nut
t side, as the English referees now do
• • •
Jack Dillon and George K. O. Brown
. have been practically matched for a re
, turn engagement in Indianapolis .Inly 2.
Al Palzer, known as the eave man.
. says he prefers to meet Jack Johnson In
‘ a short bout before fighting the blank
man for the championship.
ANDERSON LEADS ATHENS
BALL TEAM TO MADISON
■ ATHENS, GA.. July 11.—Athens'fine
“ bull team, headed by Coach Frank An
derson. and with a number of Georgia
. stars on the line-up. has gone to Maril
, son for two games—one today and an
. other Friday. Madison has aver?
strong amateur team.
Those who will hold up the Athens
end of the score are: Rawson, cab'mu .
* "Kid" Brannen and Peeler, pitcher
’ Hodgson. first; Anderson. second.
Camoratta, short; Good wyn, third. 11"!.
McWhorter, center: Nunnally, left, -n
Bryant, right.
; FRANK WANTS TO RECALL
BUNTING FROM LOOKOUTS
CHATTANOOGA. TENN.. July !
For some reason which the local n
“ age men t refused to divulge. Cha: my
' Frank is trying to cal! off the '
Bunting to Chattanooga. The
I has played phenomenal ball in t
■ series just closing.
President Andrews states that
though Frank has demanded the r< rm"
of the player, he is the property of '
( local club and will remain so.
WHITE SOX GET CICOTTE
BOSTON. July 11- President J
; R. McAleer, of the Boston Amt >:• ,
■ announced today the sale of I’'.! 1
Eddie Clcotte to the Chicago v
ican-. The announcement of his tin
fer to the Chicago was not pica me
Cicottp atul he said he would not it-’ 1
but would go to his old home in 1
t roit.
TIGERS GET INFIELDER DEAL
DETROIT. July 11—The iv-tr
American league baseball club has :
.■based Charles Deal, a third base
in tile South Michigan league.
; has been batting around .390 am l
said that lie cost the Detroit club $