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10 ©OMAN ®» CEWfSB*EffI:W Jeff Can t Get the Graft Situation Off His Mind •; ;; ;; •• By “Bud” Fisher fJr] b:" ot J so — *? r BuT \ I ' [SQUCALGR.?/ I S> f \ SPIUA* A JttKC fiflNt Vt TfltAf ) r ' | Neuu,tT 1 On N,uY7 ! I \— —— —' ' WAS A GOOD I | V> £b~l . JOKE AT I <j w W M Wl Mwl UKi S? W1 wm L J- f ■F* 1 - &b Wai? 1 jw»Ag. | ’"OS lE3 * r M A - Wr -- Wb " I Illi jfl |||| jI ' W 5 j? Illi iIP ' r "' j f s L h . . w—-■■- - _ - - Southern League as Fast as American Association +•+ +•+ +•+ -?••+ 4***i* -l-«-I- Players Who Failed Here Have Made Good There By Percy H. Whiting. THE marvelous pitching per formance of Bill Lelivelt when he hurled a shut-out for Min neapolis against Toledo has brought up the old question. "How much faster is the American association than the Southern league?" Bill Lelivelt, you will recall, had plenty of chances in the Southern league He was a fine, big fellow, with a cheerful disposition. But great snakes, he couldn't pitch. If they'd paid him SSOO for each vic tory in the Southern, Instead of a regular salary, he wouldn't have made a living And then, after a short spell down in the Virginia league, he turned up In the vaunted American association and pitched perhaps the greatest game ever seen in that league The no-hit per formance was all the more remark able because the Minneapolis team la one of the slowest fielding teams In the world, and several of the players don't cover any more ground than Iles under their shoe leather. Os course, the mere fact that Bill Lelivelt was a Joke in the South ern and a hero in the American as sociation doesn’t prove anything about the relative speed of the two organizations. But when you think of the number of Southern league cast-offs who have gone to the American association and made a big hit. the thing la somewhat sug gestive Another failure in the Southern who went from the Montgomery team to the American association and made good was "Doc" Thomas. Atlanta can furnish a couple of samples In Al Bnemllier and Bill Viebahn Al is playing In Louis ville, and Is rated one of the best shortstops In the league. Viebahn, after failing in Atlanta, went to Nashville and did likewise. Then the big lad went to the association and made good, ©samples could be multiplied all day. • • • THE real proof that the American association la a vastly over rated organization is the fact that it has sent so few good players to the big leagues The players who were sent up last fall and who are still being tried out aren’t considered here Many of them, like Marty O’Toole, still have us tn doubt. They may be good, but it can't be demon strated But counting out last fall's crop, the American association hasn’t sent anything notable to the big show since Rube Marquand, Do nie Bush, Joe Wood and Chief Mey ers went up. In 1909 the association sent up only two worth mentioning—Jim Vaughn and Amos Strunk. And Jim isn't so much, while Amos had to attend Cornelius McGillicuddy's School for Deserving Young Ath letes for several years before he really learned the gam. In 1910 the association sent up a mass of players. But Hunter failed wirh Pittsburg. Dave Altizer couldn't show enough, to interest Cincinnati (and, goodness knows the Reds aren’t particular'.); Kaier, who went to the Naps, didn't prove any wonder: Hartly, who was sent to the Giants, hasn't been heard from since: Schardt, who went to Brooklyn, could win but five of twenty games; Richter and Doth went to the Cubs, but Richter was not used except as a relief pitcher, and Doyle, after showing promise, died. In two years, therefore, only four American association players even partly made good, and today Strunk is the only real star of the lot, and he has just barely arrived. ANOTHER proof of the amazing weakness of the American asso ciation lies in the very small num ber of really great players devel oped in recent years by the organ ization. Take, for example, the Baseball Magazine's “All-American baseball teams of 1910 and 1911: 1910. 1911. Chase, lb. Chase, lb. Lajoie, 2b. Collins, 2b. Devlin, 3b. Baker. 3b. Wagner, ss. Wagner, ss. Magee. If Clarke. If. Speaker, cf. Cobb, cf. Cobb, rs. Jackson, rs. Gibson, c. Bresnahan, c. Archer, c. Dooin. c. Walsh, p. Meyers, c. Mathewson, p. Thomas, c. Coombs p. Mathewson, p. Bender, p. Johnson, p. Johnson, p. Alexander, p. Grogg, p. Rucker, p. Walsh, p. You will notice quite a mess of Southern leaguers there—Speaker, from Little Rock, Archer, from At lanta; Jackson, from New Orleans, and Rucker, from Atlanta, not to mention that distinguished gradu ate from the South Atlantic league. Colonel Tyrus R. Cobb, once of Au gusta. How many of the 31 players named are American association players? Just one. "Chief" Meyers. That surely makes the American association look strong! Not!! • • • •pHE trouble with the American * association Is one that the Southern league must guard against too many old-timers. They have recruited from big league dis cards for so long that they are suffering from two complaints—too large salaries and too poor players. You can’t get an ex-big leaguer cheap. They always want about twice what their services are worth. Though their ability has sunk be low the major league standard, they still demand major league sal aries And, of course, they are worthless as investments, as theit playing ability is constantly lessen ing, and there is no chance that they can ever be sold again for anything like what they cost. The day of the old-timer In base ball Is waning. He has been the real goods for years. Now mana gers and club owners are waking up to him Old-timers have made the Amer lean association a joke. They made the Atlanta team of this season a crime. They have slowed down the Southern for years The South Atlantic league this year took the matter In its own hands and barred the old-timers It was believed that by doing this they would develop a world of good young players It can't be said that the Sally has developed a lot of wonders this year. But one sea son does not prove anything. The tnoguls of the league claim that thej are well satisfied with the ex periment Certainly it should work better than the plan of stocking up with old-timers This is the day of the young man In baseball. • • • "p HE performance of Andrew Sockalexis in the Olympic Mara thon started folks to wondering if he were a relation of Louis Socka lexis—the man whose career was the shortest and the most brilliant ever recorded. As a matter of fact. Andrew is a cousin of Louis. They belong to the ?ame tribe. They are men of the same physical stripe. But ask one (l s tile old tribesmen on the Penobscot reservation about them and they will say: "Androv. Sock. uni goo,] boy Louis Sock—ugh!” For Andrew is a youth of per- THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. sect habits, while Louis ruined a career that might have been bright er than Ty Cobb’s, with white lights and what goes with them. It was recently reported that Louis Sockalexis, a “ghost of his former self," was "running a ferry.” As a matter of fact. Sockalexis, now a 200-pound. fat, lazy Indian, is living on the Penobscot reserva tion, near Oldtown, Me., doing nothing. He isn’t in poverty, for the tribe Is a ward of the state of Maine and Is kept on the safe side of poverty’. Tt takes an old-timer to remem ber Sockalexis In his prime. “Doc” Powers discovered him and started him at Holy Cross. He was a won der there, and big leaguers fell over themselves trying to get him. Pat Tebeau landed him for Cleveland, and he made more than good. Never in baseball history was there a debut like his. Sockalexis was at his height until the first pay day. After that he quit being a "good Injun.” The lights w ere too bright and the booze too red. He couldn’t stand the pressure. For a w'hlle they man aged to keep him fairly well in line. But one night, In trying to r, t out of a second-story window to escape a guard, he broke his ankle. He never got in real condition after that. Now he Is only a big. fat, lazy’ Indian, who smokes, eats, smokes, sleeps and smokes. But he knows and the world knows that he might have been the greatest ball player of all time if he had but kept the control over his appetites that he did over the ball. "Wildness" ruined him. CRACKERS PLAY OFF POSTPONED GAME WITH PELS TODAY NEW ORLEANS. Aug 14. The Crackers have a chance of winning a game here after all. The scheduled •cries was closed yesterday with four straight victories for the Pelicans, but Charley Frank decided this morning that he would play off a postponed game between the teams this after noon. Whitey Alperman plans to work Ved dor Sitton this afternoon, while Frank announced early that either Weaver or Swindell would do the box work for the home team. This will be the Crackers' last per formance here. Tomorrow will be an off day for them, but on Friday they open In Mobile with the Gulls. The score of yesterday’s nightmare was 8 to 1. Lyman Johnson, the Crackers' latest addition to the pitch ing staff, was slammed good and hard. On the other hand. Nick Cullop. mak ing his debut in a Pel uniform, held the Atlanta batters safe at all stages Take Your Choice I By William F. Kirk. 1 know that Becker's outlook isn't anv- i thing but grim That Whitman and his workers have no thought of sparing him I know the ex-lieutenant, sitting sadlv"in his cell, Is brooding o'er the many things he shall or shall not tell. Dear reader, you may take your choice; i don't mind what others say; But I'd just as soon be Becker as he Man- I ager O'Day! in dear old Cincinnati, where thev war bled in the spring. Dreaming of flags and champions while their -ant was on the wing. O'Day was crowneu with laurel wriaths so numerous and green That when he took his hat off not one stray tress could be seen I But oh. the way they pan him now And that is why 1 say That I'd just us soon' be Beeker as be Manager O'Day! ••••••••••••••••••»•?••••• • HARBISON GETS ONLY* : ONE PUT OUT while: : PLAYING FIRST BASE: • Dug Harbison played first base • • for the Crackers yesterday, Joe • • Agler being laid up, and he prob- • • ably created a new record. He • • secured only one putout and had • • no assists. In nearly every game • • the first baseman receives almost • • as many putouts as the other • • eight players combined. Harbison • • had his lone fielding chance in the • • first inning. After that he did • • nothing but watch his teammates • • put out the vicious Pelicans. • It has been said that Jiggs Don- • • ohue, while playing first base with • • the White Sox, went through a • • game without being credited with • • a single putout and having only • • one assist, but the record books • • fail to show it. • ••••••«••••••••••••••••••• KNOWLES MS EASY VICTORY IN 20 ROUND Herr are the results of the matches played to date In the five flights for the Perry Adair trophy at the East Lake course: First Flight. ’ First Round—E. T. Winston defeated H. C. Moore, 2 up and 1 to play; C. Knowles defeated C. E. Corwin. 3 up and 1 to play: A. H. Lippold defeated J. B. Martin, 7 up and 1 to play; D. Jemison defeated C. W. Phillips, 6 up and 4 to play; G. W. Adair defeated H. Block, 6 up and 4 to play; W. R. Tiehenor defeated R. G. Blanton, 1 up; C. P. King defeated W. F. Spalding. 5 up and 3 to play. Second Round —C. Knowles defeated A. H. Lippold. 4 up and 3 to play. Second Flight. First Round—R. E. Richards defeat ed J. P. Callaway, 3 up and 1 to play; P. H. Whiting defeated J. W. Bach man, 1 up; J. O. Burton defeated C. A. Thornton; t> up and 5 to play; W. O. Marshburn defeated J. O. Smith, by’ default; W. J. Tilson defeated J. Moore 1 up 20 holes; J. P. Eby defeated E. G. Ottley, 1 up 20 holes; T. B. Fay’ de feated C. M. Sciples, 3 up. Second Round —P. H. Whiting de feated R T Richards, 2 up. Third Flight. First Round—W. M. Markham de feated H. P. Nicholson, 2 up and 1 to play; H. J. Hopljlns defeated W. Al friend, 1 up 19 holes; J. D. Raines, Jr., defeated L. H. Beck. 1 up 19 holes; R. P. Jones, Jr., defeated A. A. Doonan, 5 up and 4 to play; R. F. Jones de feated T. H. Latham, by default; L. D. Scott defeated T. A. Hammond, 2 up; Dr. T. P. Hinman defeated E. D. Dun can. 2 up. Second Round—H. J. Hopkins de feated W. Markham. 2 up. Fourth Flight. First Round—J. M. Beasley defeated i A. W. Hodnett. fi up and 4 to play; J. C. Michael defeated C. G. Lip ; Itold. 3 up and 1 to play; C. Angier d> seated H. M. Ashe, 2 up and 1 to play; E L Fleming defeated W A. I Jackson. 5 up and 4 to play; s. Hard 1 defeated S. Williams, 2 up; H. C. Butler defeated P. Adair, 1 up; J. t\ Thompson defeated T. L. Cooper. 5 up and 4 .to play; W F. fpshaw defeated M. Saul. 3 up and 1 to play. Second Round—W. F Fpshaw* de ! seated C Thompson. 4 up ami 2 to | Play. Fifth Flight. Second Round—H. L Graves defeat ed W. C. Barnwell MOOSE TO PLAY BELL. The Southern Bell team will try to put a crimp tn th, winning st eak of the Moose club Saturday astern, n as 1 4 o’clock, when these two teams meet at Ponce DeLeon The Moose team has won nine straight and are tied for first place in the amateur league. A good game Is confidently expected. Fast Red Sox Have No Startling Lines of Play Boston Team Is a Perfect Balanced Combination By Damon Runyon. IF the Boston Red Sox win the American league pennant, as now seems probable, it will be a victory of a steady, beautifully balanced, practical baseball ma chine—a machine that has *ew fancy trimmings in the way of stars, no startling new lines of of fense or defense, and no vast amount of color —but which is a great organization, take it by and large. It is a machine that early In the season impressed Atlanta observers with that indefinable something— which is as definite in ball clubs as in individuals —known as “class.” It was generally conceded through out the baseball world that the Red Sox had a chance to beat the Ath letics for the championship, al though few really expected them to do it. The belief was general that the Mack aggregation was a shade stronger than the Stahl collection, but It was also generally predicted that the Bostonians would be the runners up. The position of the Sox is due to no flashy run at any stage of the race. It is due to a steady, inter minable grind; they got away well . up. and they have remained there. They had the ball players—which, after all, count heavily. Change Comes With New Owners. It is a team that is "due.” It has been gradually rounding into championship form for several 1 years. Jim McAleer, the new pres ident of the club, does not believe the change In management had ' any effect—that the Sox would be out in front if the old regime had remained —but the fans are not likely to coincide with this view’, 1 except In so far as the team leader is concerned. If other managers had had the same support being accorded Jake Stahl, the club, as now constituted, would probably be right where It is at present, but not until the general management changed was that support forth coming. It is not a young club. It is not an old club. It is about half an I half If the Giants meet the Sox In the big series they will have no great advantage over their Boston rivals in point of experience. True, the Giants have played in a world's series, but even at that a majority of the Sox have been campaigning longer than most of McGraw’s men. Fellows like Tris Speaker, Joe Wood, Carrigan. Stahl. Gardner, Hall and Wagner are no callow kids in baseball. Stahl was born in Elkhart. Ind., on April 13. 1880. which makes him about the youngest of the big league leaders. He was a great football player at the University of Illinois under the famous coach and scout. George Huff. He has played at Boston, Washington and New York, managing the Senators in 1906. during which time they made the sensational spurt that brought him the title of the "Born Leader.” Stahl did not make the Red Sox; he had no part in assembling, or even in welding together, the ma chine as it now stands—he is es sentially the driver of a perfected team —but he must be given all credit for the skillful manner in which he has performed his duty. The ball players now under Stahl's control were picked up by the men who preceded him. The team was there, and it seems rea sonable to presume that it would have threatened to win the Ameri can league pennant with any man ager of ordinary judgment at the helm—and yet* Jake Stahl is the man who is turning the threat into a certainty, and to Jake Stahl must be given proper acclaim. In compiling an all-star club, picked from the members of the two major leagues, a majority of experts and fans would probably include just two members of the Boston Red Sox. They are Tris Speaker, outfielder, and Joe Wood, pitcher. There are half a dozen players in each department of the game who would likely be selected over any other members of the Sox for the respective positions. In Speaker and Wood, however, the Sox have two men who could hard ly be omitted from any unbiased all-star pick. Speaker Is undoubtedly one of the greatest outfielders in the world. Some rank him the equal of Ty Cobb—all place him at least sec ond only to the Detroit wonder. Speaker is a great hjtter, a great base runner and a great outfielder. Apparently he has no weakness. As for Joe Wood, his record speaks for itself. He is the Math ewson of the American league. Many fans place him first among the right handers of that organi zation, although that claim will al ways be vigorously disputed by Walter Johnson. They call the Kansas City boy "Smoky Joe,” be cause of his wonderful speed. He is a heady pitcher, who, like Math ewson. makes a study of his oppo nents. His delivery is not wholly unlike that of "Big Six.” One of Greatest Outfields. Speaker, Harry Hooper and Duffy Lewis furnish one of the best out fields, if not the very best, in the big leagues, because of the almost perfect balance. There are numer ous other individual outfielders who would be chosen ahead of Hooper and Lewis, but whether there are any two gardeners who would be selected above this pair, outside of Speaker, Cobb. Milan and Jackson, for practical team pur poses, is another question. As it stands today, the Boston outfield apparently outclasses any in either league, but with any one of the trio removed it is a different proposition. Neither Hooper nor Lewis is a star slugger, but each is a wonder ful thrower and a good fielder. Each is comparatively slow on the bases. Stahl Adds Strength to Club. Jake Stahl is not generally re garded as a great first baseman. H* is not considered In the same class with Hal Chase, Jake Dau bert, Fred Merkle or Stuffy Mcln nis, and yet he has played great ball for the Sox this season. Pos sibly the Sox might have done just as well with another first baseman of equal ability in mere ball play ing on the bag, and Jake on the bench, but there is no denying that the presence of the leader in the line-up adds to the balance. Steve Yerkes is not a great sec ond baseman. Certainly he would not be classed by many fans with Collins, or Doyle, or Knabe. or Johnny Evers, and yet he is a greatly improved ball player this year, who is constantly going along, and who has held up his side of the infield beyond criticism. Charley Wagner, the Boston shortstop, is handicapped by his name, strange as that may seem. He has long been one of the best men on the Boston club; but some how he never gets proper credit for his work, and many believe that it is largely due to the fact that he wears the same name of the greatest of them all—Honus Wag ner, the Demon Dutchman. Yet Charley would not be picked ove/ Donie Bush or Jack Barry, or several others that might be named. He is no youngster. McGraw had him ten years ago. and John I. Tay lor insisted on him being tried out at short in 1907. Gardner Plays Well at Third. Pat Donovan always claimed that Larry Gardner would do bet- ter at third base than at any other position on the diamond, and Larry was finally placed there, to fulfill Pat’s prediction. He has always been a high class ball player. He is a strong hitter, and a quick thinker, yet he. too, might be placed behind Lord, Baker, Foster or even Zimmerman. The Sox are well fortified behind the bat with Bill Carrigan, Cady and Nunamaker, the latter two of the most promising young back stops in either league. Carrigan came from Holy Cross, where he wm picked up by one of Taylor’s scouts, and was developed at To ronto by Joe Kelley. Nunamaker was developed from a raw young ster who was hot considered good enough for the Chicago Cubs, while Cady came from Newark this spring almost ready made. In this one de partment, the Sox are practically on equal terms with any club in the league. As for the pitchers, the name of Joe Wood leads all the rest. The writer has a peculiar admiration for "Smoky Joe,” and may be a bit biased, but it is his belief that Joe is the man the Giants have to beat If they hook up with the Sox in the world’s series, although Char ley Hall have to be reckoned with. Hall discovered a kink in his arm a few months ago. and when that was removed he turned in and pitched the Sox into the lead, In collaboration with Wood. Ray Collins is a good young left hander, not yet a Rucker or a Plank or a Marquard, perhaps, but a youth with the world before him. Hall Is better than the average this year. His experience is some thing to be considered. Buck O’Brien is a sptt-baller of the type of Marty O’Toole. There are days when he seems to be a star and days when he is decidedly a busher. He is pretty wild for a young man who may have to face patient waiters, but there is no question about his future. RIVAL GOTHAM CLUBS HOT AFTER J. JOHNSOA CHICAGO, Aui. 14 nniv civ the Garden Athletic club, and’jesT Mc-‘ rival°New Y* Nlcholas Athletic club " ,' ew V Promoters, both arrive, m Chicago today In an attempt to sig,, ' ' ohnson for a Labor Day battle. Lil Arthur declared last night that he was not particularly Interested in which ° n * a 01 ,,? h ‘ m first ' Both Promoters looked alike to him, he said, being per fectly Willing to box for either or both provided they met his price. While the promoters are here they will endeavor to sign Packey McFarland anti Ad Molgast for ten rounds in New York on October 3. Ad Is to meet the promot ers here. DUNDEE AND BROCK GO 12 FAST ROUNDS TO DRAW CLEVELAND, OHIO, Aug. 14.—Johnnv Dundee, of New York, and Matt Brock, of this city, fought twelve rounds in the Luna park arena last night to a draw Both boys fought like wildcats al) the way. During the opening rounds and in fact up To the closing round. Dundee had the better of the milling. In the last one. however. Brock made a whirlwind finish and clearly earned the right to an even break. Dundee was much the more clever at long range, while Brock did his best execution at infight ing. SMITH AND FLYNN MIX IN NEW YORK TONIGHT n l ?' Aug 14 —Heavyweights will furnish New York fistic sport tonight when Gunboat Smith, of California meets Porky Flynn, of Boston, in a ten-round bout at the St. Nicholas Athletic club. Smith's decisive victory over Sailor White and Andy Morris have established him as one of the best light heavyweights in the country He is favorite in the betting.