Atlanta Georgian. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, November 01, 1912, EXTRA, Page 7, Image 7

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25 Greatest Southern League Players—No. 7 That Molesworth Crouch By Fuzzy Woodruff. REMEMBER, gentle reader, those halyeon days of your youth when it was ' the bounding desire of your heart of hearts to hurt some one? Remem ber now. when prompted by that desire, you visited the county fail, the joys' of Jo Jo. Princess Zoo Zoo and tile Bevy of Belon, -histan Beauties were counted as naught and you even foreswore your pre dilection for wagering your hard earned savings on the chances of an animal with a pedigree as long as that of the House of Hapsburg? Remember the keen elation with which you paid out five cents for three th ows at the elusive head of a Senegamblan. who had suddenly attained ne« eminence by trans fer: ing his activities from toting grips at the depot to standing be hind a screen with a duck pond paintea on it and tauntingly invit ing the body politic to do damage to his cranium? Ypu had known this negro all your life and not until it cost five cents for three opportunities foi you to break his skull had you ever seen your keenest joy rest in the prospect of braining him. But now. at five cents for three throws, there was nothing else on earth worthy of being done. Jo Jo might bark from his canine physi ognomy. Zoo Zoo might tell you that you were about to take a long journey. The entire Bevy of Be loochistan Beauties might shock you with all the W’rithing motions of Gertrude Hoffman. Mary Gar den. Eva Tanguay and the thou sand and other Salomes, The pedigreed horse could pace for Sweeney or the rest of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Your ambi tion rvas to castigate the counte nance of the coon with baseball at three throws for five A Regular "African Dodger.” The artful dodging of the dingo that kept his skull immune from your projectiles was a thing to be admired, but never in your long life did you imagine that this same dodging ability was responsible for certainly the most consistent bat ter the Southern league ever knew, probably one of the most scientific hitters the national pastime has seen. Now, 1 am not seeking to de prive Mr. Mack of his fame of be ing the Michaevelli of baseball. It is not my purpose to assume Na poleonic pose and tell Mr. McGraw things that he has left undone in running his gang of athletes, nor would I attempt to say that I could have operated the last world series to greater glories than did Mr. Stahl. Still I wish to go on record right now as making affidavit that in these days when the pinch hitter is as valuable an asset as a prize pitgher. major league managers overlooked bets for many years by letting one C. Molesworth stay in the Southern league to make things miserable for Southern pitchers. And Mr. Molesworth did this by bls unerring ability to yank his head out of the way of a fast thrown ball, hurled with the ex press idea of shattering his brain or making him pull away from the plate. Had Great Batting Record. In major and minor leagues for seventeen years Molesworth had a general batting ave age of .317. and he never for a second cared what kind of a pitcher was working against him. He would just as soon hit Mathewson as the newest recruit the South Atlantic league ever possessed. To Southern league fans the ' ir □frO'X; aX. ||j iHf . I _X|JL 11 j ' WWI/1 h TOLEDO ®x\ MOML I W Xw Jy tiW W 11 iw£r j° ' I $6 00 < i ■| H We selected ou> Fall Ralstons e w ~“'| ®3' with an eye to the style require- | —J mentsofthe man who keeps instep I ~ i ife with Fashion, who draws the line 1 %it “ Freaks ” but at th* same time g wan^s styles that are really new. | You'll not find a behind the calendar style gj ly> ui our store. | i~TjKI Ralston foot-moulded lasts || kJfl if ' insure comfort as well as style. | | Alay we have the privilege of showing you? | [L R. D BARKSDALE CO . Decatur St., /,.y ’*Kimball House, Molesworthian crouch over the plate was as familiar a sight asithe corner of Whitehall' and Alabama streets to the crossing cop. The bugs believed that it was simply a peculiarity. They did not know that in this crouch lay the batting secret of the man who had. defied every great pitcher since the days "hen Rusie was a star and Math ewson was in swaddling clothes. For years and yearis they watch ed him slick his beau over the pan and wonder by what freak of for tune he was enabled: io keep his bruins from being spilled over the catcher's box and how from this awkward position he was able to whale any kind of hurling. Molesworth told me the reason for l his crouch. He told it after he had quit playing ball and had started the more pleasant pursuit of managing a pennant winning club. Was Weak on Lew Balls. The rotund Baron manager, un like most great hitters, had a bat ting weakness. He could not con nect safely if the hujrler kept the pill whizzing around, his knees. Otherwise he was a 'perfect bats man. Veteran pitchers have de clared that he never jhlt at. a ball that was not over the plate. He drove with equal ferocity to right, center or left field. H<r was a cork ing good bunter and rarely struck out. But that low ball weakness both ered him. In his early days Moles worth was a pitcher;' in fact, his big league career was confined to the hurling hill. Way back in the early nineties he was a right handed slabman for Washington when Arthur Irwin managed the Senators. His arm wenl dead. He had. however, always been a good field er and possessed an accurate bat ting eye. Girlish Way of Pegging. His exes were turned to the out field and he landed a job in a bush league, playing the gardens and throwing with his left arm. He did this throughout.the rest of his career, and all Southern league fans remember the peculiar mo tion he had in getting away a peg. When he got on the outfield job. he immediately planned to be a sterling hitter. He knew he could not do this as long as he had the fatal low ball weakness. Natur ally. the only thing for him to do was to make the pitchers keep toe ball high when working against him. That was a problem of more than ordinary difficulty. Hurlers rarely rio what the batter wants them. But Molesworth had been a hurler, and he knew the hurler kind. He knew that every pitcher places more or less confidence in his "bean” ball—that is. a fast ball thrown at the head of a batter, with the idea of making the hitter pull away from the plate when the ball does come over. Working on this theory, he rea soned that if he kept his head over the plate the pitchers would nat urally throw’ right at it. And if he kept his head on a level with the letters on his shirt he would be able to murder any sort of pitching. He tried it. Pitcher after pitcher kept throwing at the elusive head, and he kept lining out hits. It was dangerous enough, but that season he hit well above .400. His system had worked. Straightened Up to Hit. He never hit from his crouch. He would keep his head over the pan until the ball started. Then he would stand erect and whale away with all his force. He was always THE ATLA=| GEORGIAN AND NEWS.FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1. 1912. HefcAp s F° recas t °f Tomorrow's Big Battles Coacn Picks Vandy, Sewanee and Auburn to Win B'- J. \V. Heisman. TjjE most important game of football billed for Dixieland tomorrow is that between the Comm<' <1 <’ rM an( l lad” from the Old Do mini « n One month ago most everybody thougit ot l ® team had as good a chanc 89 the other. Some of us. hjwetii r - thought otherwise; for Virgirfl » system of alumni coach ing li;®|not. since Its inauguration in IflO'.i proven the entire success that V* tginians could have wished. These i/oaches have done quite as well al might have been expected from jiem, but the fact remains that fittball at Virginia is far from being C ll a P ar with that at Yale. Harvald. Pennsylvania. Princeton and at least a dozen other colleges, and it would be asking too much to expect that Virginia’s football graduates could do such work atid ’ turn of’t such teams as do the eoache® who derived their knowl edge aJtd ability from their connec tion w|tth these higher grade foot ball erfheges. The record of the Charlottesville team date but emphasizes this staten <en t- a nd I, for one, look to see vjtfderbilt defeat Virginia by sometf'lttg like three touchdowns, jt j s <iuite possible that they will do evtff 1 better than that, but not probac' e - f° r the simple reason that this h< is loomed large all the fall on Virginia’ s schedule as being her most important game of the season. This being the case, they will be keyed to their very highest ten sion against the Commodores, and will, 1 believe, hold the score down to ab< “I what I have suggested. • ♦ ♦ SEWANEE VS. GEORGIA. THIS? is another of the South's nl pst important battles for to morrow- an d it is sure to be a hum mer. Sewanee has done but little thus W r this season, but they have done ti’ at little mighty well. Geor gia started off promisingly enough, but ha s not in their last two games come lup to the expectations of their The latent power and stfengp'’A «cludjng even football experil I? - a>>- there, and if Geor gia du *7 \ 'h< past week of prac tice h: V /learned how to get these out of/bfcr system, they will defeat Sewatr ee Frankly, though, 1 do no t expect this to happen. Fact is, Sewanee hasn't been saying much this fall, but they got the gi>°ds themselves. They have returned nearly everybody of last year's team, and one or two from previo us teams. In addition they have flicked up a couple of aston ishingly high-grade performers of the bfand-new label, and has the necessary weight, speed, experience and punting ability. Besides they are smarting under the trimming Georgia gave them last year, and that generally counts for more titan most people have a proper idea of. Don't id on that y° u are the least bit su r P risp d if Sewanee is returned the w’iuner. The score should be small. » ♦ • .AUBIRN VS. TECH. H I.;jiE is always a fine drawing ciird and one that wi'l be well worth going to see. Auburn will have jt' lo edge in nearly all natural departments, and there is no deny ing tpc fact that they are going just ri°w at a very fine gait. Au burn ;and Sewanee are the only teams! in the South that can still in peiffect batting position when he swung- He used his crouch when Im came into the Southern league, with ChatV ano °S a - 'n 1902. He was one of thd league’s leading hitters. And for he kept it up. Hinjally it became a fetish among the hjirlers that no one could make Molesworth keep his head from that inviting position. They tried all tt| e i r steam and all their skill. They! never hit Molesworth, he never tallied away, and lie frequent ly hit them. Evek> the major leagues know of it. Tl>iey all experimented on him RLOpD POISON Piles* a’id Rectal Diseases. CUREP T J? 4S& io net thf* right treatment? I GIVE BOG.' the r^lebratr«i German prepara tion for #l<xxl I’oison ami guarantee results. (*ome to me I will cure you or make charge and I will make my terms witH* n >'<>ur rca<*h. I cure \ ari coccle, li'droopß. Kidney, Bladder and Prostate troubles. Piles. Rupture, Stricture. Rheumatism. Nervous De bility and acute and chronic dis charges of ”>en and women cured in the. shortest time possible. I* you can’t <all. write. Free consultation an<l examination. Hours, Ba. in to « p. m Sur’days. ‘J to 1 DR. J. D. HUGHES. Specialist, Opposil* Third National Bank. 16'/, North Broad St.. Atlanta. Ga. DR. E. C. GRIFFIN’S e «K T .t :5.00 jdi Our Scientific Cere Gives Modern Dentel Heelth Set Teeth Only $5“ Oellverod Dey Ordered 22k * w<l Cr,w " a PwrfMt BrMge Wsrk $4.00 Phone 1708 Lady Attendant (h»r Brews A A’len'e Drug s>t»re 24i Whitehall Street ro STAY CURED. By a true specialist who possesses the ex perience of years—the right kind of experi ence—doing the same tiling the right way hundreds and perhaps thousands of times with unfailing, perma nent results. No cut ling or detention from business. Don’t you think it's about time challenge Vanderbilt’s supremacy. These two teams, unfortunately, do not meet, and it would be difficult for me to hazard an opinion which was the stronger—for a week or two yet at least. Just at present 1 am inclined to say that Auburn is. If this guess be correct. Atlantans w ill have tomorrow the only' op portunity t' tl« s son to see in action the team that best questions Vanderbilt’s right to the pennant. And. believe me. Auburn is going to give the Commodores a real battle. They have been taking thlngs'cool ly. but very carefully. Thus far they have not been extended to their fullest and they have not been trying to run up big scores; they are try Ing to come to a height on November 16. But each succeeding Saturday they have shown more and more strength, and tomorrow they will, no doubt, play the best game they have put up this year. What about Tech? Well. Tech is going to do their dad-blitherest, but what, really, can 156 pounds do against 171 pounds? In baseball, tennis, swimming and a whole lot of things they can do as much as the big fellows, but seldom indeed can they hope for anything in a foot ball game against them. Tech has mastered their offense, and it’s as good as most any that a light team can attain; but the rub will come in that the light line is almost bound to buckle when it goes up against Auburn’s overwhelmingly superior line, and that will mean that Au burn will probably be able to hold the ball all day against the Yellow Jackets, thus giving the latter little chance to show whether they can do any thing with the ball or not. Tech has accomplished undoubt ed wonders thus far this season, but expecting them to beat Auburn is asking just a little too much of. a small quantity of human flesh and blood, i can not hazard a guess on the score. 1 expect Auburn will score at least several times, and it may be plentifully. I certainly count on the Yellow Jackets play ing themselves to an "all in” Con dition. and then some. ♦ ♦ ♦ L. S. U. VS. MISS. A. & M. 'THIS should be another very good and close game. L. S. U. was barely beaten by the strong Uni versity of Mississippi team, and Au burn dealt out the same meager fate to Miss. A. and M. My opin ion is that the A. and M. will win, but it Till be by a close score, ♦ * • ALABAMA VS. TULANE. epHIS game will be played in New’ 1 Orleans, and Tulane should have the advantage in that it will give Alabama a hard trip before the game. However, Alabama is about over the bitterness and chagrin of their Tech defeat and is coming too strong for Tulane. Alabama should win TENNESSEE VS. KENTUCKY Q(J little is known in these parts of the present strength of the Kentucky team that it would be foolish for me to make a guess on the outcome of this game. I will say that Tennessee is playing very good football, and I do not believe Kentucky can beat them by a large score, if at all. • • ♦ MERGER VS. COLUMBIA, rp HE Baptists should win this A game, but, if my memory serves me correctly, Columbia defeated Mercer last season. And, by the without satisfaction. Finally, in the spring of 1907, Wild Bill Dono van, then in his glory, was boiling out in Hot Springs. He had all the speed of a racing automobile. He was a terror to every timid hit ter. Molesworth’s fame cached him at Hot Sitrings. “There's a little chunky guy over in Birmingham," Rube Waddell told him, "that sticks his head right over the pun and laughs at you when you shoot ’em at his bean. Nobody cun make him move it." "i’ll bet 1 can," said Donovan, but other pitchers in the fan fest grin ned. Donovan finally reached Birming ham. It was in late spring, and he was ready to cut loose. But he saved his steam for Molesworth. Five times Molesworth crouched and five times Donovan, shooting his fast ball with the speed of a bullet directly at the head over the pan. waited to see him pull away from this death-carrying delivery. Five times Molesworth’s bat crack ed and five times he registered a safe hit. And when the game was over Donovan was the first to run to Molesworth and tell him how he had cheapened his boast. Molesworth batted wet) until 1911. when his eye went wrong and he began to punch at wide balls. He knew his days as e. player were over, and he retired to bench man agement. The next year he won a pennant, but if he would win a hundred ho would not be remembered in the South as a leaflet of champions. The bugs would remember that head bobbing over the plate and the bat crack that followed when the ball was thrown at it. way, isn’t it about time we were taking some notice of the rapid im provement in form that the Florida colleges are showing. East year, I may remind the reader, the University of Florida not only defeated Citadel, but also Clemson. This year they gave Au burn and Tech a ’hot old time” of it. and beat South Carolina In the bargain. Then Stetson plays Mer cer to a standstill last Saturday. Det’s watch the outcome of this Mercer-Columbia game with a lit tle more than passing interest. For my part. I’m very glad to see the Floridians coming out in polite so ciety. Cigar Jars FREE at United Cigar Stores TODAY How time flies! Only a few months since we came here and yet we seem to be as much a part of the town as the postoffice. Almost everybody knows as well where we are, too. But best of all, our goods — particularly our cigars— are already a staple with a constantly widening circle of smokers. They are coming to us for their digars not only because they get most for their money in quality, (no matter what the price) but because our cigars when delivered are, in the best of condition. Too much emphasis can’t be given this point. We undertake to always sell good cigars and sell them in good condition, but to keep them so we ask the co-operation of customers. 1 01701717 — To make it easy _____ customers who buy gars by the box to keep them in the | right condition down to the last cigcr, * we will give to every purchaser of cigars amounting to $2.00 or over TODAY, a Colonial Cigar Jar, worth SI.OO. This free cigar jar is not simply a gift to induce patronage. We want you to have your cigars always in good condition. We sell them to you in the proper condition and this jar will keep them so. This jar, which holds 50 cigars under a ground-rimmed, air-tight coyer, is an ornament to any library, office, or smoking room table. It is the only practical humidor requiring no special attention. Remember, every customer who purchases $2.00 worth of cigars or over, is entitled to this SI.OO cigar jar free TODAY. UNITED . IINITH] CIGAR iim i /lH 111 STORES feS J ■III Marietta St. (Corner Forsyth St.) we do Jfl ■ ■■■** 65 Peachtree St. (Corner Auburn Ave.) ' and chin- 23 Peachtree St. (Corner Decatur St.) a ] WO rth M .= — Down To 40 Degrees WEATHER MAN’S. FORECAST Up to 70 Degrees OUR OVERCOAT MAN’S FORECAST 1 Snug. Heavy Ulsters and lighter weights in all colors OVPI? and mixtures, with the new lines of style charaeteristic of ' all this season’s clothing. Also a line of the latest (Tav- COATS ! euetted Overcoats — perfect combination of rain and over- s]s fQ s<4o coat. SIB.OO up. Rubber Raincoats, $5. Rubberized Raincoats $7.50 to sls and Umbrellas SI.OO to $6.00. i PARKS=CHAMBERS=HARDWICK< 37-39 Peachtree Street COMPANYr . Ulanta, Georgia "I—'fl FODDER FOR FAN Tom Carson, formerly a catcher with Chattanooga, has been selected to man age the Waco team. He succeeds Ellis Hardy. George Deidy was an applicant for the position, but was turned down because the Texans wanted a playing manager. ... Vean Gregg has gone home to Alberta and has resumed his old job of plasterer, just as though he didn't know anything about big salaries for working once or twice a week for a couple of hours work. Some bean on Vean’s shoulders. ... Bill Carrigan, supposed to be the brains of the .ted Sox. is at outs with a lot of his teammates. That is said to be the reason why he worked only tw'o of the eight world’s series games He may be disposed of before next season begins. ... St. Faul is said to be after Harry Hinch man for manager. ... The White Sox may buy an abandoned hotel In the boom town of Lobo. Texas, and train there. ... Jake Stahl says that Bedient will be a better man next year than Joe Wood— and a lot of folks will not be surprised if he calls the turn. It mav be hasn’t signed for 1913 and that ’ has,. Those things make a dlffrfQ the managerial conversation .’dtit' • • • MMM Claud Hendrix cost the Pirates He won 22 and lost 9. The ehea are the better they pftcli—someti Frank Chance believes that Ar man still lias the makings of a fielder and that he will do a lot for the Pirates yet. ED W. SMITH TO REFEf)< WOLGAST-MANDOT I NEW ORLEANS. Nov. 1— Smith, sporting editor of Hearst’s American, is to referee the Ad VI Joe Mandot ten-round bout het Monday night. After a wrangle 1 the managers of both lightweights lasted almost three days. Smith lected. There will be no decision rent this battle, this being one of the 1 made by the champion before slgi 7