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HEARST’s SUNDAY AMERICAN, BASEBALL AND OTHER SPORTS. -SUNDAY. .TTT.Y 27, 1913.
9 D
Lean Leader Sees Cleveland, Red
Sox and Chicago All Making
a Fight.
P hiladelphia, pa., July 26.—
On the outside talking with
fans, critics and statistic
fiends, the 1913 American League
pennant derby is over—the Athletics
being an easy winner. On the inside,
conversing with Connie Mack, one dis
covers that the Cleveland Naps may
win; the Washington Nationals may
win; the Chicago White Sox are com
ing fast, and the Boston Red Sox are
dangerous.
But the Athletics! See information
from Connie Mack on his troupe and
the best you get is a smile. Yes, the
boys are going pretty good, but any
thing may happen from now to the
finish, and the other fellows are right
in there.
Connie Mack is a genius. By shrewd
baseball intelligence he has developed
a wonderful ball club, but he refrains
completely from talking about him
self or the players surrounding him.
It’s always the other fellow with
Mack—not himself.
“Yes, It is an interesting race,” was
Mack’s answer to a question concern
ing his view on what is happening
and what is going to happen.
“I look for the Naps, Nationals and
White Sox to be right up there at the
finish,” he continued. “Cleveland had
a little slump, but they’ll recover and
come around. Washington, too, will
be a strong factor. Griffith has sev
eral mighty good youngsters, and his
pitching staff is getting better.
“And the White Sox are Improving.
They played good ball against us.
Callahan used all his good pitchers
and tried his best to beat us. We
didn’t go very good in the field
against the Sox, and that’s why we
lost three games to them.”
Since Mack began winning pen
nants, his style is never to say any
thing until the pennant is won. And
he is the same to-day. Then, when
it is won and the baseball folks de
clare Mack a real wizard, he replies
by giving the credit to the play
ers.
Boston Was a Good Team.
“What happened to your team last
year?” was put to Mack. "You won
the world’s championship in 1910 and
1911, dropped back last year, and now
you come back this year.”
“The Boston Red Sox were just a
little better than we were,” flashed
back Mack. “Don’t let anybody tell
you they were lucky. They weren't.
Wo didn’t go right and they did. Now
this year Boston has been crippled
and injuries have hurt the team.
“We are out in front, and I hope we
stay there, but you can’t predict an
October finish in July.”
Now there is a reason for the Ath-
lecties being first this year. Toward
the finish of 1912. when things were
going just right for the champs, sev
eral of the players broke training
rules. Oldring and Bender were sus
pended and fined and in general the
club cracked.
Young Pitchers Help Athletics.
This spring Mack consulted with all
his players in the South. He told them
what it meant for each to be in shape
all summer, what the world’s series
meant to them, and the change is
noted to everybody. Mack has the
players going in tiptoe shape, too.
Another reason is that Mack was
fortunate in developing several young
pitchers. With Cy Morgan, Harry
Krause and a few more absent. Mack
had to pick up a youngster or two to
aid Bender, Plank and Coombs. He
did. and in Cal Brown, Bush, Houck
and Wyckoff the pitching staff has
been strengthened materially.
Further, Jack Coombs probably will
be ready to return to work about
September 1. just the time when he
will be needed to aid in the final dash
down the stretch, and be ready for
the world’s series. In the early spring
Coombs was a victim of typhoid fe
ver and has not pitched this year.
Baldwin and Cross
Work Hard for Bout
Both Boys Don Gloves in Preparation
for Tuesday Night’s Fight.
\ Matty Shows Clas6.
LOS ANGELES, July 26.—“Matty”
Baldwin who is scheduled to box twen-
ty rounds with the New York dentist,
Leach Cross, on Tuesday night, July 29,
w*nt through an impressive work-out at
the St. Ignatius Club gymnasium yes
terday afternoon. While Baldwin did
not extend himself at any time in his
work-out with Hobo Dougherty and
Johnny SchilT. his ease of style and
complete mastery of the boxing game
were apparent, and Cross should nave
considerable.difficulty in holdinK him off
to the limit. Baldwin comes to the
coast with a record as a tough customer
to handle, in the ring^ . .
Baldwin does not believe in training
too strenously, and his work-out yester
day was of the usual length, three
rounds with each of his two sparring
Pa Leach Cross traveled six rounds with
Louis Keese and Johnny O’Leary, going
three with each, and in addition went
through the full routine of gymnasium
work Cross showed excellent form and
appears to be in the best of condition.
Ad Wolgast and Johnny Dundee, who
are to meet in the Vernon arena on Ad
mission Day were both interested spec
tators at the Cross work-out yesterday
Wolgast’s manager, Tom Jones, wi.l be
here in a few days, when final arrange
ments for the bout will be completed.
Only Way to Knock Mutt Out Is to Kick Him on the Shins
By ‘Bud 9 Fisher
Excuse. M6 MivreR.
‘-e** cross eur
EASN. OUST
SNCAL Uf* f\ND
HIT Kim on THE
You'Re Altos',- cttwtc* * T K,M °* TKe -
I want YouToTeu. Ch,m - H6‘M- j
^ NOW 1 CAN WHIP t Go OUT y—y-
A NeiAAir. rtt- A.,...- Y J ffiinj
X CAN WHIP v -
A H06NO 0£
BEEN Ptttwtfc ON
^ POR 6 Y6AR.S
SNiD 1 WANT TO
Knock Him out
Barrow a Progressive President
© © O © © i) <D
Will Have Ball Players Pooled
WILLIAMS PLANS INVASION
OF FEATHERWEIGHT CLASS
LOR ANGELES, CAL.. July 2«—Sam
Harris, manager of Kid Williams, has
announced that Williams will go through
with his bouts with Campi and Burns,
as he promised McCarey, and then go
after the featherweights
Harris v hlnks that Williams will have
little trouble making good in the Im
pound division, and has picked Abe At-
tell as the best man for Williams to
meet in the new division.
Williams contends that he can hit as
hard as the majority of featherweights
and is husky enough to stand as fast
a pace. He is game for a whirl at the
featherweight contenders and promises
trouble in the division
VASHTI PICKS A NEW COACH.
BLOOMINGTON. ILL.. July 26.—
' a meeting of the trustees of \\ ll-
,ms and Vashtl College of Aledo
•ofessor Elmer H. Wilds was chosen
rector of athletics for the en.-ulng
ar. He is a graduate of Harvard
id Allegheny Colleges and is a rec-
•nlzed authority upon all forms of
Haee athletics
By W. J. Macbeth.
N EW YORK, July 26.—Edward
Barrow', the hustling president
of the International League, Is
the original “Bull Mooser” of organ
ized baseball. He is thoroughly pro
gressive in his views and actions, and
he wields the big stick with determi
nation and foresight. Under his re
gime the International League has
prospered greatly and minor league
baseball in general has shared that
prosperity.
To the untiring efforts of Barrow is
largely due the fact that the three
most powerful minor leagues are
graded higher than had been the case
before he assumed office. The more
exalted rating carried with it any
number of advantageous privileges.
The Class A. A. Clubs are not only-
better protected in every way- but
the new order of things made com
pulsory a.revision of rating and priv
ilege all the way down the line from
the two major circuits to the most
obscure “brush" organizations. In
short a new working agreement had
to be framed; a more up-to-date
peace pact, as it were.
• * *
B ARROW has already done quite
enough for minor league baseball
to establish his name as a real cham
pion of the cause. But he is not a
man who Is content to live on repu
tation. He purposes next year to
inaugurate the most radical changes
in the hope of solving the principal
disadvantages under which the big
family of the national pastime now-
toils. Barrow has the nerve to try
a scheme which, if successful, is
bound to do no less than revolution
ize the administration of the game.
The players of the International
League next spring will be pooled at
the spring schedule meeting after
they have all been put under con
tract. The various magnates will cast
lots for first choice. They will draw
for the various prizes of the circuit.
Barrow believes that In this way and
only in this way will it be possible to
distribute the talent as evenly as pos
sible among the various club owners.
He believes that such a course will
result In a much better balanced or
ganization. That every team will
have a chance for the pennant and
that the resulting closer competition
should prove more Interesting to fan
dom in general and more remunera
tive to the magnate?.
If the Internatir al League club
owners have the n- ■ ve to indorse the
scheme of their president it will at
least assure a fine trial of the pro
posed remedy for many of th e present
drawbacks of the game. The experi
ment should bo worth a great deal for
advertising purposes alone. It would
attract more attention to the Inter
national League than to either of the
big leagues. The whole country
would be interested 111 the outcome
and no one would watch the results
with greater interest than the pow
ers of the two major leagues.
* * *
B ARROW'S theory appears a most
sound one. So far it is only
theory. If it would stand the acid
test in the minor league it Is a cer
tainty it would be welcomed In the
big show. There is no more discour
aging element in the promotion of
major league baseball than the seem
ing inability of second division clubs
to secure competent talent. The New
York American club is a very good
illustration of this. In the last five
years Frank Farrell has spent for
tunes trying to build up a losing
club. To-day it is right where it was
in 1908—away back in the ruck. All
his money has been thrown away.
There is absolutely no sentiment in
baseball. Not a rival manager would
give Frank Chance a worn-out bat
bag if he thought it would serve later
to help the Peerless Leader win a
game from him. It is almost impos
sible to dig major league class from
the bushes. Talent has to be devel
oped. There is a dearth of material
—not enough good players to go
round. And naturally minor league
clubs with something to sell prefer
to do business with the successful
major outfits not because the market
Is any better but because of the fact
that their stars are more likely to
be turned back again at some sort
of sound profit.
The principles of organized base
ball are quite sound. But there are
too many loopholes for evasion.
Even the roster limits are not con
scientiously observed. In spite of the
National Commission's vigilance
wholesale “farming" continues.
Every big league club has a raft of
embryo stars "covered up" as an
emergency reserve. Nothing can be
done to stop it. Players who might
help the weaker clubs are kept on
the benches of the tlag contenders or
planted out somewhere in such a
manner that they are safe from the
dragnet of rivals.
T F it could be proven by fair trial
1 that Ed Barrow’s idea Is practical
then would be solved not only one of
the greatest puzzles of the promoters,
but one of the greatest ills of the
players as well. By the same stroke
would be canceled the necessary evil
of the reserve clause, which has
threatened Congressional investiga
tion of baseball as a trust. Baseball
contracts as at present constituted
are illegal. They are not equitable.
A player may be discharged on ten
days' notice; he Is bound for athletics
life to the club with which he signs
through the Instrument of reserve.
That no greater injustices result is
due largely to the broad-mindedness
of the National Commission. Yet, in
spite of all, injustices exist.
Take the case of any star ball play
er who is so unfortunate as to be a
member of a poor club. Rucker, of
Brooklyn, for the past five years, is a
fitting example. Brooklyn could not
afford to pay him as much as could,
say New- York. There was absolutely
no hope for the future. Bound hand
and foot to the Dodgers, no ray of
world’s series sunshine broke through
to cheer him.
• • *
T T should be the best thing in the
* world for players if they were
put up to be drawn each season.
There would be far more novelty to
the life, a better chance of general
advancement in salary because of the
ever changing interest of fandom and
less likelihood of discontent in the
ranks. It might come hard at first to
give up old idols of years. We all
would grieve to see the gallant Matty
go to Chicago. But we might learn
after a while to tolerate a Hans Wag
ner or Johnny Evers in his stead. Of
course, the main object!3n to such a
plan would come from the champions
who consider the world's series prize
theirs by right of habit. Connie Mack
and John McGraw should not be ex
pected to go into ecstasies over Bar
row’s scheme. But even at that these
crafty pilots would prove their true
worth by sitting in at the draw and
by hammering home their ideas to a
new brood of athletes each spring. As
a pure sporting proposition the new
order of things would give the first
true line on real managerial ability.
Even-balanced fields would eliminate
the element of luck.
E
NOT LOST OVER
Klem Is Latest to
Praise New Balk Rule
i Umpire Says President Lynch Has
Made Prpper Ruling on
Dropped Ball.
T
T
Big Trade Planned
By Cubs and Dodgers
Roger Bresnahan and Zimmerman
May Be Swapped for Al
len and Smith.
NEW YORK, July 26.—Roger Bresna
han and Heinie Zimmerman for Smith
and Allen Is the. big deal that is in the
air between the Chicago Cubs and the
Brooklyn Club.
There are some who are close to the
Brooklyn Club who say that this is the
beginning of the end of Bill Dahlen as
manager of the Brooklyn team. The
rumor has it that he McKeever broth
ers. who have a large interest In the
club, are not satisfied with the way Dah
len has been handling the team and
■want a change.
This would indicate that Bresnahan
would be taken and then made manager
of the team. Allen is a good pitcher,
while Smith has been playing fine ball
for the Dodgers at third base. The
general opinion seems to be that the
deal would not be a bad one for either
club.
JIM THORPE IS LEARNING
FAST UNDER JOHN M’GRAW
NEW YORK. July 26.—Jim Thorpe,
the former world’s amateur athletic
champion, as a result of his observation
and coaching under Manager John Mc
Graw. of the New York Giants, is rapid
ly picking up valuable knowledge of the
national sport for future use. Regard
ing him. McGraw says:
“In another month or so the Indian
will be a really good outfielder. He
starts well, knows how to play a ball
when he reaches it, and, with his speed,
can go a thundering long way for them.
He has one of the best throwing arms
on the club. After a while he’ll be a
good hitter as well as a clever fielder;
he has already learned how to gauge
and hit a curve pretty well. Another
season Thorpe will be a seasoned ball
player.”
RICHOLSON HEADS QUN CLUB.
BLOOMINGTON, ILL.. July 26.—At
the annual meeting of the Starved Rock
Gun Club, held this week at the new
clubhouse, officers were elected as fol
lows; President, H. L. Richolson, Ot
tawa; vice president, ft D. Zeller. Ot
tawa; secretary, A. L. Jaques. Utica;
treasurer, F. G. Pierski. La Salle; field
captain. C. D. Clark. Utica. The offi
cers, with the addition of C. S. Roe, of
Ottawa, and Charles Quinby. of Spring
Valley, compose the board of directors
And Only Once Has Mack’s Great
Team Tasted a Trio of Suc
cessive Defeats.
W HEN a team can go through a
complete season, the 154
games, and play a steady per
formance, day in and day out, with
out any slumps or sensational spurts,
then it is going to be a pennant win
ner. That’s why the Athletics are
making such a runaway in the Amer
ican League race this summer.
A little story in figures tells just
why the Philadelphia club Is so far
out in front of the nearest contender.
Connie Mack’s team has not lost more
than three games in a row' so far this
season. That happened only once.
Detroit took three straights, but
dropped the fourth one recently when
Eddie Plank hurled a shut-out game.
Previous to this slump the most
games the Athletics had lost in a row
was two at a time, and what makes
the record all the more marvelous is
that this happened but once.
The recovery of championship form
for Connie Mack and his Athletics
really is the surprise of the 1913 cam
paign. They won in 1910 and 1911,
and were the double world’s cham
pions. too. Then something happened
a year hack, and they exploded, with
the Boston Red Sox succeeding the
residents of Penn as the high rulers
in the American League and as the
world’s champions.
Last winter a majority of the dope-
sters picked the Red Sox to repeat. In
analyzing the Athletics the “IF” was
too prominent to predict a flag for
Connie Mack again.
Had to Build Up Team.
Eddie Plank had to keep going;
Chief Bender had to come back; Mack
had to get two outfielders to help
along Oldring; a catcher had to ar
rive to take the places of Thomae and
Lapp, who were slipping, and some
young star flingers were needed to
help out the veterans.
Well, all this happened, much to the
surprise of baseball dope. And it has
been this steady, consistent playing
that has landed the Athletics on top
Right off the reel on April 10, the
Mackites started to claw and devour
the Boston Red Sox. And it was this
first blow, a record of six victories out
of the first seven games with the 1912
monarchs. that started the Athletics
on the path to this 1913 pennant.
The two clubs staged a seven-game
series* and the Red Sox won but one.
The Sox never could recover, while
the AthleMcs have never faltered a
bit.
Won Fifteen in a Row.
The record of fifteen straight vic
tories was put on shortly after that.
On May 26 Walter Johnson tamed
the Athletics 9 to 2, and the next de
feat didn’t arrive until the Browns
licked the Pennsylvanians on June 11,
5 to 2. And during that period fifteen
straight games were won.
Slump No. 2 was June 20-21 with
the Boston Red Sox turning the trick.
June 20 the Red Sox won. 6 to 1. with
Bush heaving against them. The next
day the score was 5 to 4. On June 23.
though, the Athletics routed their
rivals, 13 to 4.
Then there was nothing doing in
the slump line until July 13. when the
Mackmen lost a pair to the Tigers,
with Bush and Bender pitching the
first game and Houck dropping the
**econd. On July 14 the Tigers re
peated, with Bender and Bush doing
the box work.
NEW YORK, July 26.—William Klem.
probbly the best umpire on the National
League staff, discussed several points
in the rules the other day. When asked
about President Lynch’s interpretation
of the rule covering the dropping of a
ball by a pitcher while in the act of
delivering it to the batsman, he said:
“President Lynch has made a proper
ruling in calling such a ball a balk. If
a pitcher was allowed to get away with
this slip he could easily frame up plays
that would catch base runners dead to
rights. With a man on first and the
hit and run play in order he could tip
off the third baseman and then let the
ball slip out of bis hand so that the
runner could be nipped either at second
b<.se or between the bases.
“There is no written rule to cover this
point, however, unless the rule govern
ing the pitcher's delivery is applied. In
that case a dropped ball could be called
a ‘ball' simply because it did not pass
over the home plate between the knee
and the shoulder.”
“What do you think of the recent de
cision in the ' American League which
sent Borton back to the plate to hit
over again after a ground ball thrown
by an infielder had struck an umpire?”
Klem was asked.
“The rule says that if a thrown ball
hits an umpire base runners must be
sent back to their original stations.”
was the reply, “but the rule makers
never meant to have a batsman return
to the plate to hit over again. These
are some of the points that must be
cleared up by the Rules Committee be
fore next season. They do not come up
frequently, but the umpires should be
in a position to make prompt rulings.”
FLYNN-SMITH BOUT SHOULD
BE DESPERATE STRUGGLE
NEW YORK. July 26.—New York
fight fans expect to see fireworks
a-plenty on August 8, for that is the
date on which Gunboat Smith, the
strongest “white hop^’’ thus far de
veloped. and “Pueblo Jim” Flynn, the
most dangerous veteran in the heavy
class, havh agreed to mingle for ten
rounds before the Garden Athletic Club
members in the arena of Madison Square
Garden.
Both of these scrappers have mode
their reputation via the knockout route,
and as each is aware that pugilistic
oblivion will be the certain fate of the
loser, the battle should be a desperate
struggle from bell to bell.
PACKEY HIT
T
Coffroth Is Anxious to Stage
Match Between Rival Chico-
goans in August.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.. July 26.—
“Sunny Jim” Coffroth has the Au
gust fight permit for this city and is
busy arranging a card for the show.
Just who will make up the main event
James hasn't decided as yet, but he
has assured the fans that whoever
the boxers are they will be lads who
will offer a crack card. Jim seldom
fails in giving the public the best pos
sible, and all lovers of the glove game
are anxiously awaiting his selection.
It is known he is hot on the trail of
Packey McFarland and Jack Britton,
but it is hardly likely that he will be
able to get this pair before Labor
Day, if he can land them then.
But he haR Leach Cross, Matty
Baldwin, Johnny Dundee, Red Wat
son and Tommy Murphy among the
lightweights, with Jess Willard and
Sam Langford to pick opponents for
if he should decide on the big lads.
Willie Ritchie has practically assured
James that he will do battle with any
lightweight on Labor Day and Tom
my Murphy will be CofFroth’s selec
tion, this, of course, subject to change
should McFarland decide to box.
ART ALARD TO FIGHT BENZ.
BUTTE, MONT., July 26— Art
Alard, of New York, and Art Benz, of
Butte, have been matched for a
twelve-round contest here September
1. Benz has fought twelve battles, in
every one of w'hich he has knocked
out his opponent within four rounds.
GULLS WILL BE REAL SOUTHERN
STARS IF THEY WIN PENNANT
MOBILE, July 26.—If Mike Finn's 1913 Mobile team can cop the
Dixie pennant it will he most appropriate, inasmuch as eight of the
fifteen athletes doing duty on behalf of the local club are Southern
boys. A discussion on the bench during a recent rain brought out the
fact that eight of the Mobile players boast the South as their home.
Both the Gull catchers, Charley Schmidt and Larry Brown, are
Southern boys, Schmidt from Fort Smith, Ark., and Brown from Bir
mingham. The pitching corps furnishes two more Southerners in
Bradley Hogg, of Buena Vista, Ga., and “Pug” Cavet, from Fort
Worth, Texas. The outfield, as it now stacks up, is an All-Southern
one, Jimmy Clark, Dave Robertson and Paul Sentell, the former re
siding in Baltimore, Robertson in Portsmouth, Va., and Sentell from
New Orleans. Gene Paulet Is a Little Rock boy, making eight South
erners on the team.
With the Gulls near the front and making history in the Dixie
League, the fact that the team is composed of a majority of Southern
ers has brought out how fitting it would be for them to cop the Dixie
pennant. Then, too, Mike Finn, another Southerner, would be at the
heard of the victorious team, and it would be quite a feat could the Gull
leader land his first Southern flag with a team composed in the majori
ty of athletes boasting Dixie as their home.
TWELVE EVENTS ON CARD
OF NATIONAL REGATTA
NEW' YORK, July 26—Secretary Fort-
meyer, of the National Association of
Amateur Oarsmen, announces the
closing of enti-ies for the forty-first
championship regatta has been fixed for
July 28. The regatta will be held on the
Charles River. Boston, on August 8-9.
Twelve events will be contested over
a mile and a quarter course. Nine races
will be rowed with one turn and three,
the international senior fours, intermedi
ate and senior eights, over a one and a
quarter mile straightaway course.
The entries received to date indicate
that the national championship will pro
vide one of the best regattas of recent
years, with scullers and crews from all
parts of the country competing.
CASHION’S ONLY CHANCE
IS TEN MONTHS’ REST
WASHINGTON, July 26.—Carl Cash-
ion's only chance of getting back into
the pitching ranks is in ten months’
rest, according to specialists here who
are treating the Giant twirler’s trained
arm. Great things were expected of
Cushion this season, but in his first
game he tore a ligament loose. Now he
can not get back the speed that caused
him to be considered a second Walter
Johnson.
EVERS WON’T TRADE ROGER.
CHICAGO, ILL., July 26.—r-Manager
Evers to-day denied the story started
In Brooklyn to the effect that he in
tended to trade Heine Zimmerman
and Roger Bresnahan to the Dodgers
for Southpaw Frank Allen and Third
Baseman Smith.
£ Beware of counterfeit* 4
ROURKE ASKS WAIVERS ON 3.
OMAHA. NEBR.. July 26—Presi
dent Fourke yesterday denied the re
port that he had asked for waivers on
practically the whole Omaha team.
He admitted that he had asked for
waivers on three player?, but declined
to say who they were.
•the old reliable”
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