The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-02-18
MACK DOESN'T LIKE
LEFT-SIDE HITTERS
Manager of Athletics Has
Radical Views on Old
Problem.

Manager Connie Mack. OF the Phila-
delphia Athletics. who is credited by
Philadelphians with possessing more
real baseball acumen than any manager
in the business. has just made the an
nouncement that he intends 10 win the
American League pennant next season
by the ability of his team TO hit left
hand pitching Mack gave this as his
reason last week for releasing Outhelder
Armbruster. He said.
'Armbruster is a good ball player.
In time he may become great. but right
now he is good enough for any club in
the American League. Ny reason for
letting him go was founded on the fact
that he IS a Ieft-handed batsman, and
Is weak against the left-handed pitchers
that abound IN the American League.
a couple of left-handed batters are all
right. but three Of them are dangerous,
and more than that places a terrific
handicap on a club. To win a pennant
a club must not be at the mercy Of a
southpaw. for there are too many Of
them in the ranks Of the ether clubs
Old Question Revived.
Topsy Hartzel IS the only left-hander
among the regular players Of the Ath-
Ieucs' staff 1t i5 now said that Mack
let out Danny Hoffman In 1905 for the
same reason-be, 4Use he hits from the
port side Of the rubber.
Macks statement has started another
discussion among the fans on the
"sOUthpaw peril 4 glance over the
records OF the 53tters of the past and
present day shows that many left-hand
batsmen were, If anything, more effec-
i've FMS he Fhre.1r z vrir
gainst the Fight-harderS- There are
shining examples Of this In the batting
records for 1906 Of the American League.
Contrary Statistics.
OF the batsmen who finished in the
800 class, Stone. Of St. Louis. the leader;
Congalton. Flick and Rossman, OF
Cleveland; Cobb. OF Detroit. and Keller,
Of New York. are left-hand batters.
Sam Crawford. Of Detroit, Is close uD
with .2g5 per cent OF these Stone and
Keller will do as examples Of effective
ness against their sOuthpaw enemies on
tho firing line.
Stone finished the season with an aver
age or .35S per cent. tied with Mig
Clarke, Of Cleveland. q right-hand hit
ter. Against Plank and Waddell Of the
Athletics; White and Altrock. Of the
White SON; TanuehilL OF Boston. Hess.
OF Cleveland: Newton and Hahn. Of
New York. and Kill!an. Of Detroit. left
hand pitchers, mis- batting average for
the season was -S91 per cent
Keller finished the season with .304
per cent. Against the sens. pitchers his ]
work for the season shows 40 per cent
Hanlon Takes Other Side.
Ned Hanlon. who has kept close tab
on Willie Keller's work since 1884. claims
the Highlander has always been better
against left-hand than right-hand pitch
ers- While Connie Mack holds TO his
theory. many other managers. who have
landed pennants. seek the lpft-handed
swatter instead Of setting him adrift
Attention has been called 10 the fact
that the worlds champion White Sox
have no less than six Ieft-handed bats
men IN their lineup including Jones.
Donahue. IsbCN Dougherty, Hahn. and
George Davis. 70 be exact the number
should be five and a half. because, Davis
bats equally well from either side ~
the plate Still. there Is the fact that
the White SoX did not win the pennant
by batting, but by fielding. pitching
base running and head work