Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

/ How little dependence can be placed in
the averages of players can be seen from the
fact that 1t makes a vast difference whether
a player is with a winning or losing ciup
lit was maintained last season that favor1t-
Ism was shown in the case of Honus Wag-
sner of the Pittsburgs and of George Stone
of the st. Louis Americans. AS a whole
the scoring is perfectly fair and the players
receive what Is their due and no more. A
player with a winning club will have a
better chance by far than with a losing
club. Again 1t follows that a player can do
himself more justice with a winning than
with losing combination. This goes In
fielding as well as in batting. There is
therefore a great deal to take into consid-
Grafton when one estimates the record of a
player Take the matter of the pitching
records good pitcher in a tail-end club
will naturally have worse percentage or
victories than a pitcher of less ability in
winning club. A most striking example or
this was the showing of Vic Willis OF
the Boston Nationals of 1906 as compared
with his showing in Pttsburg in 1905. The
past season he had a very poor showing; the
season before II was very good. The record
of the pitchers therefore goes for very little
indeed. Often, too. pitcher makes very
Door showing i'm the box and the game is
won solely because there is weakness on the
other side and perhaps very strong hitting
on his own.
X i
Altogether too much stress is placed on
che matter of averages How well was this
shown in the worlds series between the
two Chicago clubs. The National League
club rated so much higher than its opponent
in the matter of averages that 1t seemed as
ar there was nothing to the series at all,
but the team that was eighth in batting IN
Its own organization succeeded in all but
demoralIzing the club that was considered
by its president to be the greatest organiza-
ton ever and showed itself to be very far
from il when the series reached its close
If the club that finished first in the Ma
tional made such a sorry showing of win
ming from the club that ranked eighth in
batting In the American League, the ques-
ton suggests itself, what kind of show
other seven clubs in the American League,
and also what did the victory in the Ma
tional League over a lot of clubs mani
testify inferior amount to- after all? The
time TO tell the public what kind of a team
one has is after something of note has
been done, and not before. With the victory
of Comiskeys team over the Chicago Ma
tionals vanished every bit of triumph of
which the National representatives could
boast and il they tour the country next
season as champion Record Breakers" as
II is given out they will do. Comiskey's
men can properly label themselves the
''Conquerors of the Champion Record
Breakers" The fact that club has made
a record does not entitle it to any kind of
championship therefor. This attempt of
the defeated to hold to luster is most
amusing. to say the least.
Never before in the history of the sport
did club that ranked eighth in the hitting
department succeed in taking first honors
in a race. A club that ranks high in the
hitting department Is always a warm ia
vorite for the first place in a race, and 1t is
therefore the biggest kind of a wonder
wher E. club that has not shone in this
line %>seds In gaining first honors.
A Kind of fatality seems to follow such
a club as the Clevelands. While in the
National League that club never succeeded
in landing a pennapt, and here the club
has been a member of the American League
since 1901 and has yet to land first and
there are some who believe that will never
come about. Perhaps it Is but natural to
feet that way. now that the club has met
with so many reyerses. There is no telling,
however Once let the club have a fair run
OF luck and Ii may be that different
story will be told. Some have faith In
Jajoie, and incline to the opinion that he
IS not a leader of the championship order,
but a glance at the record his club has
made under him will show that his efforts
have been far from poor, and, all things
expected. 1t Is a very easy matter, indeed
to criticise. There are even some who find
It difficult to accord to this great ball
player the position in the game to which he
seems clearly entitled. Some day he may