Evening journal., 1908-08-20
GREAT CLUBS
WIN FOR PITCHERS
Records Show That the Slab
Artists Are Not the
Whole Show
ABSURD LOGIC ON THE GAME

Without doubt baseball people are
the most deficient logicians in the
world. At least more absurd logic is
printed on baseball pages than any.
where else in the world.
Last week kid" Elherfeld. man
ager OF the Now York club Of the
American League, is quoted as saying
that no team, iacking great pitchers,
ever won a championship
Truly we do not remember that aay
Of the pitchers of the famous Balti-
more club were truly great. AL Maui
did a lot toward winning one Of their
championships. Al Maui had nothing
but a good club behind him. Nc
Mahon, jay Hughes, Joe Corbett,,
Doctor Pond or Jimmie McJames could
scarce be considered great. They won
games-therefore were great, with
Baltimore. But not anywhere else.
And be it remarked that Baltimore
often beat clubs for tho championship
that had great pitchers. 1t beat New
York in 1894 with Rusie and Meelin.
It beat Cleveland with Young ana
Cuppy in 1S95-96. IL had no such
pitchers as Nichols. oi Boston, or as
Vic" Willis. who was a teammate Of
the same Nichols When the Orioles
met these clubs in the Temple Cup
games the great pitchers. working
every other game. usually beat them.
For Baltimore had no pitchers worth
speaking Of. McMahon, the best pitcher
of the Orioles. had nothing i'm the way
of speed and curve that at all CONF
pared with the possessions of Rus,c
and MeelSin, or Nichols and Willis, or
Young and Cuppy
What good do great pitchers do the
Cardi.nls? Oh. no. Pitchers help
just as inhelders, hitters. etc., help,
just as Hans Wagner helps. But n
club can win a Championship with faii
pitchers. The Orioles did It. Detroit
did it. Was it the Big Four" or the
pitchers, that won for Detroit and
Buffalo in the eighties BALDWIN,
Getzein and Twitchell we're no stars
in the pitching way.
No. the pitcher is not all Of the team
Not by a iugful
Here is another case Of absurd logic
and myopy. Tim Murnane. of Boston,
who has played and written baseball
for forty years. and who should know
better. says that Wallace is the great
est fielding shor;stop on this mundane
sphere But he is not the entire st
Louis club. Not on NJ. Murnane's
life
Last month. in Boston. playing n
double-header Wallace lad a great
day. He was given many difficult
chances and handled them beautifully.
SO on one days work Mr.. Murnane
figures Wallaca the entire st. Louis
team Probably tho place Of any
other man on the club would be easier
to hll than that Of Wallace. Yet. If
McAleer was given a choice Of giving
up Wollace. Ferris or Williams, ne
would find himself in a desperate
dilemma.
What absurd things are written. ton.
There is Joe Villa, who has been writ
ing baseball as long MS Mr.. Murnare.
IN a long and violent dia.ribe. Mr.. Vita
says that the present New York
American team Is strictly no good; that
Niles, Keeler. Orth. Chesbro. etc, are
of no value. and should be cashierei.
Then Mr.. villa proceeds TO impeach
Mr. Elberfeld with bad management.
Though he first AYERS that the team
former Manager Griffith devised to Mr..
Elberfeld is strictly n. c., Mr.. Via
says that Mr.. Elberfeld has everv
chance in the world 10 make good
with this no-account team-and mas
failed, and should be removed.
Now Mr.. villa says that the team
given Mr.. Elberfeld-ihe latter had no
voice in the selection-'s no good.
Now. If his Instruments have been
bad. as Mr.. Villa says they are, how
can Mr. Elberfeld be said to have had
a fair chance?
How does Mr.. Villa reconcile the two
statements?
It is scarce reasonable to expect
young baseball players. or old ones, tor
that matter. or young baseball writ sra
to be brilliant ,ogiciens. Youth and
baseball are not conducive to logic.
That veterans OF the diamond and
journalists OF long standing. like
Messrs. Murnane and villa, should be
guilty Of such appalling lack OF logic
Is ianentabIc indeed