Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-29
D0DE CR|SS KING OF
THE PINCH H|TTERS
St. Louis Man BingEes Twelve
Times in Tkirty-Nine
Trials AMI The
Leader.

Do managers take base ball as seriously
during the first half of the season as
from July until taps are sounded about
October THAT is. are they as much on
the alert to win games up to July as
after that date?
A little delving into the records of the
pinch hitters used by each American
League team during the past season gives
the answer in the negative. During the
first half of the season the managers sent
273 men to bat at time when hit in
the pinch meant run or two, or at least
paved the way to score.
After July 6. and until the close of the
season, the managers were more on the
job and increased their total pinch hit
tiers by sixty. sending no less than 1888 to
the plate in time Of need.
In the first half of the season twenty
eight of the men sent to bat in pinch
were given free transportation to first,
while in the latter half twenty-six bat
tiers walked leisurely to first. In the fore
part of the season the men used in
pinch succeeded in punching out sixty
three hits, while in the latter half or
after the pitchers were all working like
sixty-two hits. although they had sixty
two more opportunities to connect than
prior to July Z.
Cantillon Sends Many In.
If a manager were judged by the num-
Der of pinch hitters he sends to bat during
a season Joe Cantllon of the Washing
ton Nationals would be head and Shout
ders above all other leaders in Ban John
sons league. Cantillon used ninety-six
men who either hit or missed to say
nothing Of another eight w IN fra N a
portation to first. The National batters
succeeded in making eighteen bingles in
time of need.
If the plum was to be handed to the
manager who selected pinch hitters who
could deliver the biffs at the right time
we would all have to doff our caps to
Fred Lake, manager Of the Red SoX. and
Jim MCGUIRE, former Boston manager,
who is now with Cleveland. Between
them they sent eightynine men to bat.
six Of whom walked to first. The other
eighty-three succeeded in pounding out
twenty-eight hits for the unprecedented
average of 1877. something unheard of in
pinch hitting.
Connie Mack was close behind the Bos-
ton pair, the Athletics having a pinch
hitting average of .321 making seventeen
hits in fifty-three attempts ST Louis and
New York had averages of .224; Detroit.
oil; Washington. 1888; Chicago. 1856, and
Cleveland. only lis.
Probably to Cleveland's weakness as
pinch hitters can be traced their failure
to land the pcnnant Every other team
went into double figures in making ninch
hits. but the Maps had to be content with
six hits in fifty-two times at bat Sew
eral of the Maps drew passes and on two
occasions that helped a little
more effective against the opposing pinch
hitters than any others. Against Plank.
Vickers & Co the pinch hitters could
negotiate only seven bingles in fifty-nine
attempts. an average OF .119.
McAleer's Pitchers Game.
McAleer's twirlers followed the
Athletics. holding opposing pinch hitters
to ten hits in seventy-three times at
bat, 1877 average Next came the Bos-
ton pitchers. who allowed but fourteen
hits In seventy-two attempts, a 1914
mark. and then Washington's who al
lowed fifteen hits in sixty-six times at
bat, an average of .221.
Strangely enough, the twirlers Of the
three leading teams-Detroit Cleveland
and Chicago-were easiest for the pinch
hitters. The Tiger twirlers were found
for twenty-three hits In eighty-six times,
a .267 mark: Chicago's for twenty hits in
the Nap twirlers for twenty-five hits in
seventy-two trips to the plate, a 3O,
mark. The New York twirlers were
stronger in this particular line than the
three leading teams, allowing fourteen
hits in ffty-five times at bat, 2D
mark.
Red Sox Hit In Pinches.
Boston led in pinch hitting and strange
ly displayed their most class against the
star twirlers of the Tigers. Maps and
Sox. annexing seventeen of their twenty
eight bingles against these three clubs
They also made six against New York
and did not fail to make a pinch hit
against each of the eight teams.
Coorbs and F.. Collins were the classy
pinch hftters of the Athletics. who were
next in line. Thomas starred for Detroit
Street and Clymer for Washington.
Kleinow and Ortiz for New York and
Hahn and Dougherty for Chicago. Cleve-
lIand did not get Into the pinch-hit spot