Evening star., 1909-02-14
CANT|LLON SPEAKS
OF GIANTS Loss
Local Manager Relates Story
of How DonIin's Tip
Wasn't Taken.

r. CHICAGO, February 13.-To what ex-
tent should a ball players gameness be
tempered with common sense?
II a star left-hand hitter. due to face
a first-class southpaw in a pinch. tells
his manager that it would be a wise move
to send right-hand hitter up in his
place. would that show yellow streak
In the makeup Of the left-hand batsman
in question?
Such noted basa ball generals az Comis
key and McGraw say they don't care to
hear top-notch hitters confess to a weak
ness. even in the face of whitening south
paw flinging. But Joe Cantillon takes the
opposite view and says the New York
Giants would have won the last National
League pennant If McGraw had listened
to Mike Donlin In the ninth inning of the
final game with Phladelphia-that i'm
portant game which Covaleski twirled and
won.
I'm spite Of Merkle's failure to touch
second in the game of September 23 with
the Cubs" said Cantillon. New York
probably would have won the pennant
had Donlins tip to McGraw in the last
game with the Phillies been acted upon.
The game I refer to was played in Phila-
delpha October 3. The Washingbons
were in New York and 1 met Donlin that
night about $50. he having hurried back
from Philadelphia. We had--dinner to-
gether and he told me Of losing the tough
est game ever played.
A Warm Game.
Most Of the fans who followed the
games Of the leading teams right up to
the finish of the race will never forget
the details Of that contest. 1t was New
York's eighth game of that week against
the Philhes. Covaleski, the new lefl-hand
wonder. was pitching against Mathewson
Twice before during the week Covaleski
had triumphed over New York. but II
looked as though the Giants would be able
to land the pennant all right if they could
grab that final battle. So Mathewson was
sent in against the southpaw.
'Matty had been relieved by Wiltse
when it came to the beginning of the
ninth and the Phillies were leading. 3 to 1.
Well, HerzOg was the first man up, and
he scored on hit. tumble and McCor-
mick's triple. That looked like a tie score
surely. Donln. the best man on the New
York club, mind you. was next to bat.
But Covaleski's left-hand curves had been
too much for Mike in every game that
week, and he said to McGraw:
Mac this fellow has got it on me;
you better send right t-hander up in my
place
'McGraw wouldn't do it. I would
look fne.' the manager said. sending a
substitute hitter up for you
"'All right said Mike, and he went
to bat and popped up a little f1y-jusr
against the new lefthander
"Of course, DonlinS reputation a.,
game player was established too long
ago for any one to say now that he
weakened in that emergency. 1t was
just a case Of too. much pitcher with
the left-hand curve.
well, before Donlin's fly had drop
ped into Osborne's hands he had turned
around and shouted to McGraw not 10
let Seymour-another left-hand hitter
go to bat. But again the manager
and Sy went up and followed
suit with a weak grounder, on which
Mccormick was run down Devlin was
the next man up. but the golden oppor-
tunity had already been passed up. and
won, to .. making New
York's chances for the pennant almost |
hopeless. Had the Giants won that
game the now famous play-on of Octo- |
Der could only have tied the Cubs and
Giants instead of putting the Chicagos |
a full game to the good"
Comiskey and Cantillon Argue.
Comiskey listened to what Cantiiion |
said and met Joe's argument in mis- |
style. We'll, l like 10 |
see those hitters edge up to the plate
in such a way that they show the keen
est desire to be the man in the pinch
the man Of the hour, as it were." said |
Comiskey. II like to see them go after |
any kind of pitching, as if they were |
sure they had 1t on the best pitcher, |
right or left handed. that ever lived. |
Then they'll deliver the hits"
That's all right to tell about, Com |
N.Y." came back Cantillon, but facts |
are facts, and you know that left
handler at the bat hasn't as good a :
chance as a right-hander. Otherwise, |
why does Doc White of your team
pitch half the games when the White
Sox meet the Washingtons? Why. be-
cause my team is a bunch of 1eft-ha nd
hitters. and seldom Is able to make
more than one run per game of him.
II claim it makes no difference how
anxious a player is to be the one TO
shoulder the responsibility at the crit
cal point in a game, if he happens II
pc a left-hand hitter he isn't going to
stand good chance of delivering
gainst southpaw pitcher And when
ne tells his manager that he is in the
1ole against that pitcher he is helping
his team and showing rOod |