The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-02-16
WHICH IS THE
FASTER LEAGUE?
Records of Last Year Favor Nutmeg Circuit Except in
Pitching slantsts Of Other Combination Were
Better

The relative playing abilities of the
clubs in the Connecticut and New
England leagues offer fine food for
who take sides in the argument al
ways feel that they never can be
changed over to another opinion. These
leagues are in the same general class
and of course are supposed to repre-
sent the same grade of baseball. AS
any team is faster one season than the
next or the one before, so the whole
league may be affected in a similar
way. 1t is admitted, though, that the
grade of baseball played in both the
Connecticut and the New England lea
que is improving from year to year. 1t
is possible, too, that in any one season
one league may be trotting just lit
tie bit faster than the other. Connec-
ticut league fans would claim such an
land league rooters have the opposite
notion.
The question of the playing strengths
of the two circuits came up the other
day at a local fanfest, and the ma
jority of those present, being from this
city, could not see where the New Eng
land clubs compared at all. 1t so
happened that one of the interesting
disputants was Michael O'Brien, who
has umpired in both leagues, and it
would seem on the surface that he
could give about as intelligent a COM
parison as any one, and better than
most fans. O'Brien said he consid-
cred the two leagues as groups of ball
clubs about on the same level, with
the advantage on pitching with the
New England league. His idea was
not cherished by his hearers, but at
the same time O'Brien was right as
far as last year was concerned, and
that is what he meant.
Prejudice and the wrong point of
view cut a wide swath in baseball COM
parsons. Some fans would say that
the Connecticut league is several
months faster than the New England
league, and if they were bunking in
Lowell or New Bedford they would
give the league in that section a sim
liar kind of advantage in comparisons.
They are home rooters. A prominent
Springfield fan went down to Boston
one day last summer and witnessed
ball game at the American league
grounds. The game was a rank one.
The next day he was at Hampden
park and he saw what he considered
rafting good game. This fellow
isn't so absurd as to decide that the
American league is slower than our
circuit, but If he had been disguised
by game in Worcester or Brock
ton he would have declared the New
England league a joke compared to
his favorite circuit. That fan. know
ing baseball, would not even think Of
comparing the minor and major lea
CUES by single game in each circuit.
but that is exactly what he would
have done il the point at issue con-
cerned two minor leagues.
To get a line on any league it is
possible at times to get the correct
view from a single game, but it is
not always probable. And the man
who judges two minor leagues by all
the games in one league in season
and few in the other may not be in
the right position to make the COR
rect decision. Umpire O'Brien, doing
service in this league part OF one sea-
son and in the New England league
the next year hardly got the two
leagues in proper focus for comparison,
as he would have the 1909 brand Of
one at the best and the 1910 of the
other. But what he had to say about
the abilities of the two leagues Is
about as interesting and as accurate
as anything that can be offered.