The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-10-11

Seasons Greatest Finds - Phillies'
Right Handler the Big Noise In Ma
tional League.
This season has been replete with
surprises in the pitching end of base
ball. The popularity thus far is the
rise from obscurity Of pair Of young
twirlers barely out Of their teens.
They have set pace in the two big
leagues.
Grover Cleveland Alexander of the
Philadelphia Nationals, knowTkls AL
exander the Great, who bafeiy es-
capped going to the minors in the
spring, has the distinction of being
the first pitcher in the older organiza-
ton to win twenty games this sea-
son and has worked in and won more
contests than any other twlrler.
No other man who ever broke into
the league, with the exception Of Rus
sell Ford of New York, has approach
ed this record. Ford won twenty-six
games last season, but Alexander bids
fair to surpass that figure by many
games before the season is over.
In the American league Van Gregg.
youngster secured by Cleveland
from the Pacific coast, who had fair
reputation when he came east, has
proved invincible and has the remark
able record of fourteen victories out
of the first sixteen games in which
he has worked.
Unlike Alexander, however great
things were expected of him when he
came to Cleveland, but in their fond
est dreams the Forest City club own
ers never thought that the coast play
er would deliver the goods as he has
done against virtually all of the clubs
which faced him. All batters look
alike to him.
Alexander of the Phillies came to the
team unheralded, an outcast of two
major league clubs. Manager Charlie
Doom had about determined to sell
the youngster, whom he secured from
the Syracuse club of the New York
State league for $3.50 when the latter
asked for a chance to pitch against the
Athletics in the annual spring series
between the National and American
league teams of Philadelphia.
his men go without a fair chance to
show, gave him the opportunity, and
after Alexander had held the worlds
champions to two hits Doom decided
that he would keep the state Lacquer
for at least another month.
Dooin's decision to hold the pitcher
has kept the team in the race for the
National league flag, for Alexander
has won more than one-third of the
contests for his team and is such a
strong worker that he has asked to
work every other day. He is after the
record made by Jack Coombs of the
Athletics last year, when the latter
won thirty-one games and lost nine,
and hopes to even better this mark.
1t is noteworthy fact that this same
pitcher, who is the sensation of the
National league, was turned down by
Connie Mack, a manager whose mis-
takes can be counted on the fingers of
one hand. He would come in handy
now, with the Athletics battling to
win the American league pennant
again.
Philadelphia is not the only National
star The New1York fans have waXed
enthusiastic over Rube Marquard.
who has at last delivered the goods
after three years trial. The man who
for two years had to stand the jeers
and witticisms of the fans of the whole
circuit has at last shown his form.
Manager McGraw's judgment in pay
ing $1,000 for him has been vindicat-
ed. With Rube going along in his
present form New York fans are look.
ing for a pennant and a possible
worlds championship.
While New York fans are enthusina
over Marquard, they have not lost
sight of the fact that Nap Rucker is
pitching the greatest ball of his career
for Brooklyn and that he holds the
record of twelve consecutive wins tC
his credit. The work of this pitcher
is the more creditable in that he il
with a second division club and there
fore has to pitch remarkable ball tt
win his games.
Lew Richie, the genial pitcher of the
Cubs, is holding his team in the race
by his great work, and Earl Moore, {
Iunuuelpnld Lnuui Is at his DeSI tul'
season and has been quite surprise t.
the fans of the old league.
In Pittsburg "Babe" Adams is agaiI
working in great form this season
doing the bulk of the work for the ri
rates. Adams is another youngste
who sprang into fame in a year b!
his great work in the worlds series
against the Detroit team in 1909, wheI
he won the worlds championship 70
the Pittsburg team.
While his work this season has no
been as spectacular as that of SOM
of the other pitchers in the league, /
is mainly due to his good pitchin,
that the Pirates are fighting for bertl
in the first division.
The fans of ST. Louis have discov
cred this season that the Cardinals ar