New-York tribune., 1911-04-24
COMMENT ON SPORTS
"Rube" Marquard May Prove an
Asset for the Giants.
FORD GETS A BAD START
News and Views on Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.

week that tDe nanuICap O2 HVW oosS "sA~
strange grounds could be overcome. as was
predicted in this column week ago. IL Is
true that the Superbas were weakened oy
the absence Of Nap Rucker ana Cy barsef'
their best pitchers. who are nursing minor
INJURIES but for ell that the Giants played
with a snap and dash and energy that
promised we'll for the future. The loss OF
the first two games OF the season to Fhlla-
delphia, which caused such wall 10 90 UP
from the fans" was almost forgotten as
the team climbed 10 second place on
Wednesday 1t was hard on Brooklyn but
II served 10 restore the confidence or the
fckle followers Of John J. McGraw and his
men. Much has been expected OF Rupe
Marquard ever since the club paid Sll,VV
for his release, three or four years ago. but
almost everybody except McGraw lost con-
ndenoe in the wonderfully speedy but err
ratio twirler lone ago. He pitched game
on Tuesday however which seemed to con-
firm the little managers judgment but II
will take more than one game to convince
the rank and file. II is quite possible, now
ever, that Marquard's year has come and
that re will prove a strong asset WIN
Matty. Bugs Raymond. Druoke, CTandall.
Wfltse and Arnes in the fight to bring a
pennant 10 the Polo Grounds.
The Ph,llies who are travelling at such
a sizzling pace. have acquired the on-
fortunate habit of developing GIANT
Killer every so often In 1908 II was Cova-
lesk. the terrible Pole, who was dragged
back from the reserves in time 10 check
the Giants, with a pennant In their grasp
Now Il is Earl Moore who twice running
has shut out McGraw's men. holding them
70 two hits in the opening game of the
season and to one hit on Friday. 1t was
no disgrace to lose either game. The brill
tant playing Of Ma gee. Titus and Paskert
one OF the fastest outhelders IN either
major league. saved Moore time and again.
and this is not said to detract one whit
from the credit due the clever pitcher, VINO
ranks with the best. II must be recalled
that the Giants played without an error
on Friday. that Crandal pitched well
enough 70 win nine out Of ten games, that
long drives, which under ordinary condi
tions would have counted for home runs
and three Ia ggers were converted into
sparkling put-outs The Phillies have now
won three straight from the Giants, and
the last opportunity for revenge in some
time will come to-day. as the team begins
series with Boston here tomorrow.
Russell Ford, who last year won twenty
six games for the Yankees. while losing
only six. has made poor start this season
in losing his first game. It does not
follow. however. that ne has lost his cum
ming and that he will not continue to be a
terror n opposing batsmen, once the
weather has warmed up bit Washington
b1 for tn
day. then the Yankees will move to Boston
for series with the Red Sox.
While the Brooklyn Superbas have made
poor start. the fact remains that the
team has been strengthened over winter,
and better things can he expected. II must
he remembered that Bill Dahlen has not
had time as yet to drill his players to-
Eether. and consequently the team lacks
sone finish and a thorough knowledge Of
inside piar. which will come later with
more experience. 7 saw the opening game
on FRIDAY. and was impressed with the en-
D. thrsiastic support which the crowd did not
regrudCe even under disheartening condi-
tons Charley Ebbets in a spirit of fun
and good feeling. distributed a toy ham
r. mer and anvil as a souvenir. with the
words. KNOCK here and boost Brooklyn"
in bold type. Evidently the suggestion was
accepted In good part. and the anvil chorus
was conspicuous by it's absence when the
team lost its opening day game.
The Phillies are leading the National
League. il was so a year ago and yet be-
fore July rolled around the team was
struggling beyond hope in the second di-
vision. History may repeat itself. but It
must he admitted that the team looks far
stronger this season than in 1910
The Giants lost their opening game before
crowd of 5000 or more. The Yankees,
with Russell Ford in the box did likewise,
and the Superbas. just 10 be in style, suf-
fersd defeat as Washington Park was dedi-
Gated for 1911 In spite of all this, there
are calamity howlers who insist that base
ball games are fixed"
RApier. the we'll known turf critic Of
England. in commenting on the annual
crusade against betting and. indirectly,
racing. abroad, SAYS in "The Illustrated
London and Dramatic News: Il am quite
OF opinion that betting is very bad game,
and have said so repeatedly in these col
umns any time during the last thirty years.
But am all for letting people who have a
mania for betting find this little fact out
by experience, being, moreover, quite con
vinced that IL is utterly futile 10 attempt
10 cure natural instincts by acts of Parla-
ment You might convince sensible
people that II is unwise TO bet but you
cannot prevent them from betting. and il
they do not bet about one thing they will
about another" To emphasize his point
lie adds
In America some success has attended
the exertions OF men who have been at
tacking the turf. destroying what was be-
coming a great national industry and
throwing hundreds. indeed thousands, of
people out Of employment. one cOnse-
Cuence Of this has been that for want of
horses 10 back men and women have laid
odds on the result Of sensational trials.
especially for murder There was quite a
long list 81 quotations about the three
things that were likely 10 happen in a re-
cent case IN which woman was accused
or poisoning her husband Some people bet
ted that she would get of, others that she
would be condemned, others. again, took
q Slight shade OF odds that the jury would
disagree. and, really, II Is a more healthy
state of things TO Try 10 back the winner
probability OF a woman being eiectrocuted.
Somebody has been "stringing" Rapier.
as the saying is. for OF truth lovers OF rae
ing have not been forced to such ends TO
satisfy their craving for a bet. In fact 1t
is a sad commentary on conditions, in my
opinion, that the opportunity TO wager on
horses has not been lost, with poolrooms
and hand books hourishing, while the pleas
ure OF enjoying an inyigorating race in the
open Is denied. for the present at least. be-