Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-11
BY j. ED GRILLO.

ers three innings each day IN ouei I"
have them on edge when the big games
open in New York next Saturday. Whiie
Connie Mack would not say so. II IS
understood that they will be worked III
regular order. though it is doubtful which
one of the three will face Mathewson on
the opening day of the series. Against
the Cubs Mack used only Bender ana
Coombs last year. but he figured that
left-hander of Plank's ability stands a
good chance of fooling the Giants Fur
thermore, Plank has been a very consist
ent performer this year and is said TO be
in particularly good condition at the
present time.
Mack is giving the matter of who shall
pitch his first game against the Giants
whole lot of thought. What he would De
pleased to know is just how good Ma
thewson will perform that day. He feels
that McGraw will start with his star vet
eran. and if he is at his best there IS
but little chance to beat him. even If ne
be opposed by Bender. Bender. how
ever stands good chance of beating the
Giants, and 1T is question with MACK
whether it will be good policy to send
him in against Mathewson or allow either
Plank or Coombs TO take the chance
against him and thus save Bender Tor an
easier game. Notwithstanding the fact
that the opinion prevails in many quar-
Matty, Mack is not so confident or THIS
He realizes that in Mathewson his team
will have to face grand pitcher, VINO Is
sure to be in his very best form Tor the
series, and he would rather have any one
of his other pitchers beaten by him than
Bender.
The AiI-Star-Athletic series was decided
~ popular here last season because potn
teams seemed to be doing their best to
win, a condition which did not seem 10
exist during the two games Just piaSeo
here. Yesterday, for instance. the game
was rather tame and the All-Stars SEEM
ed particularly pleased when the Athletics
drove the winning run oyer the plate IN
the ninth. The players seemed to De
more interested in getting the game over
with than giving the spectators run Tor
their money. So far as these games
giving a line on the Athletics is con-
cerned that is out of the question. Tor
the play are not taking the chances
they will in the worlds series. All the
games are accomplishing is to give the
champions little practice previous to
tackling the Giants.
Whenever Clyde Milan Is thrown into a
bunch of good ball players he shows to
his best advantage. 1t is really remark
able what a difference it makes in even
ordinary ball players to be with WIN
from being up to last years standard.
There are lot of ball players in the
American League who would improve the
team. and yet there are just enough
stars in the lineup to make the team
formidable and because of the effect that
good ball players have on ordinary ones.
johnson did not cut loose only in spots.
He showed what he could do when he
wanted to in the sixth, when Collins,
Baker and Murphy famed in rapid Sue
cession- If either Of the contending teams
had johnson in the worlds series he
could pitch three of the games and come
pretty near to winning every one OF
them.
From a financial standpoint the AL
Star series is going to be much more
profitable this year than it was last The
two games played here have netted more
than the two teams gathered last fall.
and the teams have a 5000 guarantee in
Richmond today If the game is played.
They play their final game in Phila-
delphia Thursday and rest Friday. and
the chances are that every player will
get a nice wad of money to go into win
ter quarters with.
Many base ball experts are sizing up
the Giants and Athletics with conflicting
opinions. Partisan feeling is playing an
important part in the work of the proph-
cts. Conservative judges say the teams
are evenly matched and that the result
of the series will depend largely upon
base ball luck. Arthur Irwin, the High
landers' scout. always close student of
base ball form, says in the New York
Sun:
team that can show the most effective
pitching will win Another important
point is the execution of the hit and run
system. Whichever team can play this
off the honors. To score runs with such
methods a team must be able to outguess
the opposing battery. To stop the hit
and run game pitcher must work with
~ h..&- ~&~x
hit good balls when he gets the sign
from the base runner, while the latter as
result must run chances of being
thrown out. Successful base running in
batsmen protect the men on the bases
Stealing haphazardly will be almost i'm
possible. Team play at the bat Is all i'm
portant, and as both teams know how to
employ this style Of attack the result Of
the series appears to be very much in
doubt II the Giants and Athletics We're
to play twenty-five games instead OF
seven there would be no doubt as to
which would prove the master But in
seven games many unexpected things
may happen. The most reliable pitchers
may be hit hard. while the inferior bats
men may excel those with the big aver
ages. It's about the closest gamble I've
ever tried to solve and nobody can safe
~ predict anything until the first two
Sames have been played"
II Is a fOregone conclusion that all the
umpires-klem and Brennan of the Ma
tional League. and Connolly and Dineen
of the American Lea sue-will work in the
big series. For Saturdays game Klein
probably will call balls and strikes and
Connolly will render the base decisions.
Dineen and Brennan will be stationed
near the outfield foul lines to decide
whether hits are fair or outside. In
Philadelphia Monday Connolly will off,
ciate behind the plate, with Klein on the
bases. There may be change when the
teams go back to the Polo Grounds
on Tuesday, with Brennan behind the
bat and Dineen on the bases. the other
officials on the foul lines. But base ball
men say that there will be little or no
dissatisfaction IL KLEIN and Connolly al
ternate behind the plate and on the base
PATHS as these umpires enjoy the con-
fidence Of players and fans.
The Giants and Athletics are well sup
piled with able substitutes McGraw's
men have a first class catcher in Arthur
Wilson in case Meyers Is disabled, while
Arthur Devlin can jump into any infield
position Beals Becker. too Is ready to
play in the outfe.ti. The Athletics have
TWO great catchers in Lapp and Living
ston to supplant Ira Thomas. They can
call upon the veteran Harry Davis to
play first base In case McInnes Is hurt OF
il compelled to supplant one OF the other
infielders. Another capaIle infieider Is
Derrick For the outfield Mack has the
veteran Topsy Hartsel and Strunk. Each
s~~- has three righf hand Ditchers and