The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-10-14

least one of the championship games.
Murphy is particularly dashing
and brilliant fielder and is probably
the best man in Connie Mack's second
line of defense. Lord and Oldring are
less picturesque in their performances
and are more along the type Of the
steady, unchanging plodder.
When the Giant regulars. Devore.
Snodgrass and Murray, are going in
their natural stride. they look much
better than Connie Macks men. De-
wore is one of the best sprinters in
baseball, and his partners are almost
his equal in this respect. Devore
leads the Giant sextet of base pilferers
and the other two outfielders are also
members of the sensational six. Muir
ray is the long distance slugser. while
| Snodgrass is the most consistent swat
ter of the trio. Beals Becker is GER
tain to have his name appear in the
Giant batting order during the series.
II only as an emergency pinch hit
ter. Sizing up the two garden gangs
in the ensemble, the McGrawites must
be awarded the verdict.
Catchers--1ra Thomas will do the
bulk of the work behind the bat in the
| series for Connie Mack. while Chief
Meyers will wear the mask and pad
in possibly every one of the games for
the Giants.
| Thomas is in a way, puzzle. Be
| fore the 1910 worlds series with the
Cubs, many declared Thomas would
prove unequal to the task of stopping
the Chicago baserunners. He upset
the dope and worked in manner that
was truly remarkable. 1t was then
predicted that Thomas would prove
the best catcher in the American Lea
que this year. This he has not done.
He has caught good ball, but nothing
wonderful. If he does not work bet
ter in the series against the Giants
than he did during the league sched-
ule, the Mile-a-minute Giants will run
riot on the bags and possibly win the
series by sheer speed. The question
about Thomas arises: "Is he worlds
whether he can do his best work only
when in big series. Taking last year
as a criterion, the answer would be
! yes"
Chief Meyers, the big Indian who
does the receiving for McGraw is a
different type from Thomas. He is a
plugger from the word go and works
harder probably than any other catch
er in the game. He is a big earnest
fellow and always has his eyes open,
which makes up to a great degree for
his lack of brilliancy. Meyers has a
remarkable whip to second, and when
he controls it the opposition's runners
are kept close to the bags through
out the game.
| Several men could be picked from
both leagues who figure superior to
both Meyers. and Thomas. There is
little to choose between these two
more of the games, while Jack Lapp
and Paddy Livingston probably will
appear for the Philadelphians. Sizing
up the two catching staffs, the Giants
look little better because of greater
batting ability, the argument being
about even otherwise.
Pitchers-McGraw relies on two
pitchers, RUDE Marquard and Christy
Mathewson, while Connie Mack has
three dependables in Eddie Plank
Chief Bender and Jack Coombs.
Coombs, the Colby college boy, who
did such grand work in the 1910 cham
pionship games, has made a creditable
record this year, but somehow does
not now seem as effective as he was
on that occasion.
| Chief Bender looks better than ever
: The big Indian has taken part in two
worlds series as a member of the Ath
letics. He won the only Philadelphia
victory over the Giants in 1905, beat
the Cubs in the opener last year and
later lost a game to them in tina,
series after it had gone ten innings tt
, tie. Bender has world of smoke
on the ball, and, when he has his
control, is almost invincible.
, Eddie Plank, who did not start q
} game in the series against the Cubs
will likely get plenty of chance tt
: show his wares against the Giants. HI
has been bowling along at a rapit
: teams than against the weak ones, ant
for this reason, Connie Mack expect!
him 60 be of special value when turn
, ed loose on the Giants.
l Plank's record is better than tina
of any other 1eft-hander now pitch
ing. In ten seasons that he has work
ed in the American League, he ha
kept his percentage above the half
way mark every time except one. II
1908 he fel to .467. His highest aver
age of games won was hung up in19O
when he won "a, lost -, and finishe:
with a mark of $50.
Mathewson's record is the only on
of any pitcher now working that sur
passes that of Plank for consisten
> effectiveness during the ten-year per
> iod. The Athletics have besides
these three mainstays, Cy Morgan
: and Harry Krause, but it is unlikel.
that either of these will be seen in &C
ton against the Giants.
Taken as complete twirling corps
the Athletic boxmen are stronge
than the Giants. but in single serie
such as the championship games, Nc
11 In 11%< cd a