New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-23

a mighty big part, the fact remains that in
every other particular the Giants returned
blow for blow and did not suffer in COM
parison with their worthy foe. Sounds al
most like poetry. ] still have an abiding
faith in John j. McGraw and his men;
still believe that the highest honcrs in
baseball will come TO this city This may
sound optimistic. but l see no reason to be
otherwise.
Wonderful pitching by Matty and Mar
guard, of the Giants, and by Coombs. Ben
der and Plank. of the Athletics, and conse
duently weak, puny hitting, except for j.
Franklin Baker, were the outstanding feat
ures Of the three games played. on straight
figures the work Of Jack Coombs, in allow
ing only three hits in eleven innings, was
most striking. but to me the pitching of
Matty on Tuesday was the more impressive
even though he was beaten, in view OF the
fact that he was forced 10 face trying
situations and overcome obstacles that
proved his courage. skill and resourceful-
ness long before he weakened slightly un-
der the additional strain OF a wabbling
support. 1t is rarely given to see three
and who shall say that the work OF Bender
Plank and Coombs in allowing thirteen
hits, giving eight bases on balls and hit
ting two batsmen. between them. is any
better than the work of Mathewson and
Marquard in allowing nineteen hits and
giving only one base on balls? The all-m-
portant thing IS to get men around the
paths, but the chief requisite in defensive
work is TO keep runners off first base, and
in this respect the New York pitchers had
the advantage by y to %. 1t all comes
down. then, to Baker and his two slashinG
home run drives, which won the second
game and turned the tide in the third.
TWO games stand out in my mind with
1 sharpness that years may not dull. one
vas played in the "sere and yellow days
IF last October, when the Giants were beat
ng the Yankees I'm the interclub series; the
.ther was played last Tuesday. when the
Athletics struck their second damaging
blow in the battle for the worlds cham
oionship. It is seldom that all which goes
o make baseball the most taking sport in
his country for all sorts and conditions
u men can be jammed and crowded into
wo short hours, but such was the case on
Tuesday Those VINO saw the two teams
struggle along through eleven innings Of
sparkling, one may say frenzied, baseball, |
an count themselves privileged. Dazzling
stops, spectacular catches, accurate throws, |
,rashing drives zone at leaSU, brilliant
pitching. daring base running, quick think
ng, damaging errors. weird hurting zone
At LEASH and doleful batting were jumo!ed
ogether or, better, followed each other IN
way TO emphasize the uncertainties ana /
exciting features Of the sport and 20 bring
.bout, in all their amazing funess. the
ense situations which rack the nerves.
wen while they please the fancy when
arouse, delight, stimulate.
Highly coloved is a mild phrase for some
If the stories and statements published
concerning d play at the Polo Grounds on
tuesday in the third game Of the series In
which Frank Baker was spiked by Snod-
grass when the latter was sliding into the
bag There are two sides to every contio-
,ersy but | question the right OF any man
sitting In the grandstand 20 feet or more
rom a play 10 assert that Snodgrass or
any other player spiked d baseman with
malice aforethouGht ! saw the play, ana, )
n my opinion, Baker invited the injury by
MS way of blocking off the runner. Snod-
grass had the right of the base line, and
while what looked like a sure out may have
nspired him 10 be unnecessarily rough, /
all 10 see under the circumstances, how
n fairness he can be accused by some OF
making a deliberate effort to cripple Baker
Third base is a dangerous station in base
all. and more players are spiked there than
n any other position on the diamond ia
,er. because Of his holiness IN DOCKING
If runners, or, as some Will nave H. |
ather clumsy way Of protecting the paE'
las been injured number of times IL IS /
TO say that the incident In question |
would have been overlooked, inasmuch as
he injury was not serious. except for the
act that Baker is one Of the outstanding
,eroes in the worlds series, and the mo-
i've for an indictment appeared 10 he PLAIN.
= strikes me that Hal Chase, manager OF .
he Yankees. goes pretty far in saying I'M
Ter his signature that II was the most
ou,ardlv and dirty piece Of ball playing |
var witnessed" He seems to forget that
Daniels. one Of his own players splheu \
Ioriaritv. of Detroit. and put him out 81
he game for several weeks last August d'
time when the Tigers were Only TWO /
amos behind the Athletics in the iisht Tor
he American League pennant NOBODY 80
ar as can remember, accused Daniels oi !
spiking Moriarity. ana While ]
no slide made by Snodgrass may nave |
,een a bit more desperate, there Is no rea-
ION for believing that it carried bit more
'enom.
The baseball players, by the way who
nave turned newspaper writer's for this par !
tcuIar series have been laying up for them |