New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-01
COMMENT ON SPORTS
Williams Gets the Call in College
Baseball Ranking.
TIGERS AND BROWN NEXT
News and Views on Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.

Williams Princeton, Brown and Yale Is
tho way I rank the first four teams for
the so-calIed college baseball championship
and for the reason that Williams beat
Princeton and Princeton beat Brown, while
Yale suffered defeat at the hands OF all
three. losing one game to Williams two 20
Brown and two out Of three to Princeton.
It is useless to consider the might-have-
beens. or the butts and ifs when consider
ing the relative merits of three teams who
approached so closely 20 the highest stand
ard of college baseball as did Williams
Princeton and Brown. 1t is possible 10
argue along one line, then along another
and finally around in a circle, and show in
n moro or less convincing way that Prince
ton or Brown should be placed before Will
Jams. but when three teams are so evenly
matched results must be accepted as speak
Ing for themselves. 1t could not be other
wise in fairness 10 all concerned. NO doubt
the Tigers will be referred TO many times
IN the coming year as the intercollegiate
baseball champions, as the fact that they
defeated both Yale and Harvard appears 70
he accepted by many critics as all sum
Gent, but a careful consideration of all the
angles in the case leaves no question IN my
mind that the four teams mentioned should
be rated as named.
Williams did not play through such
long and, In a sense, eXacting schedule as
WAS the case with Princeton and Brown
hut. with one exception. the games were
against most Of the strongest teams. While
the percentage of victories was greater, al
though only by small margin. Brown ana
Princeton were so closely matched not
only on paper but in the field that mar
gin of one run in a hard-fought ten-inning
struggle was the only measure between
them Williams won eleven games and
lost three for percentage of 1S6; Prince
ton won eighteen games and lost fiVe for
a percentage OF 7s3, while Brown won sew
enteen games and lost fve for percentage
Of TO- These figures, If nothing else, tells
the story Of how closely the teams were
matched. 1t may be said In passing that
all three teams were above the average,
surprisingly strong in every department,
and SO we'll balanced that IL was hard to
nick a fIaw Williams boosted OF a pitcher
In Davis. who has now signed with the
Yankees at a salary said to be 5000
wear. Brown had two dependable men in
Councilman and Warner both Of whom also
have signed 10 play with major league
teams, while Princeton had a pitcher In
Lear who ranked among the best. Lack
of space at this time precludes my going
into detail as 10 the other members OF the
teams, but in Dick Lewis, the new captain.
Williams had a catcher who Is sure TO
make a name for himself If he takes up
professional baseball. while Princeton had
2 catcher in Captain Sterrett who is cons'd-
cred worthy of trial with the Yankees.
The Infelders too, with hardly an cXcep-
ton. we're strong capable players, while
the outfelders were far above the average.
both in batting and defensive work.
Williams defeated Princeton, Yale, Cornell,
Dartmouth, Amherst and Holy Cross
among others, and went down before Har-
yard, Vermont and Amherst in one OF the
two games played. Unfortunately the
Purple did not clash with Brown. but
otherwise played the leading teams In the
East The defeat by Amherst was decisive
~ avenged Harvard was lucky enough 10
catch Davis on one of his few off days this
season and batted out victory in the
eighth inning, after Ayres. i'll prepared had
zone in Vermont. with Malcolm pitching
won clean cut game, but Charley Shons'
who made a brace Of hits, Just failed 10 TIC
the score on a long drive that an cnthelder
pulled down. with two men on the bases.
Princeton defeated Harvard in the only
game played, won tho series from Yale
heat Brown in ten innings and broke oven
in two games with Cornell Tho Tigers
also lost games to PENNSYLVANIA state. Holy
Cross and Williams.