Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-11
AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP is
EXTREMELY DOUBTFUL NOW
Impossible to Give Very Accurate Idea as to
Probable Winner-Plans Laid for For
nation Of Big Athletic GLIB.
BY II. C. BYRD.

The result of the poSt-season series
this year is more doubtful than previously
in the whole history of amateur base
ball. There has never been a time when
four clubs appeared so evenly matched
and the games between them gave prom
Use of SO much as do those which begin
in the section A tomorrow.
OF course as far as the final result is
concerned. it does not matter much which
team wins the championship in the other
section. as they are not near as strong
as the section clubs, and Will not
stand much chance against them in the
final play-off. The winner of the series
among the class A mines will almost as
suredly get the championship of the city.
The class A series will be started to-
morrow with the game between Post
Office and Cornell. Those two clubs are
"a bout evenly matched, it would appear
from the result of the exhibition contest
they. played few Sundays ago. 1t would
be impossible 10 predict with any degree
of certainty the result of the opening
game between Cornell and Post Office
and it would be more improbable that
the winner of the championship could be
selected. The two teams seem so closely
matched that the result of the series is
likely not to be decided until the last
game
The series looks so very mich more
doubtful this year than last and will keep
the fans guessing more. because OF the
fact that there are four clubs in the run
ming for the prize. Last season. when the
championship games were gotten under
way it was known that the American
Security and Trust Company or Cornell
would win, but this season the case Is
different While those two teams out,
classed all the others last year and had
only each other to consider and fear. they
both have three teams to figure on, and
any of the three is liable to win any
game in which it participates.
something that would be fraught with
the greatest uncertainty, and the best
that can be accomplished in giving an
idea as to the ability of the different clubs
is to sum up their apparent strength ana
leave the followers of the teams to Judge
for themselves. And after summation
of the different factors was made even
that might be out of the way. Suppose.
for instance, a club had been hitting con-
sistently and we'll all season. then II
would be natural to give that organization
the preference on the Offense but it would
be more than possible for 1t TO strike a
slump at the particular time of the series
and find that some other really weaker
to a great extent in hitting.
Such things make even comparison
of the clubs from a standpoint OF the
things in which they appear to be strong
at least untrustworthy.
There is one premise which may as well
he stated before anything is said regard
ing the clubs. 1t is this. that upon the
work of the pitchers will depend. all the
chances of the game being equaliZed, the
of no
the best pitching is most likely to win
out, although there is no surety that that
will hold good.
If the American Security and Trust
Company We're stronger offensive CLUB
there would be no hesitancy i'm declaring
the chances decidedly in favor of its Win
ming the championship for the second
successive year. But il is not. and ii Is
the factor which seems to equaliZe the
chances of the other clubs.
First, considering the offense of the
team. that being the method by which
runs are scored. II must be admitted that
the Cornell and Pepco mines are the best
of the -four. The other two are not up
ganiZa atoms when it comes TO using the
bat effectively. There are one two
other factors, though. which will aid the
other pair in overcoming the handicap
While not strong hitting combina-
ton, being on the contrary what almost
might be called a weak one, the Ameri-
can Security and Trust Company has a
team that is fast on the bases once the
men get on and which will take advan-
tage of chances offered more readily than
will the others. 1t has been composed
of the same players for some time and
they naturally are more used to each
other than are the ones on the other
clubs In the series last year. although
opposed by weak pitching, the Trust
Company team was able to score but a
minimum number of runs in the decid-
ing games. and had it not been for the
fact that it had the finest kind of twirl-
ing 10 play behind would hardly have had
chance. Wonderful work on the part
of the boXmen on that last day saved
the championship for the Bankers I'M
doubtedly, and it is the same factor
which will have to be put into working
to land the flag again. Unless Green
and Fienle are able to hold the other
clubs to two or three runs there is every
likelihood that some other nine will win
the flag.
The Trust Company undoubtedly has
the strongest defense of any OF the clubs.
With the fast fielding combination such
as will represent them the Bankers Will
again be in the running on even terms
with the others, no better. 1t will be a
very hard club to beat, though. because
of the very fact that 1t is difficult one on
which to score runs. It's infield is fast
and is an accurate fielding and throw
ing combination. 1t should not be much
better than last season. though. because
at least one man in it is not playing any
where near up to the standard set then.
The Cornell Company is questionable
quantity. 1T may win the title and 1t
may not. 1t like the Trust Company.
has not played against clubs capable or
making it extend itself and that will
count against it. The Cornell nine is
not very evenly balanced. 1t has stars
in three or four positions. but in the
other places it is rather weak.
The Paperhangers have shown them
selves to be a run-scoring club, though.
There has hardly been contest this sea-
son in which they have not rolled UP
big total even when the league was
irst-class organization 1t seems to have
fairly good article of pitching and
fairly strong defensive club.
The fact that the Paperhangers are liza
BILE to go into a hitting streak In any
inning and score five or six runs will
make them dangerous at all times and
give them their main chance for the flag.
The infield is much above the average.
both In the field and at bat. and If the
outfield holds up its end 1t would appear
that the club that wins will have to beat
out Cornell.
Post Office is the most doubtful factor
in the whole series. There is hard tell
ing what it will accomplish The Mail
men have shown consistent form all the
vear-and finished their league season
more brilliantly than any of the others.
If they maintain that form there is every
chance they will stay in the running,
and prove dangerous to the other teams
in every game. 1t would not appear
oho pan