The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-05
INSIDE
BALL WAS SHOWN
Evans Reviews work
of the Teams in the Post
Season Classics.
(By Billy Evans.)

Inside ball is all bunk in a short
series. Baseball dope usually counts
for little or nothing. Such statements
may seem rather strange at first read
ing. If you attended the recent
worlds series YOU would regard them
as perfectly fitting and proper.
Like all other big series, the 1912
clash furnished its surprises and dis
appointments. After delving deeply
into rho dope. n carefully scanning
all the averages available, certain play
ers were picked as the shining lights.
others were labeled as only mediocre.
while some were pointed out as being
away below championship class.
Mighty few Of the athletics ran true to
form. Many of the stars failed to de-
liver. while a number of the players
rated as only mediocre stood out as
the brilliant performers in the base
ball classic.
Spectators Expect Too Much.
People usually expect TOO much of
teams ! n the worlds series. Since
both must be pennant winners in their
respective leagues. to get the right to
play for the big title. fandom expects
them to play alright ball. to do
everything as it should be done. to be
constantly pulling some trick from the
book of inside baseball. Anticipating
such things. the fans are usually
doomed to keen disappointment. The
worlds series games are like any 9th.
er game. only sometimes a little worse.
1t is questionable If yer a more x
citing game was played than the 8 to
6 tie. in the second clash of the series.
Yet summing up the game, it will be
easily seen that the bad and not the
good ball furnished the thrills for the
spectators. That evening l happened
to be sitting next to a fan who had
o~No4 all th@ f~@~a NaNNN,yA> o.,
see the series. Since no in New
York or Boston talked anything but
baseball during the series. l was not
surprised when the stranger turned
to me and asked me If / had been at
the game, I replied in the affirmative.
Great game to look at. but it would
have been only ordinary had it not
been for the rotten playing" said the
stranger. Il came all the way from
teams, reputed as the best in the
world. play some real baseball. I've
seen better playing right at home"
You certainly can't kick on not get
ting your moneys WORTH" I replied,
TOR you had a chance to see every
kind Of baseball possible"
I'm not kicking on that score"
answered my stranger friend. Il see
lots Of games at home like that n or
today; in fact. too many of them.
What I expected to see in the worlds
series was something a little bit diff
ferent, s0aaething that we don't see in
the bushes. l expected to see a lot
of this inside ball played. and other
things that ,dpn't happen in the ordi-
nary game"
I realized that it would be useless to
argue with the gentleman from VAN
couver. so l excused myself and made
for another part of the lobby. / also
realized that there vas Il lot Of Wis
dom in what the gentleman from the
west had TO say That is the impress
sion that a large majority of the fans
get relative to the big games. Incl
dentally 1t is the wrong impression.
for seldom do the contests come up TO
the anticipations. If fandom could but
regard. they would enjoy them more.
They would not be so severe on the
athletes for misplays that are deter
mining factors in the result.
Managers and ball players will free
~ admit that less inside play is at
tempted in a big series than during the
season. \ game lost in seven is much
more costly than one defeat in a sea
son of 154 games. Attempting to pull
something u Of the ordinary. the
taking of long chances, the doing the
unexpected are h proper caper dur
ing the season. Undoubtedly they
would be equally successful in a short
series. hut i, seems managers fear
such tactics. Instead OF playing their
regular style. throwing caution to the
wind. the teams play IL careful game.
regarding one run with delight. when
several would result if they adopted
their regular system. Not until the
series stood 8 to / did Manager Nc
Graw do things. Then he adopted
slam bang tactics. with orders to run
wild on the bases. The result was two
and a hear rout Of the Red Sox. who
appeared to have the title won. Un-
doubtedly the winner and losers share
makes a big difference in the play of
the teams. If the athletes could only
forget all about the money consider
alton a better class of ball would GER
foin1y no tho roGu1t