The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-11
MAJOR GOSSIP
Nv MANHATTAN

New York, March 10.-(Special.) )- Now that spring practice is under way the regular early spring pastime of picking the winners is in full progress. The winners picked Is largely mat ter of location.
 In New York for instance the early prophets can see nothing but the Giants to repeat in the National league. In Chicago they can see nothing in MT. Brushs team but lot of second di- vision ball players, boneheads mostly, who by most remarkable combina- tion of good luck on their part and bad luck on the part of their oppon- ents, combined with managerial abil- ity of John McGraw, succeeded in lead ing the league when they ought to have been fighting for the cellar hon. ors
 According to some of these Chicago experts there are not more than two or three players on the Giant team that have a license to play big league ball at all.
 Outside of Chicago, however, the idea prevails that McGraw has a pretty cap able team which will take some beat
 Ing. At this time it would not sur prise me at all to see the finish next october in the National league just about the same 1t was last october. Philadelphia is the most uncertain quantity Charley Dooin has a team of ball players which will, if he stays in the game, be liable to come pretty close to the top. With both Chance and Clarke out of the game, it is nard to figure where the Cubs or Pirates are tp dn hpt thaV did a st year and Dooins men may nose in ahead of both of them.
 The young Maps who ask the most questions will make the biggest hit with Manager Davis.
 A big bump of curiosity IS as valu- able as strong arm or good batting eye, the Nap leader believes.
 q believe Eddie Collins, Jack Barry. Frank Baker and Jack McInnis, the Athletic infleld, asked more questions than any other four players in base ball." said manager Davis. There was hardly ever a play they did not ask questions about %
 They wanted to know if there was another or better way to make plays Their questions got everybody to think ing and as a result the Athletics had plays that no other team had.
 "A ball player who asks questions is sure to improve. The Athletic infeld is the greatest one in baseball because all four players act together. They have discussed plays so much that each has the same understanding of every angle of infield work.
 The ball player who wants to know is easily taught. "A young player who wants to know how this, that and an- other play can be made shows the vet , erans ins and outs they never thought of" .-e Rube> Evans, the Giants left handed recruit pitcher from Dallas. surprised both Manager McGraw and Coach Rob | by bv Showing them a curve that is entirely new. to the big league. ; He ! throws a ball that-is known as the dry spitter,,, and 1t takes a most freakish break The ball is delivered in exactly lthe. same manner as the spitball, but l he does not moisten it. Instead of us- l ing moisture to slip his first two fin- gers from the ball he lets them drag l of. The ball takes a peculiar wab- bling motion and then jumps just as it gets to the batter, but this one takes an outward and upward jump that Is
 very puzzling, l Between the dates of May IA, when
 Ray Collins of Boston prevented Ty Cobb from making a hit, and July 4, when Ed Walsh stopped him, the star | of the Tigers established a new record l by taking part in 40 consecutive games wl,hout failing to hit safely. It was
 Cobbs ambition to ran. the total up 10 | 50 games, but Walsh stopped him at
 his forty first, although he came back | in the afternoon wisa two safe wal ! lops. Forty games of consecutive hit- lting. however. stands as a big league record.