Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-09-27
CHRISTY MATHEWS0N
ON WORLDS SERIES
Much Depends on McGraw And
Stahl, Leaders of ~Contesting Clubs.


Following on the worlds series is
from the pen of Christy Mathewson.
premier pitcher of the New York
IGiants:
In a worlds series much depends
on the leaders of the two contending
lclubs. There is always a great deal
Iof jockeying, the matching Of one
pitcher against another, the direction
lof plays, the detection Of weaknesses
in the style of opponents, the watch
ing OF the other side to make sure
that the signs are not being stolen,
and the general manipulation of the
men. All this responsibility weighs
on the two managers.
John McGraw and Jake" Stahl
will match their wits and baseball
knowledge many times in the short
set of games to decide the champion
ship of the world. The winner of the
series may depend upon which leader
is the ~cleverer general. Worlds
titles have been decided before this
by the sudden shifting of one man,
the unexpected attempt Of a certain
player, in short, the crossing" of
the other side at a crucial moment
in an important contest. Once one
team can be thrown off its balance
when things are apparently going its
way, its equilibrium ear seldom be
restored. Then it's opponents sweep
through the series victors.
Up to the time that Baker banged
that home run over the fence in the
second game Of the worlds series
with the Athletics last year the
Giants had all the best OF the going.
That one hit vas a bad jar. There
was no error of managerial judg-
ment from which it resulted. 1t was
a furnishing smash at the physcho-
logical moment when things looked
good for us. Fans will recall with
difficulty that Oldring made a home
run in the fourth game Of the series
in one Of the early innings. The
Giants eventually won the game amid
exciting circumstances and the Old
ring home u was neglected, except
by a few statisticians. 1t had no
bearing on the outcome and there
fore no physiological value.
The Cubs always have claimed that
a certain play made in the series with
Detroit in 1908 for the championship
of the world carried the American
League club off its feet and resulted
in its defeat. Jennings team was
ahead and things were breaking for it
when Cobb tried to bunt with a run
ner on second base. Faft fielding
caught the Tiger at third and so up
set the plan of the battle that the
team was thrown off its feet COM
pletely. Chicago ran away with the
game. Up to that point Detroit had
been getting all the breaks.
The Athletics maintain that it was
a heady play against the Cubs in
1910 made by my fellow writer, Col
line fhat hoof Cbioo00
Therefore these two managers will
be playing all the time to get the
breaks" which, translated, really
means taking advantage Of every op-
portunity, and when the opportuni-
ties don't appear, making them. Nc
Graw is a wonder at squeezing every
possibility dry. Of Stahl's ability as a
leader am not SO familiar, having
never seen his management. But in
my opinion, considering that all other
things are equal, McGraw has one ad-
vantage in not being in the game
himself. He thus will have a chance
to watch the developments more
closely. He will not be worried by
the additional duties Of a position to
play, as Stahl will.
OF course, l prefer McGraw as a
leader. 1t is my humble notion that he
is the greatest manager in baseball.
He has shown time and again, by
clever j~ockeying Of players, what he
can do when a situation looks hope
less He is always there taking the
old look around, and if there is a
chance to put anything over, he new
er lets it get past him. Fans fire.
|quently wonder why he shifts and
breaks his team up and sends emer-
Igency batters to the plate and sprink-
les the box score with extra players
SO often. ! guess If you were to take
several box scores OF the Giants
games and compare them with the
scores Of any other team in the Ma
tional League you would find that
McGraw uses more pIayers to the