The Washington herald., 1912-01-21

EuAAdAEAAAplds jan l0--NblAAt MAIN
should place his players on the athletic
baseball zenith in 1872 with the present
club. But then he will have TO strength
en- several spots on the team in order to
I keep the big title in Philadelphia.
The departure OF Harry Davis for
Cleveland, where he will nudge the Nap
land nine on to victory, puts Jack Nc
| Innis on the first bag for the champions.
I 1t will be only year before the little
fellow will challenge Hal Chase. Of the
Highlanders. for the starship Of the OPEN
ing bag
Eddie Collins, Jack Barry. and Frank
Baker will get better for the next four
years. Davis played wonderful ball in
the worlds series, but II Is doubtful II,
with another year added TO his life, he
could go through a season as success
fully. while little "Stufy' will age nicely
and ought TO be second TO Hal Chase at
the close OF next season.
Bris Lord, that popular Upland. Pa.
athlete. played the best ball OF his life
in the American League. and twice in
the worlds series he started the slug
ging sprees that routed the Giants. Lord
may get even a shade finer next year.
His fielding and his base running always
have been excellent, but this season he
pasted that old pill on the nose until the
pitchers began TO regard him as one Of
the four most dangerous men on the team
OF Connie Mack.
Reuben OIdring has reached the top Of
his skill But ne will not see the shadow
Of time for several years. for the Reuben
hits 800. is a fash out in center. and on
the bags he is close to Eddie Collins as
a man who combines the swiftness of
foot with that OF his brain.
Dan Murphy has been like diamond
10 Connie Mack He is not so fast as a
Cobb, a Speaker. or a Collins, but he Is
steady and the most consistent hitter on
the Mack team against all sorts Of pitch
ers, Portsiders and right-handers, spit
ball artists and slow curve performers
all are the same to Daniel He had a
great Year at the bat and his fielding was
good II may he that he will slow down
next year, but there are no signs OF Muir
phys passage into the slower set in his
work this season.
Ira Thomas is at his best He is the
brains OF the catching department and
will go for several seasons after he has
started to slow up. because OF his real
rich brain. Thomas is a thinker, plot
ter. and he seldom misses trick.
Johnny Iapp is still an infant in years.
and Connie Mack says that he Will make
one Of the star catchers OF the league
in another year.
Praise for EEan.
Ben Egan. the Crabtown catcher, will
joln the Mack team this year. Connie
Mack says he will be a star in a sea-
son. To Thomas will 90 the task Of
polishing up Egan for his career in the
big league.
Eddie Plank and Chief Bender are
young in years. and the service they
have seen in the big league has but
toned them UP. They are better pitch
ers TODAY than they were the day that
Mack signed them,. or at any time since
they have been with the champions.
Christy Mathewson claims that IN the
pair Connie Mack has the best left
handler and the best right-hander in the
American League.
Cy Morgan is not a youngster, but
Cy has more left in him than he has
ever Shown. He learned, gradually. to
use the stun he possesses, and he may
have the best year OF his life next sea-
son. He could be the spit-ball king of
the country II he could tame few OF
those wild pitches. Toward the close
of the American League season II looked
as though he had discovered the de-
livery that eliminated wild heaFe every
now and then.
LACY Coon,bs was the Iron Man"
again for the champions. but he made
one mistake, one that came as result
Of having a great heart as well as an
arm of steel. He worked four games
during that torrid spell last July and it
slowed him up for a month. Some of
the experts thought that Coombs would
not recover. but he came back, and in
an eIeven-Inning game against Christy
Mathewson he slew the big Six 'for
the first time 1t has ever been done
In a worlds series.
That sensational feat of Coombs in
beating Matty on the Polo Grounds was
the turning point in the series for the
Coombs will be boss again
next wear. unless his recent injury i'm
pedes him. DR.. J. B. Carnett says he
win be able to go at his full physical
limit In a month. IL needed.
Harry Krause the blue-eyed Cali
fornIan Is che gamble. IL looked at
The end OF the American League race
as n Krause was coming back beauti-
fuIIy. He Started by pitching four.
then seven. and finally nine Innings of
great bali He had all his old slants
and he mixed them up like John Shfbe
did the scalpers. If he Is good. Mack
need not worry at all.
Dave Danforth may prove to be the
..a,e in the hole" Here is kid who
itimped into the league without curve
han. That seems almost impossible,
bnt when the little Texan reported he
threw, . fast one a slow one, and one
that mad UtfIe on IL except II was q
cross between speed and drag
Eddie Plank took the little hinger IN