The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-30
BASEBALL SCIENTIST PUTS
 PLAYERS OFTHE RIVAL CLUBS
 IN REVIEW FOR -HEARLD
Irwin Howe satstcian of Major Leagues and Recognized Baseball Expert Considers Relative Merits of Boston and New York Stars Read His Series of
 Articles and Pick the Winners
Fly IRWIN NJ. HOWE

The New York and Boston teams hay ing won the flags in the National and American leagues, the all absorbing Nies- tions now agitating the followers of the game are: Which is the better team? Who will take the places left vacant by 'Home-Run" Baker, Chief Bender, Cobb Evers. Brown, Wagner and the other be- roes of former years? In short, which team will win the championship of the world?
 To enable readers of The Herald to form intelligent opinions and draw conclusions for themselves, the records of the players of both teams will be pre- sented here together with such pertinent comment as will be necessary to explain the significance of the figures.
 In estimating the batting ability of players, it has been customary for most critics to base opinions on what man would be likely to hit in a post season series of four to seven games by his average for the season, without much re- gard as to the manner in which that average was made. Much surprise has then been expressed by the failure of certain players to hit up to their sup posed standard and pitchers have been
 
 keeping these men off the bases. The Pitchers Considered
 That the reader may get better idea of the real ability of the New York and Boston players than Is obtainable by this method, the pitchers in each league have been culled and only nine of the best in each league have been considered.
 The list of American league pitchers in- cludes Johnson, Groome, Coombs, Plank, Gregg Wilett Dubuc, Walsh and Hami ton. six right handed men and three southpaws. These men throw every va riety of curve known to the game, and it is fair to assume that they furnish the strongest opposition to be found in the American league.
 The National league, pitchers include Alexander, Fucker, Camnitz, Robinson, Hendrix, Benton, F'romme. Richie and Sallee-five right handlers and four who fling from the port side. These, like the list of American league pitchers, have furnished the strongest opposition the Giants have encountered this season and are considered. with one or two excep- tions, the class Of tho old league, out side of New York.
 The players will be compared, posi- tion with position, man for man, and In groups composed of first, the outfielders, next the infielders and last the bat teries.
 The Outfielders' Fielding
 Mere figures give but a poor idea of the fielding ability of q player and have been discarded here in favor of dlserip- tlon of the characteristics of each player.
 Interesting batting and base-running figures will follow:
 Duffy" Lewis, Iris, Speaker and Har- " Hooper, the outposts for the new American league champions. constitute one of the strongest outfields ever seen in the league. Lewis, the Ieftfielder, cov- CTS his territory exceedingly well. He can come in for the low liners that with a poor fielder frequently develop into two baggers, or he can go back far and fast for the long drives.
 He is undoubtedly the best throwing outfielder in the league, if his teammate, Hooper, be barred. In this particular, they are very close together. The man. ner in which he returns the ball on nits into his territory, his unerring and rifle shot throws. together with his ground covering ability, forces the unpreiudiced observer to concede his superiority as a fielder to Devore or Snodgrass, his op- ponents on the New York team.
 Josh Devore, the little Hoosier. who will probably cover leftfield for the Ma 1ional league champions, is a fast man and covers much ground, but does not as a rule, use as good judgment as Lewis in playing for place hitters. He is not so dependable at a critical stage as his Boston rival, cannot throw with the deadly accuracy and speed of Lewis, and on the whole does not class with the Hub" man as a fielder, but hitter is more nearly in Lewis class and once on the bases far the superior of Duffy"
 Speaker the Greatest
 Speaker is Bostons pride. Steadily i'm proving each year since he broke into the big show, he is now clearly entitled to a pSytion among that small number of outfeders who hold rank as the great est of their time. As a ground coverer, he is only equaled in the American league by Cobb. His throwing is only eXcelled by his two wonderful side partners and by them only becatise in releasing the ball he mparts a tremendous twist to it, common with left-handers. causing the ball to describe an immense curve. The speed the ball travels. however, is ter- rife, and if thrown on a line he would \easily equal Lewis or Hooper. Speaker being one of the most perfect judges of aSdriye seen in many years. plays at least teh yards nearer the infield than any fielder in the game. The batters with whom he is acquainted with excellent judgment, and the batsman who gets a ball beyond his reach on either side or over his head is entitled to the hases
 It is unfair to Snodgrass or Becker to be forced to compare them as fielders with the sturdy Texan whom one of them will oppose in the present series. They are both intelligent, fast and hustling outer gardeners. capable of electrifying catches and both have good arms, but in recovering ground hits, judging long