Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-05-09
Bv W. J. McBeth.

TTAsBEENv1LLE is gaining
very little in its pitching
population, judging from the
spring census returns. The strength
Of several teams in both leagues Is
in the box work of their veterans,
and a number Of men supposed to
hold tickets for that station in life
described as Gone Back are as
sprightly as chickens of current
date and apparently have no in
tention OF departing.
If a big league manager had his
pick today between a squad Of vet
eran pitchers and squad Of
youngsters, which would he select?
Would he take Marquard. Alexan
der. Gregg. Johnson. Ford and Joe
Wood in preference to Mathewson,
Bender. Plank, Rucker, Coombs and
Walsh? The problem would about
drive him to the home for the men
tally infrn1 He would want them
all He couldn't work them all. of
course-in fact, if he had either
squad he would suffer an embar
rassment Of riches-hut he would
most earnestly desire having the
entire bunch sit on his bench. If
only for the purpose of looking
pleasant.
Either crowd, with good support
would be capable of winning pen
nant. if they were all in condition
at the same time but some man
ayers are inclined to the belief that
six star pitchers can not be worked
in turn and kept in good condi-
ton. True, the average club has
more boxmen than that but none
of them have more than half that
number Of beavers who can be tru-
ly called stars. and they figure
themselves lucky
Matty the Greatest Pitcher.
Baseball men, as a rule. accept
without argument the proposition
that Mathewson is the greatest
pitcher in the world, and they base
II upon the fact that he has been
great for a decade It seems that
the old followers of the game, while
always willing to admit a young
pitchers capabilities whenever he
displays them, do not place a man
in the category OF the truly great
until he has established himself by
more than one or two years serv-
ice
Marquard, Alexander and Gregg
are counted wonderful young
pitchers. but they are first year
men The indications are that they
are truly great. but that stamp will
not be placed upon them by the
baseball world until they have dem
onstrated their fitness for a place
in the hall OF fame by longer serv-
ice
Ed Walsh is certainly a great
pitcher Year after year the big
spitballer has gone along, and stood
all tests. Napoleon Rucker Is count
ed a truly great. McGraw. Of the
Giants, claims that he is one of the
best left handlers OF all times. and
he bases it largely upon the fact
that the Southerner has been great
during all the years of his service
Bender and Plank will have ever
lasting place in the hall of fame.
These. too, established their class
not one year. but year in and year
out-and there is no indication that
they have commenced to decline.
One of the new generation Of
pitchmen who are still regarded
in the light of youngsters, but who
can not be denied recognition as
among the greatest Of his time, is
Walter Johnson, the Washington
speed marvel There are MANY
people who believe that Johnson is
the best pitcher in the country to-
day-but that sort of proposition
would always provide long argu-
ment
Jack Coombs is not so much of
veteran as some of the others
named with him. but he is no
youngster, from the standpoint of
service, and what he has done for
the worlds champion Athletics