The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-13

good to you, Frank" he said, why go ahead and take it. It's yours Only don't tell Simmons. He gave it to me"
 That afternoon the worlds champions turned the tables on the Tigers. Baker led the onslaught against Mulin, Dono- van and Summers. He had four hits in. five times to the plate, the collection in cludng a homer and two doubles. Baker has never since let that good stick out or his sight. 1t is said he slept with it during the worlds series last fall
 Thus 1t will be seenlthat the fate used the hapless Highlanders as an instru- ment towards Connie Mackfs greater glory in 1911. New York handed the pen nant to the Quaker City by walloppng the living dayights out of Detroit all sea son. It was the Hiltoppers that first made the Jungaleers on the toboggan. The first few weeks threatened walk over for Detroit The sensational win ming streak of the Bengals was broken by New York. Every time after that when Detroit gave any evidence of pulling toge ther and heading off the Athletics 1t met with reverses at the hands of Gotham. Hal Chase's club lost as con- sistently to the White Elephants. as it won from the City-of-the-Straits-
 The Bat in the Worlds Series
 And then the worlds series Where
 
 ieable bat? But for Simmons. who is TOW Yankee this slugger would never have seen the piece of wood that he loves dearly as his immortal soul. Bush may claim the credit of aiding the Athletics to the highest honors of baseball, but do you not think that Simmons at least stares the halo with Baker and with Bush2
 Just another little speculation before the veil Is dra wn. Did you ever stop to consider how lucky both Baker and his bar were to gain such undying fame on two hits? In 1909 Fred Clarke won a worlds championship for Pittsburg In lieenticalfv the same fashion,. He robbed Detroit of the honor by annexing two separate games with home runs And liboth of his demon blows fell with men on the bases This wonderful old player, a true hero of full 15 campaigns. attract ed not even a passing mention through his performance That was series that went the full limit of seven games and one in which the scores on both sides
 were unusually hivh and fiuctuating'
 Neither blow fell at such critical points of high tension as the circuit sma shes of J. Franklin Baker.
 Who ever mentions the deadly blow of "Rube' Oldring in the fifth game of the worlds series with the Giants? His home run smash off Marquard in the third In ming of that tilt at the Polo grounds was the most damaging smash of tue series: His liner cleared the center left field bleacher, carried far into the crowd and tallied two runs ahead of the batter
 It was the prettiest pinch hit imaginable' ] for it fell with two men down. It gave Jack Coombs a 3 to handicap. Yet strange to say 'Rube'' Oidring was but Ian eight inning hero. The Giants got to Coomhs for run in the seventh: then tie6 the count on him In the ninth Event ually Crandall beat out Plank. who was srbstituted too late for Comics great pitcher. and who had strained himself
 earlier, in the game. Oldring's home run did not stand out because Philadeipbia lost Joe Tinker's home run in 1908 In all probability decided a worlds champion- ship, in favor of the Cubs over Detroit 1 It unnerved Wild Rfll Donovan, who for seven innings pitched one of the most phenomenal games of history. But Jog T'inlsers swat was clouded hy the fvsi'- ade of hits off Donovan that succeeded once the ice was hroken.
 | Win Baker Slump?
 There are some strange superstitions in