The San Francisco call., 1913-11-05
HARD I ASK
To DOPE
BASEBALL
Red Sox and Oaks Furnish
Good Examples of How
to Slump
BY JOE MURPHY


horse races and prize fights, in one
respect. for it goes aruiss almost so
often, How frequently is it that a
team looks like a sure winner and 1t
fails to live up to expectations rake
the case of the Athletics during the
season of 1912. AT the outset OF the
year they looked to have a half nelson
on the pennant, as they had won the
flag the preceding year with such
ridiculous ease that the race was al
most joke and everybody was count
ing on a hollow victory for Mack's
team Well, it is not necessary to re-
peat what happened to the Athletics,
as everybody knows that the Boston
Red Sox had IL easy in 1912
Then after the Red Sox victory OF
1912 they were figured as keen con-
tenders for the flag in 1913. but the
Sox did not even finish with the first
three clubs.
In looking over the records of the
clubs in the Pacific Coast league you
can find all kinds of reversals of
form. The Oaks, pennant winners of
1912. finished in the cellar in 1913
Portland from a lowly position In the
1912 race. won an easy victory this
season.
In reviewing the records of the va
rious clubs it can be detected that
there was no way of drawing conclu-
sions on what one team can do or
what it has accomplished against
another For instance, Los Angeles
had a great success against Portland
1t was the only club in the Aeague
that won a majority of its games from
the pennant winners. The records
show that the Angels won Fl from
Portland and lost Is
Now the Beavers beat the Seals on
the season, but Howard's men found
the Angels easy picking. They beat
the southern club 25 times and lost 19
contests to the southern boys
Oakland was particularly easy for
the Portlanders. Leavftt's team was
only able to win IL games from the
Beavers. while the latter captured 2S.
The Venice Tigers made it rather in
teresting for Portland during the
year. The Beavers won the odd game
of the play.
flock of Coast league magnates
departed today for the east, where
they will attend the convention or
the National Association of Minor
Leagues, which is to convene at Co
iurnbus on next Monday. President
Al T. Baum, accompanied by Happy
Hogan of the Venice club and Charley
Gramah of Sacramento, We're those
that left They will meet Del How
ard in Chicago and the party will
journey together to Columbus. Man
ager Devlin and Magnates Cook and
Leavitt of the Oakland club have al
ready departed.
Happy Hogan, leader of the Tigers,
has expressed his anxiety to win
Coast league pennant, and he declares
that he is going to make a hercuiean
"a
already started TO shake up his club,
and he stated before he departed for
the east today that there would be
many new faces on his team next sea-
son
He plans to develop Sterrett, who
was his utility catcher during the last
season, into first baseman. Sterrett
has played a few games at first and
showed good form. He is an excellent
hitter. and Hap believes he would add
considerable batting strength to his
club. Sterrett is also anxious to play
the initial sack.
It seems like a foregone conclusion
that Walter Carlisle, one of the oldest
men on Hogan's payroll, will be miss
ing from the Venice lineup. Hogan
is also dickering with the Cleveland
Maps to trade Dicky Bayless for a
Nap man.
Red Kuhn, who is wintering in the
south, is anxious 20 become member
of the Seals. The little fiery haired
backstop met with an injury to his
arm last season while playing with
the Chicago White Sox, which put
him on the shelf most of the season.
Red expects the ailing arm to be all
right by training season, and wants
to stay here On the coast.
The Seals are pretty we'll stocked
with competent pitchers, and il is
doubtful if Howard could find a place
for him with Schmidt and Clarke
working in god form.
y A. X
Jack Atkins Sacramento club is
likely to be purchased by syndicate
managed the team last year. Atkins
is going to England early next year.
and he intends to sell his holdings
before he departs IT is reported
that Wolverton Is anxious to get
Cack Henley and Jesse Baker. two
Seal fingers.
tt Lober appears to be one player
who is satisfied with his job. Cleve-
land wants the clever outfielder but
Ty says that he Is contented where he
is When the proposition to go to
Cleveland was put up to him he turned
IT down fatty.
According to reports Joe Berger will
be with the Venice club next season.
Rumor has II that Hogan will get him
from the Chicago White Sox and that
he will play short. while Frank Hosp
will be shifted over to second. Some
infield-Litschi. Berger, Hosp and
Sterrett If Hap lands Berger he Is to
be congratulated.