Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-27
CRACKER CLUB
DEPENDS TOO
MUCH ON HITS
By Percy H. Whiting.

TINE Retired Sporting Editor went
out to the ball park last week.
When he came back he was
bursting with a discovery.
7 know why Atlanta 10 losing
games"
This was interesting
We have all been wondering why
the Crackers. with the greatest bat
ting club the league ever saw, were
making hard work of staying within
reach Of the leaders.
So we bit and asked. why
They are losing because Of lack OF
efficient management in the field, he
said They are leaving first base
uncovered, and second and third,
they are not backing up with any
intelligent system. On one play three
Of them will bump together trying
for hy bali, and on the next II WI
fall safely among three OF them, with
nobody trying for It,.
IRON what the Retired Sporting
Editor said. judge he must have
bumped into a pretty bad game-or
his digestion is out Of whack
But still there is lot to that criu-
cism.
The Cracker team is not the smooth
organization In the field that Bill
Smiths teams usually are.
MY private opinion Is that the
1FI Crackers are depending too
much on hitting That is usually the
fault of team OF sluggers. In spite
OF themselves, they let things slip
They figure, Why should we worry
about perfecting team play, Inside
baseball and STUFF like that. We can
slug out a victory any old time we
want to
They do not mean TO dope IT out
that way. Maybe they don't give 1t
thought But the old suhconacious
stun is getting in It's deadly work
II the Crackers had a corking
pitching staff they might get by on
pitching and hitting alone.
But the Crackers pitching STAFF Is
weak. Therefore, TO win consistently
IL is necessary 10 evolve a defense
that will cut on as many hits as pos
sibIe
THE Cracker club OF 1918. though
players. Is not welded into a team.
That old Cracker ball club of 1909
didn't make as many hits In a week
as the Crackers OF 1918 make In a
game. But the defense was there. Of
course, the pitchers were good. But
so was the inheld and the outfield
The fielders not only covered lot Of
ground, but they made all the plays
right There were seldom any ques-
lions OF who was 10 cover. They did
not bump while fielding balls. They
let few fall safe for lack OF somebody
to get under them
THE trouble with the Crackers Of
this season is an incertitude
about making a lot OF plays They
seldom seem TO know how they are
coming on
The odd part about II Ia that it's
smart infield too. They are all light
ming thinkers and well-trained play
ers
The players go out OF their posi-
lions after balls-which Is poor base
ball, even IL II does show willingness
Wally Smith, all eagerness to do his
share, is everlastingly running over
into Bislaud's territory. Alperman
tries to play more than his share OF
the infield and considerable Of the
outfeld. And it's a most commend
able fault-but il does not make for
great team play
THE Crackers must shake them
selves together They can't lay
all the blame on the pitchers They
must realize that Atlanta expects
them to win a pennant It win be
absolutely and sublimely ridiculous il
the Crackers do not cop. But at
their present rate of going they will
never arrive Therefore. II is time
they walked up, took an inventory,
considered their faults and failings
and hit a stride that win carry them
TO pennant. II is a pennant- win
ming club. 1t needs only to show IT,