Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-19
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WORLD
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IAIHEN the distance in statute miles
w between Honolulu and the effete
east is taken into consideration. it Is
| really surprising how much interest
| Is shown by local fans In big league
| baseball. Men here who cant tell you
what clubs comprise the Coast or
Northwestern circuits, have the bat
ting averages of the major leaguers at
| their tongue tips. Last year there
was great excitement over the worlds
series, and this year speculation Is al
ready rife over the probable battle
between the Giants and Athletics.
Now that the Giants have widened
the gap separating them from the
Phillies. they are being figured as the
pennant winners of the National II
| the Giants and Athletics line up for
the big test they will meet virtually
on the same ground on which they
met in 1911. What changes have oc-
Cured are more noticeable with the
Athletics than with the Giants. In
1911 the Athletics had pitching stan
such as few teams have ever had,
with Plank. Bender and Coombs as
the pivots. This trio made up the
first string pitching staff. but the sec
ond string was also formidable look
ing bunch, that included Kranse, Nor
gan and q few youngsters, most OF
whom have since left.
Mack's great problem this year has
been his pitching stan. Illness has
prevented Coombs from playing, and
Ii is probable he will never again don
a baseball uniform. That In itself Il
a terrific loss to Mack, for in Coombs
he had pitcher who was. as brilliant
as he was reliable. Today Plank and
Bender are the only veterans on the
Athletic pitching staif. and the heavy
work Is left to them. But, strange to
say, Plank and Bender have not been
called upon to do an excessive amount
of work this year Mack has worked
his youngsters with such skill that the
two veterans do no more work than
they would be doing IL the whole lot
consisted Of veterans, tried and true.
r HE question that many baseball
j followers have asked Is whether
Mack could play his pitching cards
with such effect in a short series a.
he can in a series that lasts through
out a season. After he had used
plank and Bender in the first two
games Of a worlds series champion
ship what pitcher has he left capable
/ of performing the severe task exacted
in such contest? Houck, Bush and
Brown Are all fast coming youngsters,
but they seldom pitch an entire game.
Mackss policy all season has been %
let one Of these Youngsters start .
game and to take him out Of the box
when It Decade evident the opposing
team was finding his curves too ire
quently, letting Plank and Bender mn
ish
Maybe by the time the world series
is played these young pitchers VIII
have developed to such an extent that
they will be able to finish the game
they start. II they should fail Macks
problem will become all the more diff.
fcult, for he will be forced TO enter
the series with only two reliable pitch
ers. Both Plank and Bender are glut-
tons for work, but 1t Is almost beyond
human endurance for two pitchers 70
carry a team through world series.
And If they meet the Giants they win
be confronting a team that Is especial
ly well fortified with pitchers.
What the Athletics have dropped ID
pitching strength, however, they have
picked up In batting and fielding abil-
ity. The present outfield is undoubt-
eddy faster than the old combination
of Murphy, Lord and Oldring, while
the infield, which is the same as that
which participated in the 1911 series,
is going as it never has before. II
the Giants and Athletics meet next
autumn, and both are as good as they
are now, the world series Of 1913
should be the most interesting con-
test on record.