Evening journal., 1913-10-02
BIG SERIES
WILL PRODUCE
MORE, HEROES
Worlds Championship With
out Them WeuId be Like
ViIIainIeSS Drama
ATHLETICS SEEM TO
HAVE ADVANTAGE
By Hal SHERIDAN.


NEW YORK. Oct. 2.-If you have
any hero medals to pin, prepare to
pin them now In a short few days
there will be candidates for the hero
prizes bobbing up at the Polo
Grounds in New York and at shibe
Park. Philadelphia, daring the light
ming to strike and tag them the hero
Of the 1918 worlds series. A series
Of battles for the worlds champion
ship honors in baseball without a
Hero, would be like a melo-drama
without a villain. Everybody de-
mands one. so let EN- have what they
want
Everybody probably remembers
how Christy Mathewson was the
hero In defeat of last years battle
between the Giants and the Boston
Red Sox. This year New York fan
dom looks to Matty to be just as much
OF a hero, although they demand
what dy' mean in defeat?" Frank
Baker has a record that keeps him
hanging around right on the edge Of
the likely hero circle for the Ath-
letics. One slip on the part Of the
Giant pitcher at any time, and crash
will come Bakers lat on the ball
and a collection may have to be made
IN philadelphia TO erect a monument
where the bali lands.
AS the season is slowly wobbling
out OF existence so far as the regu-
lar league races a. concerned. II
now appears that two youngsters
who have never before appeared in
the grand fings winding up baseball
for the season. may jump suddenly
into the limelight and grab of some
of the glory the old leads have been
pulling down. The reference is to
Al Demaree. Of the Giants. and
Shawkey OF the Athletics.
When, the final averages are foot
ed up ,Demaree will probably find
himself Heading the National League
pitchers. and this is his first year
with the Giants. Shawkey was pick
ed out Of the International League
by Connie Mack along in August and
has been as reliable as the next one
on the Athletic pitching staff. Mack
won't have his famous pitching COM
bination Of Bender, Plank and
Coombs this year. Coombs Is out
Bender ahd Plank can't do It all and
as both we're somewhat wobhly at
tmeS during August and September,
it may be young Shawkey who will
appear as the Giant killer.
Demaree is more of a seasoned
pitcher than Shawkey, despite the
fact that this is his first year with
the Giants. He is older. has had the
benefit Of a full season with McGraw,
and the Giant followers believe he
is more Of a finished product
Unless someone pulls Frank
Baker and peels the hide of the
ball while the pitcher is figuring
whether he will hand up a fast in
side or a slow one outside. the work
of the slaman on the mound draws
the glim from most Of the eyes fol-
lowing the game
Looking back a bit It may be re-
membered that MarQuard and Bed
lent we're the only pitchers who came
through the series last year with
out a defeat. Marquard won two
games and Bedient was on the win
ming end Of one. Joe Wood stood
the Giants off long enough to win
twice, but lost another. Mathewson
failed 20 win a game. although he
pitched some Of the best ball of his
career. II was while Matty was in
the box that his teammates get most
OF their joy in hooting the ball around
the lot
Mathewson still holds the record
for the greatest performance during
any worlds series. In 1905 Matt,
worked against the Athletics thre
times. He shut them out ever,
game. He appeared against Eddie
Plank in the first game of the series
and the Giants won to 0. In th'
third game Andy Coakiey was sen
against Mathewson, but big Six
came through with a to 0 victory
In the fifth and deciding game Math
ewson beat Chief Bender 2 to 0.
Babe" Adams. Of the Pittsburgh
Pirates became famous in 1909 whel
he won all of the three games h
pitched against Detroit. Adams
games we're not shut-outs. but h
Jumped into fame with a whoop a
he was practically unknown.
Leaving out the question of thl
actual playing ability of the twl
teams the Athletics will enter tn
worlds series with a slight edge o
advantage on the Giants insofar al
the playing fields are concerned. The
Giants haven't seen Shibe Park since
they hooked up in the derby" o
l1911. The Athletics however. hav,
cavorted about the Polo Grounds
during this season just as often a.
the American League schedule woulC
permit. The Yankees have had theil
afternoons at home at the Brush
stadium throughout the season an,
the Athletics haven't wasted ther
time I'm getting acquainted with tn
Held. Among the things that ar,
worth knowing are the whims of tn
concrete wall in front Of the risht
field stands. Murray, Of the Giant,
has this wall down TO a fine poin
When hit goes smashing up agains
it he can judge where the reboun
is going TO carry the ball from wher
IL hits. And he is there TO nail
when the ball comes back. Murph
has aiso had the advantage of flr
ing with this wall and has figure
rebound proposition almost as we
- Murray.