Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-02-13
Smith Expects Rag" Though He's Not Saying So
1913 Team Compares Favoraby With the Best
BY Percy II. Whiting.

" ILL SMITH expects to win
II a pennant this year. OF
course, he wouldn't come right
out slam bang and say it like that
for a months pay But we tricked
it out Of him.
We were all up at baseball head
quarters, cussing the proposed
schedule (Which, by the way,
President Galloway says he is
going to fight tooth and nai) when
the defense was put up for the poor
wabbly date arrangement submit
ted by the committee that it gave
the Crackers a lot Of games in Au-
gust
Now" propounded Major Gala
way suppose we're right up there
fighting for the pennant then. Wed
fairly coin money with such a
schedule"
But" objected we, whats the
use of talking such stuff. The At
lanta team has finished last two
years In q row. 1t can not hope to
get in the race this year"
Wow! Then the lid was off.
They all took running jump and
landed on my starboard rib.
"Oh, I don't see that at ALL"
yelled Bill, mad as a crab; 81 think
that's all bunk. That's crazy.
Why we've got as good a chance
to win the pennant as anybody.
Why shouldn't we win the pennant?
Hey?"
r ILL absolutely believes he has a
pennant winner. Well, maybe.
But let's look over the two teams
that he won pennants with and
compare them with the club that
Will represent Atlanta this year.
OF course, it is difficult, because
we don't know yet just what men
Will play for Bill Smith this year.
There Is a chance that Welchonce
or Jay Kirke may be secured to
play in the outtield. 1t is a cinch
that If smith, Dobard and Heating
do not measure up to the standard
smith will pick up couple of In
fielders that DO There is also the
certainty that more pitchers will
be bought if they are needed
But let's look over the Cracker
teams of 1907 and 1909 and compare
them with that of 1918 as it stands
today:
CATCHING STAFFS.-WeI
there isn't much chance that the
backstops Of this year will measure
up to those which helped the
Crackers win their only pennants.
Sid Smith and Ed Sweeney COM
posed that of 1907; Sid Smith and
McMurray that of 1909. At that,
though, Sid Smith caught but lit
tie in 1909 and figured more prom
inently us first baseman and util-
ity man. Now Sid was better than
McAllister, Dunn or Malcomson.
But both McAllister and Dunn are
better than McMurray. 1t seems
likely that, unless Malcomson
shows a lot Dunn and McAllister
viii be retained. This will give the
Crackers a catching staff that will
be long ON brains and short on
speed At best, 1t will be weaker
than that of 1907 and 1909.
FIRST BASE.-Fox in 1907, Rohn
and Sid Smith in 1909, Joe Agler
in 1913. Think ii over. Person
ally, we like Joe Agler the best
Fox was a grand first baseman, but
he batted way under $50 in 1907.
The team of this year will have it
on the best of 'em at first.
SECOND BASE.-Weu. Whitley
Alperman isn't Otto Jordan, Of
course; but then, on the other hand,
Jordan isn't Alperman. Otto Is the
better fielder, Alperman the bet
ter hitter. All in all. it is pref
~ even.
THIRD BASE-Dyer, Walker.
Wallace Smith-which Wei. At
lanta fans will admit that nobody
could be much worse than Dyer