The San Francisco call., 1913-10-07
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BY CHRISTY MATHEWSON.
Star Pitcher of the Giants

erages. He generally does hit
any kind, too, as have found
out. Because of the terrific force
that Baker gets behind his swings
he sets himself more or less for
the pitch, and therefore is not so
deadly on a sharp breaking curve.
because he can not shift as rap
idly as a chop swinger.
Collins is just as dangerous
batsman as Baker, but he has not
the name. because his work was
not so sensational In the 1911
series. He has a more discon-
certing manner in the batter's
box and Is a harder man to pitch
to than Baker. He worries a
twirler by constantly moving
about and by acting nervous him
self. AS matter OF fact. he has
not a nerve in his body. That is
the trouble with this part of the
Athletics batting order. AS soon
as one dangerous man is gotten
out of the way, up comes another
one just as deadly.
DANGEROUS IN PINCH
1 have never had real oppor-
tunity to study MeInnis through
seeing him play against me, ex-
cept for a minute or two in the
series of 1911, when he got in one
game. BY studying McInnis
work. / find that he bats best
when his hits will bring results.
That is, he In a pinch hitter. the
most dangerous sort. These three
men l have discussed are the most
damaging and destructive swing
ers on the Athletics. 1t is largely
up to them to overcome the pitch
ing weakness of their club, and it
Is up to the New York twirlers to
stop this trio. On this phase of
the battles the outcome of the
series largely depends.
In discussing the Aethletics'
pitching star, / intend to base
most of my calculations on the
veterans 1t is true that Mack
has stable of youngsters, sew
eral of whom have done fair work
this season, but have heard such
varying reports about these men
that 1t would be hard for me to
take them into consideration with
any attempt at accuracy. Mack
will not spend many minutes free
from anxiety when he sends one
of his squads to the box There
fore, let US have a look at Plank
and Bender, the pitching veterans.
Each one has gone through a
tougher year than he ever before
experienced in his career. Con
ME" Mack put 1T up to these
two to win the pennant, and they
had to work with great fire.
duency, both at starting games
and as relief pitchers, to accom-
plish this. Neither one is of the
rugged type which ia baseball is
called iron men," Both need
their rest. That they were worn
down by the arduous pitching this
year was clearly shown In the
manner in which they weakened
toward the conclusion of the race,
when the Cleveland club had an
excellent chance to nose out the
Athletics If the Maps could have
just slipped over the final punch.
NOTHING BUT HIS HEAD
I have been reliably Informed
that. just before he began to rest
up in preparation for the worlds
series, Plank carried nothing but
his shrewdness and his knowledge
of batters, A tough season of this
sort has done neither Plank nor
Bender any good for the worlds
series. no matter how completely
they have been rested since /
figure each one~to be good for a
single bangup game. Plank has
been suffering from rheumatism
for the last month. and is not in
shape to go through two or three
hard battles.
The first game victory gives
one team a big edge. But we
have an advantage there. Nc
Graw has plenty of first string
pitchers to shoot hack at Phila-
delphia- Mack will have only one
in reserve.