Fergus County Democrat., 1913-06-24
very appropriate thing to do while
playing that game"

| Every one of the eastern teams has
come and gone and the Athletics
looked the class of the eastern teams
In the American league, says Bill Bar
ley. The Boston Red Sox may outhit
them. 1t wouldn't be bit surprising
if they did that on the season. And
they may even look the stronger ball
club when Joe Wood is on the mound.
Just as the Washington Senators may
look the more formidable when
Walter Johnson is doing the pitching.
But day in and day out the Athletics
seem to be the class and appear to
be the team the South Siders will
nave to beat If they win the pennant.
| We have seen them all in action.
me invasion OF the west by the teams
or the east came to a close on Thurs
day when Lefty Russell outpitched
BUCK O'Br1en, even if the Red Sox did
outn1t those who wear the hose of
white and gave the South Siders a 2
to l victory.
| The Athletics looked stronger on
the South Side, and this despite the
fact that the Red Sox formed the only
eastern team that took series from
Callahan's men.
The greatest difference in the play
or the Mackmen and the Red Sox lay
In their method of attack. The fell
lows who take orders from the elon-
gated Mack seemed to know exactly
what they were up there to do. Every
play seemed to be part of a system.
One inning they would go after a
pitcher and hit the first ball pitched.
The fact that the first man to try
didn't get away with it didn't make
any difference. They kept right on.
The next inning they would play a
waiting game. The attacks seemed to
be concentrated, seemed to be a part
Of general system.
| With the Red Sox it was different.
They hit the ball whole lot harder
than the Philadelphia lads But they
didn't come anywhere near making
their hitting net the same results.
They seemed to hit spasmodically.
The impression you got after watch
Ing the Athletics in action was that
the team was machine. The impress
sion you gathered from the play Of
the Red Sox was that the team was
composed of a bunch of fellows who
could hit the ball a mile, but who
didn't seem to get anywhere despite
tnelr long drives.
OF course the Red Sox were handi-
capped by the absence of Jake Stahl,
the manager, and by Gardner, the reg
ular third baseman. The team under
Stahl might have looked a better ma.
chine.
But 1t looked whole lot more like
one-man team during the stay in Chi
cago. When Speaker was clouting,
the fellows were getting men about
the bases. When Speaker failed then
there was nothing doing. And that
seems to have been the history of the
club on this first western invasion.
| Ihere's no reason to spend a lot OF
time worrying about the Senators at
this stage of the game. Griffith seems
to nave a good ball club all right and
conner. But there was nothing in
the play of the team here to indicate
that it was going to be a sensation
A good ball club? Yes-a whale of a
ball club when Johnson is doing the
pitching. But not a pennant winner
and likely to finish just a bit short OF
the position attained last year.
Early season dope may go bad
me Red Sox may get better pitching
and hammer their way to the TOP
Connie Mack's pitchers may fail him
and the team may drop, for the biggest
danger right now is his lack of pitch
ing. But if the teams of the east
play to the form they displayed in
chicago the Athletics form the aggre
cation that James Callahan will have
10 spend nights planning to defeat.
Ihe exact difference between the
Plttsburg club as rank outsider and
pennant contender is John Peter
wagner, sometimes known as Hans.
That difference is now on the lob.
! AS things turned out, it is possible
that the Pirates could have won with.
out Wagner in their first tilt with the
Glants, but 1t is equally possible-in
fact, cinch-that John Peter could
nave won without them, and did
Ihree runs were needed to COD the
game, and wagner got those. Two he
MT in, and the other he made him.
sell. -Four more were shared in for
good measure, and distributing those
among the other Pittsburg PLAYERS,
the grand division would be: Pirates
4, Wagner 3, Giants 2.
IhOugh we are not so given to holi.
days as is Colonel Ebbets, the his.
torlcal sharp of Brooklyn, the open
ing event at the Polo grounds could
Justly have been termed a Wagner
day. Honus was in there cutting
such capers as were cut back in 1897
when he first came from Louisville to
break into city life. Remarkable as
1t may seem to Pittsburgers who CON
f1ne their roofing to home talent. the
New York fans were with John Peter.
nook, line and sinker. No home hero
ever got bigger reception than did
wagner when he first went to bat.
and when he made that home run in
to the stand, sinking the shaft of de-
feat deeper, fans stood up and yelled
with as much enthusiasm as if Larry
Doyle had just delivered a pennant-
winning blow. They love Wagner in
this town, and he couldn't kill that af
fection if he beat us every day. The
greatest man in the game will always
be hero in New York.
The venerable John Peter is now
close on to his 4Oth year, and. saving