Evening star., 1913-11-28
CONNIE MACK GIVES REASON
FOR BARRING PINCH EITTERS
Athletics Manager Tells Why Plank and
Lapp Were Allowed to Face '9Matty''
in Second Game Of Series.

Just why Connie Mack did not sub
stitute pinch hitters for Lapp and
Plank In that much-discussed game of
the worlds series which New York won
from the Athletics to in the tenth
inning is told by Connie himself in
this weeks issue Of the Saturday
Evening Post. Writing under the cap
t,on Of Honesty In Base Ball" Mr.
Mack, in his own direct and forcible
way, answers the many charges Of
fixed games and playing more for
the gate receipts than for the glory of
victory. Probably no game than the
one in the recent worlds series pro-
voked more criticism and called forth
more scandal talk. Connie was blamed
very widely for this failure to replace
Lapp or Plank with another batsman
when a fly to the outfield would have
brought victory TO the Mackmen. Up
TO this time Mr.. Mack has refused to
give his reason for following the tao
Eaics he did, but now he gives his side
S6f the argument in that nerve-rackinS
game After reviewing the condition
Of the game. bringing it down to the
ninth inning, when there were two on
bases and no one out. Mr.. Mack writes as
follows:
Here is where the manager comes
in for the major,Fshare of the blame.
With no one out or with only one out.
long tiy to the outfield would score
Strunk and win the game-a safe hit
was not required. So experts and fans
called for a long fly. 1 am criticised,
first, because I allowed Lapp. our
catcher, to go to bat-and because he
hit very weakly to the first baseman,
who threw home, catching Strunk AT
lot ha pn9GS' Of
perts and fans decided that it was q
| mistake to send Lapp 10 bat; that q
utility man should have been substi-
tuted Why? Because the seasons
good, Also because. although this Is
not an argument advanced. he did not
deliver the punch in the crisis.
Mack Gives His Answer.
| Here's my answer: The first time
she faced Mathewson in the game Lapp
/ struck out. His second time at bat ne
i hit sharply to Doyle and was retired at
i first. The third time he singled Now, he
was up for the fourth time, having shown
4 Improvement each succeeding turn az the
bat. Why should l want to take Lapp
out with this batting record in the game
and substitute an untried man? Then
! again there was his attitude OF mind, MS
/, strong heart in the emergency. The mo-
ment Strunk singled in that inning Lapp
jumped up from the bench. grabbed a
| bat and exclaimed TO me: Now put your
| man down to second and I'll win the
| game for you"
Somebody said: It's dogged as does
it.
| But most Of the criticism heaped upon
| me came because let Plank follow Lapp
| instead of putting in 4 utility man. and
| because he also hit TO the first baseman
| and Barry was run down between third
| and home. Let's look at Plank's batting
up TO that time: He hadn't struck out;
he had made one safe hit and he had
, knocked a sizzling liner which the Giants
| shortstop had caught brilliantly II is q
| fact, which few who saw that game ap-
! parently remember, that Plank hit that
| ball harder than any man on our team
| 'Home-Run' Baker not excepted.
Argue Hes Pitcher"
but he's i pitcher" critics say
That's their whole argument. Plank's
batting in the game We're talking
about wasn't considered He was &c
be taken out merely because he was
a pitcher. Who won the game for New
York, sending IN the only run needed
TO win? Mathewson. a pitcher.
Suppose it had been the turn OF Col
Inns to bat-Collins who hit for ar
average OF .421 for the series. Would
any critic have advised the substitution
OF utility man for Collins? But in
this game Collins did not hit the ball
as hard as Plank did and his third time
up was struck out.
The fact is. / had been wrestling
with this situation in way long be-
fore 1t actually arose. Whereas to the
expert and to the fan il was a problem
Unexpectedly presented on the moment
after Doyle's wild throw TO first, as
the manager OF the team and the d.
'rector of the game IL was my duty &c
be prepared for this emergency. ] was
prepared. In the f1rst place knew
iMathewson. He 10 the sort of pitcher
who gets yoSAthe first time; then slow
lily you beg 10 find him. Take our