The San Francisco call., 1913-10-03

Though Bender and Plank, the vet
pitched as well this year as in for
mer years, still the fans are bit
skeptical about them, particularly
Plank. who is really one of the old
men of the game. Coombs, another
of the trio OF star beavers of the
American league club, has been out
of the game with an injured back
and he can not be counted upon.
There is no doubt that the wiseacres
give the Giants the preference on ac-
count of the able staff OF hurlers that
is on McGraw's payroll. The only two
pitchers the followers OF the game
will recognize on the Philadelphia
club are Bender and Plank. but still
there is young fellow who is pitch
ing for Mack who has the best record
of any OF the Athletic twirlers. His
name is Houck, and he ranks next
to Walter Johnson. who leads the
American league twirlers.
HOUCK IS A STAR
Houck has won Is games and lost
four which gives him a percentage OF
7S9. Certainly pitcher who has a
record like the above one must be Sc
riously considered. This.fellow will be
on the firing line for the Athletics.
and who can tell but that he will do
as well as Babe Adams, who astounded
the baseball world by beating the De-
troit Tigers almost single handed in
the worlds series.
Adams, like Houck. was what might
be- termed a recruit. Then take the
case OF Hugh Bedient Of the Boston
Red Sox last year. He pitched phe-
nomenal ball for the Boston club.
Mack Will need three pitchers. Some
think that he will depend entirely
upon Bender and Plank to win the
championship, but 1t is too much to
expect a couple of veterans after a
hard season to come out and beat tho
best club in the opposing league and
work every other day to accomplish
the task.
Mack probably realizes that while
Bender and Plank have many q game
left in them, 1t would be hard to ex-
pect the veterans to be able to go on
the firing line as frequently as they
did In years gone by.
II Mack can win game with one
OF his youngsters 1t will help out
Bender and Plank a heap. Houck
looks the best of his young hurlers.
though Bush and Brown have won a
good majority of their games.
COOMBs WILL BE MISSED
] look for the coming series to be
drawn out and would not be surprised
to see it go to the limit of seven
games In this event ] figure that
Bender will be used In three games,
while Plank should be able to handle
two OF them, while either Houck,
Brown, Bush. Shawkey, Pennock or
Wyckoff should be able to handle the
others.
1t was Bender. Coombs and Plank
that Mack used in the worlds series
games in the past Now who Is go-
ing to take Coombs' place? These
championship games have usually
made reputation for some young
pitcher, and the chances are that the
rule will be followed this year.
The admirers of the Athletics are
worrying about Mack's pitching staff
while those who are stringing with
the Giants figure that McGraw's pitch
ing staff alone Is equal to bringing
about the downfall OF the Mackmen.
This Is the only department OF the
clubs that you can concede the Giants
to be superior, unless you allow that
the New Workers are faster on the
paths and viii score more runs on
fewer hits than the Athletics.
As hitting team the Athletics are
better than the Giants. The Philadel-