Evening star., 1914-10-10


Today Stallinss was expected to pitch
James. He is not pitcher of the
Rudolph type. His success is due
more to a lot of natural ability than
smartness in mixing up various de-
liveries-' But he is brilliant per-
former. nevertheless. if his record in
the National League counts for any
thing. StallingS says that he will win
as easily as did Rudolph.
Plank may or may not oppose him.
Mack may not be willing to take
chance with his other veteran this
early in the series He may decide that
Joe Bush is the one to go to the slab
next. or It may be Shawkey.
While Mack is doubtful. Stallings
knows he will work his twirlers In
regular order. which, too. is an ad-
vantage. Rudolph's success in the
opening game was in keeping with the
predictions which good judges. familiar
with the National League teams, had
made. The little fellow, who is hard
ly bigger than Eddie Foster, pitched
like master. He virtually had the
Athletics eating out of his hand and
this is particularly true of the hard
hitters on that team. Collins, for in
stance. could not connect safely and
Bakers double in the final inning was
made on the first ball pitched, which
Rudolph was sending straight across
during the closing innings He struck
out Baker on another occasion.
huooiph bafhed McInnis and Schang,
both usually good hitters, and eight of
the Mackmen went down before him
by the strike-out route. With three
and two on the batters on several oc-
cas1ons he broke a curve over and
never tailed to dispose of the batter.
Rudolph undoubtedly will pIay a re-
turn engagement in Boston Monday
he viii rest today and tomorrow and
go In against the Mackmen again Mon
gay. he figures that he will be more
familiar with how to pitch against the
Champions than he was yesterday. and
as result, ought to be at least every
bit as effective.
BY remarkable coincidence. the
crowd at the game here yesterday
was Just one less than attended the
nrst game played in the series of last
year IN this city. Yesterdays attend
ance was 20.562, and the first game
played here last year drew exactly
20,5S3 paid admissions This is about
the extent of the capacity of Shibe
Park. unless the playing field were
gre sreatIy reduced. which. of course. is
not allowed by the rules. The amount
OF money taken in yesterday was also
a tribe less. being $49,639, against
$4s.640 last year If the present rate
OF attendance continues here, the big
Is already assured by the fact that the
Braves cannot be worse than on even
terms with the Mackmen when they
open at home, and the series in that
SvShls 40 SuiC " oc UIS IHdnCldlj
success.
Before yesterdays game Manager
Stallings made switch in his batting
order, moving Gowdy behind Schmidt,
where Red" Smith, who is out of the
game with a broken leg, used to bat
That change made it possible for the
Braves to win the game with ease, for
1T was Gowdy's great hitting which
put the game on ice. In the second
inning. with Whitted on first as the
result of his walk and one out. Gowdy
drove the ball to left center for a cou-
pie of bases and scored Whitted. Mar
awhile brought him home with a hit
moment later. Gowdy's triple started
the fifth and gave the Braves another
run. He walked in the sixth, after
safely in the eighth, and figured in
the double steal which gave the Braves
their final run.
Incidentally. Gowdy handled himself
well behind the bat. No attempt to
steal on him was made.
The patrons of the game in the Amer
ican League always have a chance to
see some wonderful shortstops during
the playing season. Nearly every one
of Ban Johnson's teams is fortified by
a star at short field. Bush of Detroit,
Barry of the Athletics, Scott of Bos-
ton and Mcbride of the Nationals are
all wonderful fielders, but from a spec
tator's standpoint it is doubtful If
there is a more sensational perform
er than Maranville, the Braves di-
himself like marvel. He has a re-
markable pair of hands, picks up all
sorts of bad-bounding grounders with
grace and ease and he is some thrower.
goes to bat for Twice yesterday he
drove in runs from third base with
clean hits.
there is nothing suggestive of weak
ness about the Braves. Any one who
figures that Stallings' team won the
National League pennant because it
was favored by the breaks of luck is
not doing it justice. There is lot of
llass to the Boston club Granting that
lhe National League teams are not as
itrong as several in the American, the
Braves would stand a chance in any
kind of company beyond question.
There is no reason either to believe
that yesterdays showing was f1uke.
Stallings' team has been going at the
some time past. The Mackmen were no
more formidable against them than
have been the Giants or others of the
National League.
There is perhaps no more improved
ball player in the Braves lineup than
Schmidt, who plays first. The writer
remembers few years back. when this
big fellow was an ungainly. awkward
fielder. who could hit occasionally, but
never looked to be of major league
caliber. But a change has taken place.
Big Schmidt looks like one of the best
drst basemen playing ball today. He
is full of life. handles and throws well
and can hit the ball. Though one Of the
biggest men playing, Schmidt is not
slow, proving this when he scored
from third on a double steal which he
and Gowdy pulled in the eighth inning.
Joe Connolly. erstwhile National. gave
very good account Of himself In the
opener. He hit safely once and walked
once. after striking out the first time
In. the field he figured in a remarkable
play. In the fourth inning, after Ru-
dolph had struck out Baker and Nc
Innis. Strunk hit sharp liner to left