Evening star., 1914-11-22

Blame Laid on Speaker.
Speaker isn't hitting" That was in
variably the answer last spring when
any one expressed surprise over Bos-
tens failure to be up in the race. That
1t was a logical reason for the failure
OF the Red Sox to win consistently was
proved by the work of the club later
in the race. Suddenly Speaker started
to hit the ball. The box score each
day would show a single and a dou-
BILE for Speaker; two singles and
triple; single. double and nome
run. Just as soon as Speaker began
to whale the ball to all corners OF the
lot did the Red Sox start their WIN
ming streak From second DIVISION
berth the club rose slowly but surely,
until il was the only real CONTENDER
for the pennant honors with the Atn-
letics Incidentally, the work OF SPEAK
er seemed to have its erect on the en-
tire team. Other good hltters on the
club at once began to bat to better ad-
Just what caused the spring batting
slump of Speaker remains mystery.
Some will perhaps blame 1t on cohoi-
tlons others will Insist 1T was oce 10
fhe excellent spring form of the pitch
ers. while many will claim 1t was over
anxiety, because Speaker realzeo ho"
much the public expected OF him' oe
cause Of the immense saiary a do,h1
drawing for his services. NO aouol
Sneaker was worried because OF ms
failure to get a flying start IN an
pl obabillty his work was anecteu ns
his great desire to deliver the eoous ,na
In this connection l recall game
rIayed at Boston early in the spring.
6espite his efforts Speaker couidns 90
a thing at the bat, and IN tne heiu ~
also failed to shine Harry Hooper. da 5a
light field. had big day of 1t; ne mace
several sensational catches, and ny ms
rafting Boston was able to tie up tne.i me-
~ tbe game 1t was Hooper WHO
,ooked like the million-dollar beauty
Players Like Their Base Hits.
For the time being many OF speaker >
sensational performances were Iorso'
ten. Some of the fans insisteo eha' ne
should split part of his salary win
Hooper; others told MIN the
League wouldn't have been benehteo
CIV nth him. and so on down the line:
sneaker took all the remarks gooo
naturedly for he knew he was que TO
strike his gait sooner or ialel, 80
then the same fans would pc saying
nice things and taking back all the un-
LIND remarks One would imagine tnat
speaker would be in the best possip!e
position of any one TO eApiain ans ,s
failure to hit. Before the start OF s o,s
NJ the spring games in Boston l was
sitting on the bench talking with TITS.
He was worried because OF his faiiure
IN hit more so than the fanS VINO
were chiding him for his inability 10
get them safe. ,,,,,,
"Am / hitting at bad balls. Bill?'
No. YOU are not" I replied. Every
ball YOU struck at yesterday l would
have called strike If you had let II go
by That isn't your trouble, but you
are popping up the good ones that you
usually murder.
Good Filters Have Keen Eyes.
Speaker appeared relieved, for good
hitters who have keen eyes at the
plate always hate to be hitting at
bad balls Fellows like Cobb. Speak
er, Crawford, Wagner and the other
good hitters always look them over
with wonderful judgment at the plate.
and as a rule offer at mighty few bad
balls. They work the pitcher to the
limit The only explanation Speaker
could offer was base balls oldest rea-
son for failure to hit safe, the
hitting of every ball right at fielder.
Believe me, Speaker made many a
pitcher suffer for that spring slump.
Very often an entire team viii
strike a batting slump. That is, of
course, one of the reasons offered for
the failure of the Athletics in the
world series. Other critics will say
il was the superb pitching of Ru-