El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-09-25
Braves Dash Surprised Even Stallings
ak -:H:- -:H:- -:I:- -:I:-
Team Combination Is World Beaten
BY DAMON RUNYON.

few weeks establishes the swarthy chief Of
the Bostonians one OF the great con-
structive managers Of all time. He has
always been recognized as great leader,
after the first two months OF 1914 but no
one believed that he could do much with
the ball players he has assembled at Bos-
ton because even the greatest leader has
his limitations.
The Braves were strongly touted in the
winter books on account OF their showing
in 1913 but the fans were touting them
then in the belief that Stallings would be
able TO muster a higher grade OF playing
ability than he had when the curtain went
The addition Of Evers was regarded as
making the team certain contender from
the opening DAY, but after lew weeks
had elapsed the Braves went into the dis
card OF public opinion one of the ablest
managers in baseball said 20 the writer:
1T is going 10 hurt stallings for having
been up as we'll as he was last season. be-
cause he has got a bad club this year-a
very bad club 1t is not as good as last
year by a long ways and he will be lucky
II he doesn't finish last"
knows He's Wrong.
For a while it looked as II the manager
spoke with prophetic vision. but now this
same manger is viewing the wild dash Of
the Boston chief with some apprehension
There is no doubt about the comparative
mediocrity OF StallinEss band. taking them
individually. but ass a team they represent
one of the most formidable combinations in
the land. and that is why Stallings's tri-
Umph is all the greater.
Golden Claims Curve Ball.
This office is in receipt OF letter from
a delegation OF fans who make their head
quarters at Dunn's Cafe. in Waterford. "
Y. stating that there Is a man there who
claims to have introduced the curve ball.
HIS name IS Jack Golden. and he has
friends who are willing 10 back his asser-
tons with real money.
In his younger days. It IS stated. Golden
was a pitcher Of considerable skill, although
he never reached the big leagues His par
ticular claim Is that he was the first man
TO introduce what Is commonly called the
drop curve. hut no evidence is submitted
in the letter in support Of the claim.
Credit for the discovery OF the curve ball
has always been given by baseball people
20 Candy" Cummings. Of the Stars. Of
Brooklyn. in 1857. and volumes have been
written on the subject That was many
years agO-in the early days Of the game.
and numerous variations Of the curve have
since been introduced
II the Waterford friends OF Nj Golden
viii submit more detailed statement Of
ms claims We will gladly present same 20
the world. but he will probably have a hard
time getting the baseball people to recog-
nlze him as the Columbus OF the swerving
shoot after all these years
Credit to Cummings.
Baseball history is rather vague on many
points, and old followers OF the game can
point out numerous Inaccuracies in nearly
every tome that has been written. iucIud-
A G. Spalding- but all historians seem TO
unite in giving credit for the curve 10
William Arthur Cummings. Spalding's and
Reach's Guides, and Balloon. the work Of
statistcian, say that Cummings was re-
sp0nsibIe.
The credit has been disputed Of course
but then there is generally a dispute any
In baseball When it was finally agreed