South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-10-01

Editors Note-Hugh Fullerton
has evolved system OF doping
baseball teams which has worked
with marvellous success. Each year
he has brought the system nearer ac-
curacy and ne claims that ne can de-
eide any series Of games between two
teams in advance in 10 out Of 20
cases. The one element that cannot
be calculated upon is luck. Tie studies
each player as an individual. figuring
mis- value as batter, "A base runner.
fielder thrOwer and inside worker"
He calculates the relative value Of
base running batting. fielding. throw
ing and thinking separately and re-
duces the strength OF the individual
10 his offensive and defensive
strength. The offensive strength OF
each man in the team is added. and
an average strength obtained. The
defensive strength of each man is fig
ured, and from il a team strength is
obtained. With various other factors
he has the comparative strength Of
the teams at the start OF the series
as closely as may be hgured.)
By HUGH =. FULLERTON.
Philadelphia ....663 .673 .669
Boston Braves ..654 $50 662
Boston Braves. in the outfeld. com
pare with the champion Athletics so
favorably as to cause one TO start
with surprise when the final figures
are counted
1 started 10 dope the two outfields
with the sub-cOnsciOus idea that the
Athletics would be found so much the
stronger that ii would be a joke and
10 my establishment | iearn that the
difference between them is amazingly
small; so slight in fact that "A little
luck in the play would make the Bos-
ton outfield 10 all intents and pur-
poses its equal
Further / discover that the Braves
are dOubly fortified that they have
much more reserve strength in out
ielders, and that Stallings has at his
command more outfield strength than
Mack can muster.
This statement viii create howl
IL needs proving. / hardly can be-
heve it myself-but a study Of cOndi-
tons viii prove il.
If we take the Boston Red Sox out
field-Speaker. Hooper and Lewis. as
basis Of figuring. and calculate the
strength of Murphy, Oldring and
Strunk against them YOU have a sim
pie proposition. If ! say that Devore,
Whitfield and Moran are as good as
Murphy, Oldring and Strunk in all de-
partments then you laugh. That is
" nat 4tcuS one 10 say OHndlu IndI
the Athletics have the better Outfield
both in attack and defense than the
Braves possess.
But listen: Murphy. Oldring and
Strunk are the Athletics Outfield with
Walsh to help out and some young
sters. You can safely figure that
Murphy Oldring and Strunk will play
unless one breaks something We
know their values absolutely in bat
ting, fielding, base running and throw
ing. Boston does not possess three
men as good. Admit that, for it is
true.
But-BOstOn has six men who play
Outfeld. Take Devore for instance.
He pulls n lot of bones, he runs well.
he throws we'll, but at times with poor
judgment he hits certain kinds Of
much speed.
Take Gather He is rather unfn-
ished. Against some pitching he is
dead. Against others he is a whale.
He is a corking dangerous pinch hit
ter. and he can throw.
The strength then Of center field is
the best of Mann, Moran. Whitfield or
DevOre-depending upon conditions
and who is pitching for the other
side. Pick the strongest points OF each
of eight Boston outfielders and com
pare their best with the steady job
bers OF the Athletics
The strength of Boston's outfield