Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-11-05
HELPED
BOSTON P|CkA
NINNlN| \! | a!
incidentally Braves Were for
Sale at Low Figure in Mid
- SeaSon-Series Dope
By CHRISTY MATHEWSoN.

| ~. $50 = = 80. :. I%FE !
By CHRISTY MATHEWSoN.
When Jim" Gaffney started to look
around for manager to lead the Bos-
ton Braves he came to McGraw and
asked fs@--
John, who would you consider to
be the best man to get to build up my
club
Without any hesitation McGraw re-
piled: "
George Stallings.""
On this recommendation the Miracle
Man was signed, and he completed
his task of 'builuing up the club
when he won the worlds champion
ship and forturs for the owner. Nc
Graw's man had made good, but.
strangely enough, ne horned his in
dorser right out of the baseball ambi-
tion of his ife-fouF straight pennants
when he beat the Giants in the Ma
tional league. -. 49,. 81.
The story OF stsilIngs. baseball sue
cess reads like fairy tale. II Is the
story OF wonderful self-confidence, dog
ged perseverance and fighting pluck.
Even in the earlier part of this season
none believed in SIallings except him
self, and as late as July the Boston
team was offered for sale. At that
time Stallings tried to interest three
or four friends in a proposition to buy
it, and declared that he would invest
some of his own money with them. One
man had come so near purchasing the
team that. only a difference OF $500
stood between Gaffney and letting go
in the dicker Then the team began
its winning streaI., and the difference
at the end Of a week, instead OF being
$500, was $4,000. Gaffney had raised
the price.
Even when the team had won the
National League pennant, few follow
real class. They thought the other
clubs IN the National League had drop
red dead, but when they saw Stallings'
men fight back at the Athletics in one
game the most exciting worlds SCI
RES contest In history aeknowledg.
ing two-run lead 10 avoid defeat. the
Braves were acknowledged to be the
gamest BAH club ever put together.
In this way it emrhatically contradict
ed its critics. .4f
Even the Athletes themselves held
their opponents lightly and referred toI
the Boston team before the series IN
the privacy of their clubhouse as al
bush league ontft. As is his habit
before a series, cautious Connie Mack,
however, sent several of his board OF
strategy to see the Boston club. play
the Giants during their final series Of
the season at the polo grounds, for
Connie is nothing If not careful.
Among these was Chief Bender, who,
all the baseball world knew. would
pitch the first game for Mack, since
the willy leader OF the Athletics has
frequently referred to the chief as the
best single game pitcher in the world.
That was before his start this year.
After an absence OF three or four days
BENDER showed up.
what did you find out about them?rI
Mack asked the Indian.
Nothing" was his startling reply.
why not ?" returned Mack.
because" remarked the chief" I'll
did not go to see them play. ] can
beat that bush league outfit by throw
ing my gloves in the box. Why
should waste my time watching
them
For the first time in his career
Bender was knocked out Of the box In
a worlds series game, and his own
words must have smarted his ears If
he thought of them then. i cannot
think OF more humiliating position In
which star of his caliber could be-
placed. As he left the pitching mound
that day / turned to Ty Cobb, who was
sitting next me hi the press stand at
Shibe park:
Il wonder how Bender feels?'' ask:
ed him.
Worse than / would il struck out
with the bases full and one run need
ed to tie in the last inning answered
Cobb.
I would like to have heard what the
usually mild Connie Mack said to Ben
der when he came back to the bench
after he was forced to quit under
fire. American leaguers tell me Mack
will never forgive the Indian for his
carelessness, because Mack confident.
.ly believes that If he could have got.
ten away with the first game IL would
have made difference in the whole
series. i understand that he no longer
mentions the chief as the best single
game pitcher in baseball.
But Bender was not altogether to
blame. The confidence Of the Indian
when be got thoroughly warmed up be-
fore that first game and then INDUCED
in some horse play to amnse the fans
was duplicated by the other members
of the team on the opening day. The
Ioutfieldefs stalked to their places list
Iessly. as If they were going 10 meet
the Cleveland team And then an 81
q sudden they ran into the fighting
spirit Of Stallines and his cluD. Al
events have proved. Il would Be nearly
as reasonable to suppose that blade
of grass on the track would stop al
express train as TO believe that thel
Athletics could interrupt the progress
~ 49, - -. !. =. - -