Evening star., 1914-10-08
StaIIings and His Men Have
Little Fear of Connie
Mack's SIuggers.
BOSTON Chief SAYS TEAM
HAS BEEN PLAYING WELL
And Thinks There Is No Reason
Why It Should Not Con-
tinue to Do So.
BY J. ED GRILLo.

I I11Af1OIAl lila, ONlOOSl
IF confidence and determination
count for anything, the Athletics
are due to meet their first real
rival in a worlds series here to-
morrow. Stallings believes his
ball team can beat the Mackmen,
and, what is more, he has his
players believing it. This conf
dence is the result of the remark
able record the Braves have made
against National League teams.
Perhaps it is best to quote Stall
ings, so that the proper impress
sion of his ideas for having con-
hdence can be created:
I'VE won the National League
pennant because we played better
ball than any of Our rivals said
he. There was nothing fiuky
about our performance, for we
Won every series from early in
July until the season was over. 1t
takes more than the breaks OF the
game to accomplish that. We
beat such pitchers as Tesreau,
Alexander, Mathewson, Cheney
and others who have regulations
as being able to win games from
good clubs. l grant you that
Mack has a good ball team. Per-
haps it is a great one, but don't
underestimate the Braves. l be-
lieve we will prove genuine sur
prise in the series which opens to-
morrow. There is one record we
hold which, to an extent, explains
why we won out. We made more
double plays in the last campaign
than any other team in either
] league, and that speaks well for
!, our defensive strength, I am sure.
II think we'll win, and so do my
!. players"
What is apt to develop into a regular
!, feud between Stallings and Mack was
i kindled yesterday when Stallings came
to the conclusion that Mack was not
giving him an even break. It all hap
pened when Stallings requested that his
Team be allowed to use Shibe Park for
practice this afternoon.
I Mack explained that he had made all
arrangements to have his own play
ers practice during the afternoon. but
that Stallings was welcome to use the
grounds during the morning, or, to be
more explicit, from IL o'clock until
noon.
stallings turned this proposition
- down for the reason he expressed as
ever played on Shibe Field. I wanted
to have them out there during the aft
%ernoon when conditions are as they
will be when we play regular game,
but Mack wants me to go out in the
morning, when, of course. conditions
are not like they will be during the
that there is a lack of sportsmanship
in such dealings and I don't propose
to stand for it. I was two days trying
to hear from Mack by wire about al
lowing US to use his park and never
heard from him, and In order not to be
idle we worked out at the Phillies'
park yesterday morning and that Is
- where we will practice this afternoon,
for will not accept Macks offer to
let us have the grounds in the morn
B ing, because that Is not the time the
practice would serve our purpose"
- johnnie Evers takes an optimistic
view Of the accident which befell Red
Smith, the Braves third baseman,
which eliminates him from the world 3
series.
Perhaps 1t is all for the best" said
Johnnie to the writer in speaking of
Smiths injury, 'for It will force the
-sboys to the realization that they must
work all the harder under a handicap
There is one good thing about this
ball club: 1t has been proven game
under adversities. Time and time again
this season things have broken badly
for rs. but then we have jumped right
in and won our ball games. tell
you these fellows of ours have q lot of
backbone and they will prove 1t even
though they realize that Smith would
% have been lot of help to u.s."