Evening star., 1914-08-13
IF THE BASE BALL MANAGER
ONLY GOT THE 4IAST GUESS''
A Team Should Not Lose Game if the Field General
Were Gifted With Second Sight

a very good game and probably would
have won out without the four-run handi
cap that Tincup left him. We're I 8
mind reader or could I have had a sec.
ond guess 1 would have started Rixey
How many fans and newspaper meT
had second guess when Connie MACK
failed to put in a pinch hitter for PLANK
in the 1913 worlds series between the
Athletics and Giants? But right today
nobody knows that the game would have
resulted differently; they are simply
taking advantage of the last guess
day the fans saw the best illustration OF
a last guess" that l ever remember hav-
ing seen. The guessing in the tenth in
ming of that game was wonderful. We
Becker at bat. Becker had been hitting
the ball hard and is a left-hander. but
with two on and Magee coming up we
expected Perritt, the st. Louis pitcher,
Instead he almost caused US to fall of
our seats by walking Becker purposely.
The "Last Guess"
Magee bats right-handed, true enough.
but he is a free swinger who is likely to
hit the ball any time and to any field. He
is not weak in a pinch, either Further
more, Sherwood had hit homer and two
game, and he looked like the last man
on the team a pitcher would want to
face in a crisis. Most Of you have read
what happened-Magee famed. But II
was last guess" that did it. Perritt
showed an unusual amount of nerve by
curving the ball when the batter had
three and two. 1t was outside. too, and
Magee would have walked and forced in
the winning run had he let 1t pass. Blu,
ne naturally was looking for a straight
one and swung. missing the ball. That
was some guessing" and, no matter
what fault the fans may have to And
with pitcher who will walk any other
batter to take a chance on Magee, Per
ball.
Then, in later inning, to show wha,
might have happened. Becker hit a clear
single to right-it would have won the
game If made in the tenth
I could go on for a week telling of mis-.
takes we. on the ball field, would no,
have made had we look into the future
/ could tell how on many occasions the
frst-choice pitcher Is knocked off tht
rubber and the second one comes through
in great form. but too late; how fre
quently pinch hitter takes a pitcher.
turn at bat and drives in runs, only t
have the succeeding pitcher hand then
back again. It's great life IL you guess
coTrectly, IT you QOn IL guess Sherman
was right, anyway.
How many times has a manager tolt
a batter to hit 1t out with a runner OF
first: result. a double play. What doe.
the crowd say? why didn't he bunt?
Then when you send a good batter VI
to bunt and he pops to the pitcher o.
falls in some manner, what does th
! crowd say? That's rotten Judgment
letting 300 batter bunt when he prob
ably would have driven the run hom'
with a double" / say 1t with perfec
kindness, but there are few plays on th'
| diamond that do not allow the crowd Il
get in the last guess"
Why, with Tyler or Marquard pitching
have heard the fans yell for Devore t
hit for us in pinch. Yet. seldom is
left-handed batter very good against {
south-paw twirler Still, the fans mak'
the game, and their voices must be Law
on as many occasions as possible. Blu
circumstances come up when the men II
the stands are not aware of the reason
for our moves. OF course. they, can picl
the play to pieces after 1t has been mad
and the managers are IN wrong; ,
I receive a dozen last guess" letters {
day. Honestly. the contents Of some o.
| them would make you wonder whether :
| sane man wrote them.
In conclusion, I will say that II onl!
could have the second guess on all oc
| cas,ons I would make Connie Mack ant
John McGraw look like selling platers
| guess" all the time. they would be 81
much farther ahead Of the rest Of US tina
! the pennant races could end right now
! In fact, no team should lose game !
| the manager were gifted with secon,
: sight; that sight. of course, being to pul
all the plays to suit the ian, fans w VINO a,,,tsd af
! out there to be suited, and must De suited
! ~ s.cood pf9htV