Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-19


entirely different system of keeping
his players on edge after he had the
pennant won. In those years he pitted
MS team against an all-star combina
ton organized by Jim McAleer, and the
result was that the Mackmen outplayed
their rivals in the world series without
much trouble.
Stallings followed a similar program
this year. He did not rest his team
after cinching the pennant, but kept
them at it right to the time the world
series opened. He closed the season
Tuesday and then put in two days of
strenuous practice, with the result that
when the world series opened his team
was on edge for the strain.
1t is a safe prediction that the next
time Mack wins a pennant his team
will not be allowed to rest before the
world series.
Just how much reliance is to be
placed in any statement which Jim Gill
more the head Of the Federal League,
may make was demonstrated Saturday
when Gilmore said there had been no
conference with organized base ball
and that neither he or no any one else
connected with the movement had been
approached by organized base ball.
On that same day Charles Weegh-
man. the owner of the Chicago club of
the Feds and one of the principal back
ers of the outlaw movement, admitted
that he and Gilmore had been in New
York for a conference with Chairman
Hermann and other organized base
ball men. This meeting was arranged
during the world series. Just what its
outcome was is not yet known, but 1t
shows beyond question that majority
Of the men in organized base ball are
willing to bury the Ratchet and get to-
gether.
The head-first slide Is one feature OF
base ball which has been almost en-
tirely eliminated from the game. 1t
is seldom nowadays that a player slides
slides are made feet first because Of
the better chance the runner has to
avoid being touched when going into
a base and furthermore because OF the
spikes which endanger the baseman
when in the act~of touching the runner
But in the old days there were some
wonderfully capable headfirst sliders.
Jack Doyle of the old Baltimore team
was one of the experts of the game IN
this respect and he was just as apt TO
avoid being touched by player hold
ing the ball in waiting for him as are
the feet-first sliders of today.
Winter predictions in the base ball
world anent next seasons performances
are going to be utterly impossible. That
1t is q precarious undertaking to pick
winners was proven by the upsets the
Braves caused during the past season:
the raids the Federal
League are making on some of the Ma
tional League teams is going to make
the picking in that league more difh-
cult than ever before, though If the
Braves are allowed to remain intact
while some of the other contenders are
weakened 1t will look very much as II
Stallings team Is destined to repeat.
The Cardinals furnish the most I'M
date two of Higgins stars have jumped
to the Feds and the outlaws claim to
have six of the best players on that
team.
The activity Of the Federals is caus-
ing some surprise in organized base
ball circles. Though the contention
has been made that the losses of the
outlaws last season were so terrinc
that there was some doubt as to their
entering the field again this season,
the invaders are buster right now
than they ever have been before. 1t is
the National League that they are aim
ing to wreck. Five players have been
taken from st. Louis and Pittsburgh
to date and it. is known that fie-cer
Jones, under an assumed name. has
been around New York trying to in
duce some of the Giants to come to
his st. Louis team.
If the ball players allow themselves
to be 1ured into breaking their con-
tracts, base ball is going to suffer and
it will only be question of time