The Washington herald., 1914-09-08

II am having troubles or my own
winning the American League pennant
and would not even venture prediction
at this stage that my club will land In
front, so II Il not likely that / would
hand out to the newspapers the opinion
that the Boston Braves would capture
the National League flag"
Thus spoke Connie Mack. leader OF the
Philadelphia Athletics. when interviewed
last night
1t will be remembered that recently
every newspaper In the United States
printed a statement said to have been
issued by Connie Mack that the Braves
would beat out the Giants for top honors
in the National, League.
Mr.. Mack, according to his own words,
f. not predicting pennants for any clubs
these days.
The Athletics at present are badly
handicapped with q weak catching STAN
while Eddie Collins, who sprained his
ankle In Boston last week, is still In poor
physical condition and should be warming
the bench Schang has a split finger and
cannot throw, while Ira Thomas is valu-
able only as q eoacher.
Two games are booked for National
Park this afternoon between the Grin-
men and Athletics. Jim Shaw and Wal
ter johnson are the fingers who VIII
work for Washington. while Mack viii
more than likely oppose with Pennock
and Bressler, his young southpavs-
The first game starts promptly at 1:4S
o'clock
Jack eBntley's performance in the
morning game came 50 Unexpectedly that
the fans hardly realized what had hap
pened until long after the contest was
over.
For a youngster to hold q bunch Of
sluggers the caliber Of the Athletics to
one hit is an achievement Of which any
young twirler may well be proud
We were informed a few weeks ago
that Grin and Boehling had parted com
pany after an angry talk and that Harry
Harper would be the Nationals first
choice when left-handers were wanted 1t
looks now as IL Bentley would also be
given plenty Of work to do from now
until the final curtain drops
A decision by Umpire Hildebrand in
the sixth inning OF the afternoon game
when he called Bender safe At second.
when to all appearances the Indian. who
had taken a big lead was caught nat
footed on a quick throw-Henry to Nor
! gan-kilIed the Nationals chances for
victory. Had Bender been declared out
but two runs would have counted instead
| of six.
Hndebrand was not in a position to see
the play on Bender.
Some good pitchers, like wine.. books
and friends, improve with age. Eddie
Plank, dean OF the American League
pitchers, and star left-hander of the
Athletics, is one Of them When the
last averages Of the American League
were compiled Plank was the actual
leader, and by a wide margin.
Taking part in twenty-seven games.
has won seventeen and lost only three,
giving him a grand average OF .s72 This
is the high-water mark in his career.
Included in his victories are four shut
outs He also broke into the few-hit
games column, winning one victory by
allowing only three hits, and another in
which five were made off him.
Year after year. since 1905, when for
the first time the Gettysburg man
dropped below the 800 mark in the per-
centage columns, the critics have waited
in vain for Plank to break down To
all appearances he has several years OF
major league baseball left In him.
This is Piank's fourteenth season in
the American League. and all have
been spent In the service OF Mack and
the Athletics For thirteen years he
had had a grand average Of .sSs. He hat
his best year IN 1872, winning twenty-si1