The Washington times., 1914-10-17
Bingles And
BuntS
By GRANTLAND RICE.

II Dp ONhlN AnfND MIL.
In view Of what has recently taken
place through September and the
last few days of October, three Ger.
tain citizens Of this peaceful COM
nonwealth will he very much in the
limelight next April-if not few
weeks before.
The citizens we refer to are
George Stallings, John McGraw, and
Connie Mack. Among themselves
they will work out the most inter
esting problem that baseball has
known, with almost every element of
the game involved.
No. 1.-Stallings.
Has Stallings launched a machine that
will. be another three times winner as
Giants, Cubs. Tigers; and others were
when first thrown into the shade Of
the olive?
Stallings is more than passing conf
dent that he has Just such a machine
a machine that will predominant next
season Just as II predominated from
July OF this last year after it obtained
its proper. physical condition and its
morale.
we discussed this point with Stallings
after the recent series, and 1t was his
belief that the Braves would be I'M
beatable again next year.
We have already proved" he said,
that we had no joke club, but one
of the best that ever played. And most
Of my men are young-younger tnan
any other championship club on record.
Bill James Is only twenty-five. Rudolph
is but twenty-five: tyler is but twenty
three: Gowdy is but twenty-four;
Schmidt is under twenty-five, and Ma
ranville is only twenty-five. Evers is a
veteran, but Johnny has shown that he
is still far from has-been company.
My outfielders are all young, averag-
ing under twenty-five. In addition to
all this, have two grand young pitch
ers-Davfs and Strand-coming on to
Join the Big Three, and by next spring
they Will be as much improved as
James was this year over last. l have
club that should be much better next
year than 1t was this last season.
club fully protected now against acct
dent or hard luck. And from JULY of
last season, when my club was at the
last rearranged and nodded. we played
at $50 clip. Suppose next year we
drop 100 points to $50 clip? What club
awhile at the top, and next october We
VIII be out there protecting our world
series title as we'll as the Mackmen pro-
tected theirs until they bumped into the
bu.2 saw"
No. a-McGraw.
McGraw has a tougher problem ahead
than any other manager in the game.
Almost his entire lineup slumped this
year. and 1t will be a rasping Job for
him TO tell which men were merely in
an of-year break and which were Slip
to
reckoning bush. 1t Is possible that the
Giants are through now for some time
as champion-just as the Tigers fin
lshed after their three-year run up to
1910 II Is also possible that they merely
mad a one-year slip. as the Cubs had
The Cubs won in 1906, 1907. 1908 and were
beaten in 1909, only to come back in
1910
The Mackmen won in 1910. 1911, lost
In 1912 and came back 4 '3 AMI 1914
1t may be that the Giants, bolstered
up here and there, with Mathewson
Marquard. Tesreau. and Demaree in 1919
form and with others added, may dis
cover the difference between getting $500
In city series and 5000 in q world Sc
ries and swing back with their old-time
rush The Braves are great fighters,
Out IL is just as well to remember too
that the Giants did some fighting on
their own hook for three years in q row.
Through July. August, and Septem-
Der the Braves looked better than the
Giants in almost every position-in at
least eight Of nine places-and this will
be a big handicap for McGraw to over
come.
McGraw and Stallings are much of the
same type-both are fighters to the last
notch-and the battle between these two
next year should round out a season re-
plete with thrills and surprising in in
terest Of the gripping type, 1t all de-
ponds on how many Of McGraw's stars
come back and how many good young
sters he can find in carn
No. &C. Mack.
Mack has a job no less robust than
McGraw. His great machine has at last
discovered that it is vulnerable and can
be stopped with a thud. The Boston
Red Sox first proved this late in thesum-
mer by beating it nine straight games.
The Braves added further proof by four
defeats in row. The two Boston clubs,
between them, rang up thirteen .tsraig!t
victories OF the Mackman and the clue
capable of dropping thirteen straight
to brace of rivals isn't the club Of old
Mackian days.
Mack still has a great club. but by
SLIPPING, and in 1915 it should be ever
farther on its way back to the fold
You will see" said Ty Cobb that
while the Mackmen stin look good,
many of their stars will be receiving
injuries next year where they have es-
capped before. You'll find part Of that
iniIeld out here and there at critical
times The clubs fiber won't be as
tough as 1t was. and some of the
will be gone. 1t won't be
the same machine"
Just as McGraw has to fear a Boston
manager, so will Mack. If the Red Sox
draw any sort of leadership next spring
and develop any part of team morale
and fighting spirit they should be
favorites. They have a fine catching
stat and a bunch of pitchers beyond a
dream. Look at the array
that will be ready-Joe Wood Vean
Gregg, Ray Collins. Foster and Leonard
at least five stars and at least three
of the five are under twenty-four.
The infield. If Hoblitzel continues bat
ting. with Scott playing so well at short
Is above the average. And the outfield
Is still a fine outfield with Iris Speaker
leading both attack and defense.
If the Red Sox can develop 30 per
cent as much aggressiveness and team
play as the Braves they will be almost
unbeatable. And unless McGraw and
Mack can swing back to their old wiz
ardry-Boston will have a world cham