Evening star., 1914-12-21

BOSTON, December c1.-Immediately
after the world series the base Dali
fans throughout the country, recover
ing from the shock of the Athletics
defeat, began trying to dope out why
the famous Mack machine should be
SO completely out classed and made to
look like a "bush-lea que aggregation.
Hundreds Of reasons have been ad-
vanced. many suspicious voiced, and 1t
was even limited that the Athletics
signs were all known 70 the Braves,
while the Mackmen were fooled COM
pletely by trying to play from the
Braves signs The latter was unques-
tionabl!- the truth, but the former was
not taken seriously, as il was argued
that the Athletics were too smart a
club to be caught mapping for more
than one game.
The manager of a National League
club has come forth with the statement
that the Braves knew every bail that
was pitched by the Athletics pitchers
with the exception of Eddie Plank, and
that Catcher Wally Schang uncon-
sciously tipped the Braves on TO what
was coming.
Authority Dodges Publicity.
The managers name is withheld be-
cause he did not believe the publicity
given him would do him any good, but
he is willing to prove his statement to
the satisfaction of all. He says that
Schang has never been able to break
himself of the habit of setting himself
about six inches further TO the right
after signaling for u curve ball il d
right-handed pitcher is working, and
that Staliiugs. having picked up and
developed Schang, noticed TINS weak
ness in Buffalo.
According to this managers state
ment. a Philly catcher noticed the same
thing about Schang and reminded Stall
ings of it. Stallings recalled that he
had once had considerable trouble with
Mitchell. Stallings' first assistant. who
also caught for Buffalo with Schans.
was sent to look the Mackmen over
along with Dick Rudolph. and reported
that Schang still had this weakness
despite the fact that it was not SO
noticeable.
With d left-hander pitching the curve
ball is not breaking outside the plate
and on the bare hand, and SchanS does
not move his feet after giving the sign.
Stallings Tipped coachers.
knowing this weakness of Schang,
Manager Stallings is said to have
taken Rudolph, James, Evers, DeVore
and Mitchell into his confidence, and
these men were the only ones allowed
on the coaching lines to use the sig
nal code.
During the entire series Mitchell did
nor miss an inning at the third base
coaching line, while James, Rudolph.
Eyers and Devore took turns on the
first base line. The men on the lines
watched schangs feet after he gave
the signs to the pitcher, and it is
claimed that he stepped out almost IL
foot when a curve ball was coming,
in order to be in position to be square
lv in front Of the ball after it broke.
This made. it an easy matter for the
coacher to- tip the batsman what was
coming up by some word or sign. as
Schang stood straight behind the cen
ter of the plate when he signaled for
a fast ball. This may also account
for the statement issued by Manager
Stallings before the series started that
he had something up his sleeve ana
that he would fool Connie Mack at his
own game 1t is also strengthened in
the fact that Wyckoff, recruit. made
balls with Lapp catching him after
Schans and Bender had been removed
from the first game.
Mack Doubts the Story.
When told of this, Manager Mach
said that he did not think it likely |
that the scheme had been worked. He
said that almost all catchers move out
for a curve ball, but do not start to
shift the feet until the ball is on its
way TO the plate. Connie says that