Evening journal., 1914-09-03
MACK HAS THE
PENNANT LASHED
Only Greatest Miracle Can
Prevent Athletics Annex
ing Another Flag
BOSTON CONTINUES
TO HAVE CHANCE
BY HAL SHERIDAN.
written for The United Press)

NEW YORK, Sept. 3.-With the
season but a little more than a month
to run, Connie Mack's wonderful ball
club-the Athletics-seem to have the
American League pennant lashed to
their mast. Only the greatest kind of
a miracle could prevent the Mackian
phalanx from annexing another flag.
The Athletics are so far ahead of
their nearest rivals that the fans
around the circuit have lost interest.
They are spending their time now
fguring what will oppose Macks
bunch in the big series this fall.
George Stallings' Braves of Boston
seem to be an almost unanimous
choice for the honor of meeting the
Athletics. The wonderful work of the
Beantown Club since July 1 has i'm
pressed all the critics around both
major loops and many are doping
! them to beat the Athletics If 1t falls to
them to defend the National League
in the big setto.
In view of this it might not
be amiss too scan the Boston
gang and see just exactly who's
I ""o' VI AouinNf Nut main NoH
in the Boston machine is Johnny
Evers, former Cub and rated as the
premier second sacker in the game
| Stallings gives Evers credit for the
1 great playing his club has been put
! ting up He declares that Evers has
| directed the work on the field like a
/ Napoleon and that his courage has
inspired every other member of the
team.
/ Evers' running mate in guarding The
/ keystone sack is Maranville, the small
est ball player in captivity. He is even
more OF a midget than Ownie Bush. the
diminutiye Tiger star With Evers
coaching him along, Maranyille's work
this season has been revelation. Pos
sessiug almost perfect mechanical abil.
ity. Maranville is fast developing into a
brainy player as well. and when he picks
up a few more finer points OF the ma
tional pastime he will be the leading
artist in the line Evers wakes nightly
enthusiastic over this youngster Hes
the greatest mechanical shortstop i'm the
game right now" Evers said recently.
"And it won't be long at the rate he is
developing until he will be as brainy
as any of them. You want to watch
his smoke when he reaches the top
Red" Smith erstwhile member OF the
Brooklyn club, is guarding the hard cor
ner-third basc-for the Braves. This
position had worried Stallings all year
until he landed Smith II had been one
of the weak points ON the team. Smith
filled the hole. Although not a finished
fielder he is more than making mp for
deficiency by the manner in which he
is larruping the horsehde. His hit
ting has played an important part in
many of the Braves victories.
Stallings fooled the wise ones around
the Tener circuit by keeping Schmidt on
first base. When the season opened
and it was seen Stallings was going to
depend on Schmidt to hold down first
base, the critics began to pan the Bos-
ton manager Schmidt wouldn't do, they
said. Schmidt fooled the wise ones and
proved the worth of Stallings' Judge
ment The big fellow has been playing
a remarkably good fielding game. He
was raw at the start of the season but
he improved noticeably every day and
il wasn't long until he took on a polish
that stamped him as better than the
ordinary. And he has been hitting a
good clip right along, being one OF The
most consistent clubbers on the team.
Gowdy, an ex-Giant is doing the
bulk of the catching for the Braves
b Whaling is his first assistant. With
the loss of Bill Rariden. who jumped O.
the Feds. it was predicted that tho
Boston catching staff would be weak
On the contrary IL has been proven
! strong all year. Gowdy has been driv
] Ia ..F hn
= runs.
Boston's pitching staff is already
J pretty well known as the result Of it'
J great work since July l. The stall
that is the sactive staff consists OF
J Tyler, southpaw, and Rudolph anC
James, right handlers These three have
. done practically all of the flinging foi
) the Beantown club. Stallngs has jug
: gled them along and despite the fac
. that they are ali small men, as pitch
= ers 90, they have never shown signs o.
=. weakening under the strain Besides
the star trio, Stallings has severa
classy Youngsters who look mighty
good. Cmtcher and Strand have bot
, taken part in several games and lool
! to have the makings Of stars.
The outtield is a well-balanced de
!. partment Devore, former Giant
Gather. former Card Whitted. Con
: molly. are most frequently in the line
up. Stallings uses many changes in hi
outfield, using left hand batters on tn
day right-hand pitchers are working
against his club. and rght-h hitter
when southpaws are working That hi
Judgment has been good is shown by tn
standing of the Braves in the percent
age column.