Evening journal., 1914-12-18
BRAVES Bothered
BY flanders.
But After They Got Going
All Pitchers Looked
Alike
STALLTNGS' MEN
FOUND EN- SOFT

ROSTON. Dec. lS-Many baseball
writer's claim that Connie Mack showed
poor fnessing when he didn't send in
his left handlers to banie the batsmen
of the Boston Braves in the big series.
Nhv didn't he use them when he found
that Nlr. Plank had the men of Stallings
foilcd- that is, almost foiledY The
writer's based their claims from the fact
that the Braves, including Hank Gowdy,
were very weak against southpaw fling
crs. and that Messrs Plank and Pennock
had them al fused mp.
II is true that the Braves showed poor
form when facing lcft-handers from
the opening period until they began
their march through and over every
team-and not for a moment forgetting
Nh, NcGraw's Giants-in the National
League. In the first two months OF the
race the Braves faced southpaw pitch
ing in some 10 games, and only won
three of them This would indicate they
could not hit the southpawing of such
men as Marquard, Benton, Vaughn, Sal
ice. Cooper and Rucker.
The burling of Rubc Benton was os-
pecially hard for the Braves TO solve, II
they had TO face such pitching as Ben
ton served TO them two or three times a
week. there would have been no actors
from tho camp OF stallings this winter.
In the four games IN which Benton hurl-
cd against Boston they succeeded in
makiue l6 base hits of tho Cincinnati
left handler.
Tho batsmeu of Stallings were at bat
losa times during the entire season
arainst left handed pitching and made
g3l hits. batting average Of .2l2, which
IL about 10 points below their total ave
rage for the season. When the Bravea
bcqan their triumphant march pennant-
ward left handlers were swept out OF
their path with about az must gusto as
their right handed brethren. In fact
when baseball team goes into cham
ponship groove and ninping amuck, all
pitchers look alike
From about the middle Of July the
Braves faced portsiders in % of their
camcs. tasting defeat just eix times out
of tLis number. I'm the 40 games IN
which they dallicd with The curves oi
those troublesome chaps during tho en-
tire season the Braves won 10 and lost
IL games. one tie, and the balance
were decided by some right-hander.
Stallings' famous shift Of hi hack
field when facing the different sivlcs oi
hurlinc was a fine piece of fncssmg, al
the following figures will prove. lie hat
20 use Evers and Schmidt; both hit from
tho larboard side, and can't hit south
paving much better than old women
lohnnv hit 1888 against all left-hander
for the season Of 1914; his regular bat
, ting average is about .276. Schmid
WAS even worse. having an average o
.li5. Then Connolly dropped fe'
notches below. Evan Klucly' Schmid
with the neat average Of l33 Connol
Tvs regular average is about .3l7, II
fact the only 800 hitter the Braves car
boast of. II was lucky for Mr.. Connolly
that he worked under the Stallings' sys
tenn, for the "Big Chief allowed him t'
hat only Is times against the port siderl
of tho league
Gathers and Mann. the chaps wit
were called into service when "Rubc'
Marquard or any Of his illS were on th'
firing line proved beyond doubt that
they could swat the crooked and per
verse curves Of the Sons of Cibeah I,
The four winds Gathers normal bat
ting average is 2s4, but when ON Z
dict Of left-handed curves and shoots
he bangs tho pill at the rate of 800
Mann also loves TO toy with tho offer
ings OF those left-hsnded fellows, and HI
hits like a fend when facing them. Il
Tho 96 times he had the pleasure o
stepping TO the plate with a southpav
on the mound he raped the ball 2
times for safe drives, an average q
POI his regular gait is PAS against al
kinds of hurlers.