The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-02-26
BASEBALL STARS
ARE FADING FAST
Heroes Of BygOn0 Days Rapidly
Falling by WaySide.
WALLACE IS ABOUT DONE.
St. Louis Browns Veteran Infielder,
Oldest From Point of Service, Will
Be Forced to ouit-Hans Wagner
Observation-Disclosures on the skids.


In spite of the fact that not many
old time favorites passed out of the
big leagues last season, as many of the
old boys found a haven of rest in the
Federal league, yet 1914 may long be
remembered as the year in which some
Of the greatest stars in the baseball
ornament began to fade from the spot
light.
Before proceeding any further we
will say that the Federal league is
major league according to Jim Gil
more and Hi Brewer and q minor
league according to John Foster or
Ban Johnson.
one of the saddest events in the sad
year Of 1914 was the double flop Of
Hans Wagner and Larry Lajoie from
the top row of the sons OF swats to the
mediocre division, lowering around the
$50 mark.
They look to Larry TO fill that Eddie
Collins hole in the Mackian infeld, and
the big Frenchman is expected to
punch the leather III his old 300 style
next season, but it is doubtful if it can
be done When n player Of Lajoie's
ability drops 10 .256 average it is not
because of his tail end surroundings.
Larry will be forty next season, and
Wagner forty-One.
The real veteran of the pastime,
Rhody Wallace, perhaps played his
last major league game in 1914. Rhody
Wallace of the Browns started in the
IL InP I tot
two before Wagner. His first engage
ment was as u pitcher with the old
Cleveland Nationals in 1895, SO last
season the ancient Scot completed his
twentieth year under the big tent. Rod
erick hit .219 in twenty+six games, an
injury preventing him from taking
part in more.
Perhaps some folks may include the
wonderful pitching pair, Bender and
Plank, as old timers who passed over
their former laurels last season, but
many cannot agree with them. The
latest official guide shows that Chief
Bender's pitching percentage OF 1914
has only been surpassed twice in the
fifteen years of the American leagues
history.
q the Ban Johnson league are Wood,
Boston, 1912, ST.: Donovan, Detroit,
1907, .sG2; Bender, Athletics, 1914,
$50. Despite the Indians lambastingS
I'm his one worlds series game, he must
still have something to win $50 pei
cent Of his games and run off a string
Of fifteen straight victories.
AS to Plank, he also won well over
two-thirds of his games last season
and the worlds series game, in which
Bill James defeated him ! to 0 in the
ninth inning, was one of the greatest
pitching feats Of his long and honor
able career.
one of the pitching wizards of base
BAH who may have completed his ca
reer last season, though we hope not
Is 6. Napoleon fucker of the Brooklyn
Superbas. Maps arm was in Yer!
bad shape for most of last season, ant
his many friends are dubious whethe
lie can ever come back. 1t would b.
one of the saddcst careers of baseball
should Il pitcher of Fuckers abilit
close his career without ever havin
played on first division team
And Charlie HerZog says there is n
luck i'm baseball. Once upon a tim
Connie Mack had a chance to choose
pitcher from the Augusta South Altar
tic league club His choice rested bt
tween Rucker and Holmes, and Comm
selected Holmes.
Perhaps no club had as many We
Grams who started to skid back all 8
the same time as the Giants had
put up with last season. A full ha
dozen of McGraw's stalwarts-in fac
the nucleus of the club-all started
skid together. The list included til
entire Big NJ Observation-Disclosures
Marquard, Merkle, Meyers and Mu
ray, as well az Larry Doyle.
Matty did his share early in the Sc
son. but he could not hold the club I
aided only by Tesreau, and his ware
were far from hit proof in the latt
part Of the season. From leading Il
National league pitchers in eficien'
In 1913 with 2.06 runs game, Mat
fell far down the line to three earnt
runs a game, showing that he fell {
one-third in his pitching efficiency.
Matty, however, won a big perceI
age OF his games, which Vanguard
not. Meyers slowed up in catchil
and hitting, though he finished wi
the fair average OF .2s6. Merkle, MI
ray and Doyle all had big slumps
batting and Doyle in fielding as we
Though never a fearful slugger, MI
ray toppled in batting to .223, which
his big league low water mark
And then there is dear old MID
Donlin. We almost overlooked hi
iIique could only compile an avera
~ 49, which could no longer Ike
him in the league. George Wiltse a
finished his worthy big league care
last season, though Hooks had j.
been holding on for some time. Ano
or famous old timer who will be miss
Is Germany Schaefer, who was pas.
up by Clark Griffith, while Mike \
chell is another old war horse VIII
big league days have ended.