Omaha daily bee., 1915-08-08

on with the making OF
dope" II there were any
thing in Il the Omaha base
ball team, for example, would
be away out In front Of all the other
teams in the league, but 1t isn't And
why It isn't IL one of the mysteries of
the game. In 1O1 games played up till
Thursday OF last week, Omaha had made
912 hits for 1.246 bases, more hits than
any other team In the league. and for
almost as many extra bases as Denver,
which leads in this department No
team in either OF the major leagues has
averaged as many hits per game as
Omaha. In addition to averaging nine
hits TO the game, Omaha has drawn 26S
bases on balls, or nearly three to the
game. This means that in i0l games,
1.175 Omaha runners have reached first
base by either hits or bases on balls
OF these 4Sl reached the nome plate,
leaving 694 stranged on the paths. That
tells the story In itself. These figures
do not take into account the runners
who were safe on errors of the oppon-
ents, or who reached first by reason of
being hit by pitched balls, but just
thoBe who got on by virtue of batting
ability. In these games Omaha's oppon-
ents made s57 hits or fifty-five fewer
than Omaha, and "A runs, just thirty
seven fewer than Omaha, yet these ex-
ira hits and runs are lost in the stand
ing table, for Omaha is far below the
teams II has defeated in the aggregate
The Omaha pitchers have given oppon-
ents Isl walks and have hit thirty-four
opposing batsmen. Just one conclusion
can be drawn from this. and that is the
Omaha team is weak on base running
and on hitting when hits are needed.
team that can average twelve hits and
almost five runs to the game ought to
win a pennant in any league, but It
seems it can't
Booster day was a long way from
being the success It should, and we are
10th to consider II a gauge OF Omahas
interest In base ball. 1t wns affected
by threatening weather and interest
was divided between the ball game and
the horse races. and 30 the crowd split.
With only one or the other attraction a
good attendance might have been had
at either. However. the thing is over,
and not even the coroner can get any
satisfaction out OF a post norton. Let
us try again today and go out to the
grounds and give Denver a royal send
off for the last time this season. The
Grizzlies are putting up a scrappy fight
TO hold first place. and You'll be we'll
assured Of q ball game. barring a rain
storm.
Let US call your attention to the work
young Mr.. Blodgett is doing in the
,.,,Ia I,.fN 49, Izl ,SNa -.
supposed to be wild, and especially I'M
seasoned left-handers. But Mr.. Blodgett
is surely an exception. He has shot 'em
over for thirty-four games, and In that
time has allowed but thirty-three walks
less than one to a game. In the 2e7
innings he pitched in these thirty-four
games. he has been hit safely but 1872
times, much less than hit to an inning,
and he has hit but five batsmen. If the
rest Of the team had kept its record up
TO Blodgett's thered be a different story
to tell
Some talk is heard of hard luck games,
in which a pitcher held his opponents 10
no hits and yet run was scored on him.
Twice In Omaha a pitcher has held his
opponents to no hits and lost the game.
In 1890 Jimmy Martin for Omaha held
Des Moines without a sign OF hit for
nine innings and his team mates kicked
in enough runs to lose. In 1902 Norman
Gibson. pitching for Kansas City, held
Omaha hitless. and only one error was
made behind him. but the game went to
Omaha, 3 to 2, which will about stand as
record for hard luck games.
That Nebraska money certainly must
look good. the way the wrestlers are try
ing to get a bit of It. But they'll find
that Joe stecher is a wary bird as we'll as
a game. and when the match is made It
will be too much on the level to suit many
of the harpies OF the mat. II they meet
Joe they must wrestle on the square.
Pitcher Hall OF Topeka Is right up there
at the top of the list OF Western league
pitchers. He has pitched one game. nine
innings, was hit safely fourteen times,
hit three batsmen and gave six walks
but won his game. One guess as to the
opposing team Omaha? Somebody told
you.
The match between Mike Gibbons and
Facky Mcfarland will be one of the most
important meetings In a long time The
men are well matched are veterans I'm
the game and among the cleverest In the
history OF the ring. The winner will have
an undisputed title in his class.
II Chicago allows Jack Curley TO stage
another wrestling match Il will be her
own fault stecher Is showing his good
sense by keeping out OF that mess.
Here's hoping Lee Tannehil will help
stop that gap AT short; Il has been the
hole through which many a game has
slipped from Omahas grip.