New Britain herald., 1915-10-04
The World Series Roundup. . No. i. The Batteries.

NO. \. IhC DdCtSaACS' You understand, of course, what the Dope is. It has nothing to do with what will be-but merely what should be--if the game runs true to form, which it seldom does in these par lous, hectic times.
 The best contender in any brief championship test-basebal, golf, lawn tennis or what you Will-doesnt always win.
 There are certain brief periods through the year when all stars are we'll off form--and these slumps may arrive at championship moments. There are certain weeks when Cobb can't hit-when Johnson can't pitch -evhen Ouimet cant putt-When - Mclaughlin can't smash.
 But the Dope can take no cogniz- Rnce of slumps or warped mental at titudes for any one day of the week.
 It can only point what should be if true form prevails. It is upon this basis that we attempt to devise our twelfth world series roundup, hewing to the line and letting the slips fall where they may.
 Ten Years Ago.
 Tn taking up comparative pitching for this forthcoming series the Dope drifts back for ten-year jaunt over the eternal highway of Time.
 Ten years ago this October day dis i. cussian in polite baseball circles was : rife over the prospects of the Giants and Athletics; and most of this dis cussion was built around the chance a certain young Giant star had of checking Mack's sluggers.
 This star was about the same sort of pitcher then that Alexander is now only trife more so.
 He was about the same age-the same height-the same build-with the same great arm and the same iron heasrt.
 Scribes and Pharisees and Fans wondered then-as they are wonder ing now-whether or not this Giant phenom could pitch three games-and how he would fare if he did. The answer was three shut-outs, delivered upon alternate days. His name was Chfisty Mathewson-the greatest pitcher that ever walked upon field.
 We have seen some pretty good pitching here and there-some of the Lest stuff ever flashed from the arms of Ed Walsh, Miner Brown, Addie Joss, Rube Waddell, Walter Johnson and Grover Cleveland Alexander-but we never expect to see again three hall games pitched as MatheWson Iitched those three shut-outs ten years ago-when the game Was still young for him, before Doc Time had started beckoning-before the old rubberin shoulder, elbow and wrist had begun to wear out.
 }. Alexander and Mathewson.
 Alexander today stands in many ways where Mathewson stood ten years ago. He is the one great pitcher of his era-just as Matty was. Upon him must fall the burden of three games. He is one of the great pitchers of all time, with an arm of, steel, with a keen brain and the heart of an OK. He is the unpara-. goned paladin of those who pitch. But the job he has before him is an even harder one than Mathewson faced back in the musty relms of 1905. .ts.s a
 For Mathewson, by shutting out the Mackmen for nine innings, could win And Mathewson had a McGinnity to help him. t
 Outlining the Wherefores.
 You may not quite make us when We Say that Mathewson could win by shutting out the Mackmen for nine innings. .e...
 Here is the answer: Before in vading Boston for the last vital series Hugh Jennings made this statement: "Coveleskie will beat Boston sure. They can't hit him with a shotgun. He'll stop them with thud.''
 Hughey was partly right. The Red Sox couldn't hit the big Pole with a gatling gun. He stopped them with thud. He shut them out for eleven innings. But he didn't win. He was beaten in the twelfth or thirteenth round be- cause he was facing the greatest de- fensive club in baseball; because he needed one lone, solitary tally to win; and his mates-not even backed up with the smashing power of Cobb, Crawford and Veach-were strong enough to get this run.
 The Giants in 1905 got three runs for Mathewson in the first game, nine runs in the second game and three sfuns in the third
 But the Phillies are likely to find run making as difficult an art against shore, Foster, Leonard or Ruth, backed up by the Red Sox defense, as the Red Sox are sure to find it against Alexander.
 Alexander at his best needs run or two to win, and runs in this series arc not going to be as thick as white daisies in summer field.