Evening journal., 1915-02-01
GREAT
stars ARE FADING
Many Heroes of BygOne
Days Rapidly Falling
by the WaySide
RHODY ABOUT
READY TO END

IN spite OF tne tact 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 base
ball armament began to fade from the
! spotlight
Before proceeding any further, we
will say that the Federal League is
major league, according to Jim Gil
more and Hi Brewer and a 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 Laioie from
the top row of the sons of swats to the
mediocre division. lowering around
the $50 mark After batting 300 or
better for seventeen straight seasons.
Hans fell to 252. while Nap, with a
swat average of .342 for nineteen
years. fell off from 1886 in 1913, 10
.256 in 1914.
They look to Larry to FIJI that Eddie
\ Collins hole In the Mackan infeld. and
the big Frenchman is expected TO
punch the leather in his old 300 style
next season, but Shortstop doubts If Il
can be dose. When a player of the
Laioies ability drops to a .256 aver
age. il is not because of his tailend
surroundings. Larry will be 40 next
season, and Wagner Al, so it is doubt
full If either Of these former mighty
knights of swat will ever slam the old
pill again to a 800 tune.
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 big leagues year before La
ioie and two before Wagner His first
engagement was as a pitcher with the
old Cleveland Nationals I'm 1895. 81
last season the ancient Scot com
pleted his twentieth year under the
big tent. Rhoderick hit .2i9 in
twenty-siX games, an injury prevent
ing 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
> Shortstop cannot agree with them
= John Fosters latest efficient guide
J. shows that Chief Bender's pitching
+ percentage of 1914 has only been sur
passed twice in the fifteen years Oi
the American Leagues history.
The three best pitching percentage
in the Ban Johnson league are Wood,
Z Boston. 1912. .S72; Donovan, Detroit
: 1907. .S62 Bender. Athletics, 1915
$50. Despite the Indians lambast-
ing in his one worlds series game
D must still have something 20 win
$50 per cent Of his games. and run
p of a string Of fifteen straight vic
tories.
As 10 Plank. he also won we'll over
two-thirds OF his games last season,
and the Worlds Series game, in which
Bill James defeated him I TO o IN
the ninth inning. was one OF the
D greatest pitching feats Of his Ions
aud honorable career.
One OF the pitching wizards Of base
BAN who may have completed his
career last season. though We hop,
y not is c. Napoleon Rucker Of the
Brooklyn SupCrbas. Maps arm
= wac On very bad shape for most o
'p last season and his many friends ar'
n dubious whether he can ever come
1r back n would be one OF the sad
ii desf careers Of baseball should
pitcher Of Fuckers ability close BIZ
in career without every having playe'
lt on a first division team.
In And Charley Herzog says there u
be no luck In baseball. Once upon
a. time Connie Mack had a chance u
choose a pitcher from the Augusti
- South Atlantic League club. Hi
= choice rested between Rucker ant
ls, Holmes, and Cannie selected Holmes
AL Perhaps no club had as many vet
nd Grams who started to skid back all a
the same time as the Giants had 9
Sc put up with last season. A full hal
es dozen of McGraw's stalwarts. in fac
the nucleus OF the club. all started Z
u skid together. The list included IN
II entire Big N Mathew
m, son. Marquard. Merkle. Meyers an
NJ Murray, as well as Larry Doyle.
lm Matty did his share early in th
season, but he could not hold IN
ep club up aided only by Tesreau. an
pm his wares were far from hit-proof /
ngI the latter part of the season. FroI
leading the National League pitcher
q in efficiency in 1913 with 2.06 runs
IA game Matty fell far down the line
lc- three earned runs a game. shown
in Matty fell of one-third in his pitcl
ON ing efficiency.
art Matty. however, won a big percen
age OF his games, which Marquard d
iol- not Meyers slowed up in catchir
and hitting, though he finished wit
Pct. the fair average OF .2S6. Merkle. Mu
az ray and Doyle all had big slumps
ia batting and Doyle in fielding as we
- Though never a fearful slugger, Mu
.. ray toppled in batting to .223, whi'
-, is his big league low water mark.
~ And then there is dear old Mic
-545 Donlin. We almost overlooked hi
liz Mique could only compile an avera
. of IFS. which could no longer ke
him in the league. George Wilt
~ also finished his worthy big leag
Ils career last season. though Hooks h
- Just been holding on for some tin
nsa Another famous old-timer who "
,sia be missed is Germany Schaefer. W
sss. was passed up by Clark Griffith. VIII
SEQ Mike Mitchell is another old "
- horse whose big league days ha
Sx ended.