New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-03
Three Homers In Collec-
ton Gathered from
Twirlers of Houston.
LARRY DOYLE PUTS
BALL OVER FENCE
Texas Leaguers Able to Score
Only Once On Pitching OF
Tesreau and Schauer.
RY HEYWOOD BROUN.

Houston, Tex, April 2.-There 10 no
longer any reason for undue modera-
tion or mock modesty. The prediction
can be made freely that tho Giants
would be sure of the pennant were
they members of the Texas League.
Destiny has committed the pitchers
Of this organization to furnishing bat
ting practice for McGraw's hitters and
the outfelders here are pre-ordalned
to retrieve home runs, triples and dou-
bles driven by alien bats from New
York. Some time ago Houston defeat
ed the Giants, shut them out. In TACT
and the incident has ever been fresh
In the minds of the citizens OF this
thriving metropolis.
Memory wabbed this afternoon and
history was all but discredited, for the
Giants won as they pleased by. score
of 10 TO /. and made comparison pc
tween themselves and the minor
leaguers not merely odious but we'll
nigh impossible.
McGraw's men have succeeded IN
stsndardizing their game. Seventeen
hits is the number which the team mas
agreed upon as the fitting demonstra-
ton Of offensive strength. This was
frat established In Dallas last Satur-
day. On Sunday, through some mis-
understanding or other, only sixteen
safe drives were made. The mistake
was rectifed at Corsicsns on Monday,
and the seventeen schedule was again
maintained to-day.
Like all ball players, the Giants are
superstitious, and they have come, to
regard seventeen as lucky number.
They believe that II they can make
seventeen hits in each game Of the
National League season they will win
the pennant.
With Standardization comes eff
cheney, and the Giants have decided
that the home run is the most useful
weapon of offensive warfare. They
have agreed, therefore, TO make use of
several in each contest. Three were
employed this afternoon. OF these
the longest was Doyle's.
This was full wooden shot. which
sailed above the right field fence. Pos
sibly IL was not the longest hit ever
seen on the grounds, but it must be
clagsed among those mysterious fence
clearing smashes which 60 to bourne
from which no baseball returns.
Harry Smith made the second home
run. II appeared as if he used a cleek
and half-toppe, his shot. At any rate,
the second baseman got a hand on the
drive. but the ball sped on, leaving the
hand behind. An outfielder clutched at
the flying sphere, but 1t simply per-
formed a Mahan wriggle and tore out
OF his grasp 20 complete its journey TO
the fence.
Merkle, the scientist Of the team. ex-
pended less effort than either Doyle or
Smith in achieving his four base jour
ney. As in all his hitting this spring,
he used the golf swing. 1t was the
short, firm stroke of a half mashle.
There was a bit Of slice on the ball.
purposeful, of course, and when, the
sphere took its consequent KICK 1t
bounded into the bleachers.
Hans Lobert made no LONE runs, but
he deserves mention in larger type
than the agate of the box score. lie
singled twice and tripled once. Smith
fanked his home run with singles:
Pat Newman sent Glenn, one Of his
best right-han<ers, against the Giants:
Earlier this spring the pitcher defeated
both the Cardinals and the Browns. In
fact, Houston has had marked success