Evening journal., 1915-06-17
south PAWS ARE
ON ROCKY ROADS
Nearly All Big Scores Made
Against Left Handlers
These Years
RED SOX ARE
HIT THE HARDEST

N their journey. Nearly all the big
run totals and the hitting records, Of
The year in the two big leagues, have
been made against left handlers, to
gay nothing of long strings Of bases
sn balls interspersed with wild pitch
ss and hit hatsmen. II Is possible of
course that the port wings will lose
some of their kinks after a protracted
spell OF good old fashioned hot wea-
.her But if Mr.. Southpaw as a whole
is TO break even with his normal
sided brethren during the season he
will have to get a move on him pret-
" soon.
Several teams with pennant aspira-
lions based much Of their hopes
when the, campaign began on expected
sensational work on the part of their
leading left handlers. The most not
able casei of this kind Is the Boston
Red Sox. Picked all over the circuit
Is the probable pennant winner, some
ldmirers even laying odds on them
against the field. the Red Sox counted
On sensational pitching on the part
Of Dutch Leonard. who led the Amer
lean Leagues southpaws last year,
and Yean Gregg. Cleveland star of a
,ew years back. who appeared due
for another first rate year.
Gregg has been an utter failure thus
far. Manager Bill Carrigan has not
even given regular turn in the
box. Leopard's case has cooked up
the scandal Of the season. According
70 the manager and President Joe
Lannin. owner of the club. Leonard
las refused to obey training rules
and keep IN condition. His recent
suspension brought forth charges of
Internal dissension in the team. Re
yardless of the dissension. suspicion
md disobedience of training rules,
however, it is sufficient to say that
leonard has been practically worth
less so far, whereas he was counted
IN to win probably more games than
any other man on the staff. Babe
Ruth, still another Red SoX southpaw,
found it impossible to strike a win
ming gait until his return from tho
irst western trip. and his entire re-
turn thus far embraces about three
times as many defeats as victories.
Ray Collins also has been about use
Jess.
The one biggest disappointment of
the champions Boston Braves is George
Tyler. This tall left handler, who
ranked right with Dick Rudolph and
Bill James when the big trio swept
through the National League last sea
son, has been worse than Indifferent
In his showing this year If he should
fail to round back into his 1914 form
the Braves will have a mighty tough
time repeating.
The Brooklyn Dodgers, a team al
great potential strength. the heaviest
hitting outfit in the universe. will gC
no higher than last year unless its two
leading left handlers come through
The come back of Jack Coombs, vet
Gran of the Athletics, has been a
windfall for the team. as also has beer
the uncovering of a sensational in
Wheeler Deli Both these fellows
have been doing great mound work
and JEFF Pfeffer, the leading twirlel
OF the team last year. has begun tC
exhibit his former effectiveness. With
these three delivering as they now are
the Dodgers will become dangerous
pennant contenders II either one o.
their big left lhanders come through
Nap Rucl1er or Raleigh Aitchison. II
both come through, the Dodgers will
VIII tut Ndks tuO WHAT HdDDtHt
in the ranks Of the opposition.
Rucker, the greatest southpaw o.
them all a few years ago mas los
all of his old speed Even the aver
age high school pitcher can zip tn,
ball across faster than he can. Blu
Nap has considerable head on hi
shoulders, also considerable curv,
ball and considerable control. Usinl
The slowest kind of a fioater, he mad
the Giants look sick in the Afternoon
game of tho Decoration Day double
header. However, IL showed he ha,
II in him and some more Of the sami
stripe would mean much for the team
Aitchison has twirled first class bal
in about six innings of each game III
has started, but something always hal
occurred in the other three to maki
his days work wasted
Slim Salee and Hank Robinson o
the Cardinals are two more failure,
TO date Wilbur Cooper, of the Pitts
burgh Pirates and Earl Hamilton o
the Browns have been independa BILE
too. Hamilton was suspended foi
breaking training rules. Just as Leon
ard of the Red Sox was. He is rein
stated now and has shown an inclin
alton to return to his old capable win
ming ways, but thus far his figures
are by no fmeans impressive. Mack
Athletics had dismal enougl
outlook as IL was without count
ing on any breakdown of his mos
promising pitcher. Rube Bressler,
big boy who resembles Eddie Pianl
In motion. has done absolutely moth
ing thus far 10 justify the confidenc
reposed in him.
Rube Marquard, one of the oueeres
mixtures Of good and bad TO be foun,
anywhere, began his year with a no
hit game, and then Immediately sanl
into mediocrity or worse. He ha,
won a couple of games during III,
last few weeks i'm which the opnosi
tion got nearly ten runs off him. sim
ply being lucky enough to have In,
Giants hit still harder and get sill
more runs for him.
Only a few left handlers have bee,
delivering the goods as thew shonld
Rebel Russell Of the White Soy viii
be quite factor in his clubs sue
cess II he can keep on as az nresenf
and may even mean the difference be
tween Just a fair team and a IA,
winner. george Pierce and jim
Vaughan of the Cubs have gone aionl
in fine shape, and Manager Roge
Bresnahan can congratulate himsel
on being about the only man in III,
world that ihas two really good south
paws this year. Rube Benton hal
pitched a good came here and ther,
for Cincinnati. Harry Coveleski hal
been the bsg noise for the Detroit I'll
gers Joe ,Boehling's work for III,