Evening journal., 1915-05-24
alexander never
With FLAG WINNER
Yet Phillies' Star Twirler
Has Splendid Record Since
Joining Majors
ALWAYS AHEAD
OF THE CLUB

combination, but nearly every club |
he has been with would have won the /
gonfalon had the other hurlers done |
as well as he did for his teams cause !
Aleck the Great may be called the ad-
vance agent of the Box Brigade as he
always is ahead of his club. In 1909
for example, when Aleck was with the
Galesburg illinois Missouri League)
team, his club had a percentage of
victories of 1867 and he had a winning
record of .625-a difference of mere
ly .2S5.
The Nebraskan never has piled up
such a wide difference between his
clubs record and his own since then,
but year after year he goes along
beating his teams average. His per-
centage of wins this year is now far
superior to the Phillies' average of
victories. When Alexander was with
Syracuse, in 1910. he pitched an .O97
better brand of ball than his team
played-and yet almost all the big
league scouts passed him up, because
IL was said that he had a sore arm.
He did have a sore arm that year, or
else he never would have been with
Syracuse. At the start of the cam
working with Charlie Carr in Indian
apolis, and his wing was in such shape
that Charlie gave up hoping that ii
would come round and tried to make
an outfielder of him. AS suburban
ite Alexander was as much of a frost
as when Alfonso Gefty) Davis was
one of the Yankees meadowmen, or as
was c. Branch Hickey, who did duty
fo1r
Griffith on the old Hilltop lot Soon
the future Philly pitching star was on
his way to the Salt City, where he
fingered just one year. and where, as
before narrated, he pitched ahead OF
his team.
Still Has Minor League Habit.
When Alexander got into the National
League he brought with him his minor
league habit of pitching ahead of his
club. In 1911 the phillies played at a
.520 gait and Alexander pitched at .6S3
speed The next year the Nebraskan's
record was .O4S better than his clubs
the figures being .52S and .4SO
In 1918 Aleck, dubbed the Great by
James c. Isaminger, of the Philadelphia
North American, soon after he reached
Quakerdom, hurled $50 points better
being .I33 and 5S3.
Last year the phils meandered along
at a .4sl gait and Alexander cam,
through with a record If .643. differ
ence in the pitchers favor of .ls2
Goodness knows how far Alexander viii
better his teams record in 1915 if n,
continues going along as he is now. In
his six seasons of professional ball th,
Il L. +
900 more points better than the teams
he has been with. The exact figure il
.925.
Alexander. in 1914, and also the yeal
before, worked under bonus contract
Whether he is doing so this year only
he and tho Philadelphia club officials
can tell-and they probably won't
PreXy Tener, of the National League
considers Alexander a great person IL
other ways than simply as a pitcher
Tom Lynch's successor SAYS the Nebras
kan is always interested in things that
count. that without wishing TO appear
inquisitive Aleck wishes to. know what
is going ON, and that he is distinct
and positive credit to the national obscs
sion, and one whose example it woul,
be good for other able athletics to pat
tern by.
Alexander is no kicker and works on
Of his turn without murmuring. .Tw,
Of his hest pitched games in the minor,
came close together. On July 22. 1909
St Paul, Nebraska's best known son
pitching for Galesburg, abated the Can
tons without hit or run. this contest re-
sultine 2 to o. Three days later Alecl
was showed in against Macomb. and th,
victiry was his on the basis of to q
but not until he had traversed a stretcl
of Is innings and whitfield 10 men.
After Giants and Cubs.
Alexander started the present cam
paign owing two teams-Giants and
Cubs some beatings In his first four
years in the National the Quaker won
eight games from New York and
dropped nine. The Cubs have even a
better edge on him, for from 1911 tc
1914, inclusive. they licked him II
times and they were conquered by
him on occasions. The other five
teams haven't any chance to ever
their scores with Alexander until ht
hits the Road to Yesterday with tire.
mendous speed
Aleck, against the Reds, for ex.
ample, owns a four-year notch ol
500. In the last two seasons the
Rhinelanders have dealt hsm only one
defeat and he has handed them {
dozen trouncings. His record agains
Cincinnati is 20 wins and 5 losses
a regular Mathewson performance
The best the Ohioans did against hin
was in 1912. when they got an ever
break out of half a dozen con.
troversies.
The Pirates showing against Alex
ander is victories and IA reverses
They managed to beat him twice las
year Che worked against them onl,
three times) but in the other thre,
seasons they were decidedly easy fol
him. In 1911. for eample. Aleck
riehtfully resenting some undeservec
criticism from Smoky City source
went against the Corsairs five time.
and on each occasion downed them
In 1912 his REGARD was four win.
out of six tries and in 1913 foui
triumphs out of five attempts. Drev,
fuss was tipped off wrongly as re,
CARDS Alexander when he made ths
entry in his celebrated dope booI
about the pitcher
Alexander has treated the Cardi
nails and the Braves exactly alike a,
regards percentages OF victories. bu
he has registered two more wins ovel
the Westerners than over the East
erners. The Boston team, in il,
games against the Quaker star. sue
cumbed IL times and made hin
knuckle under on seven occasions. I