Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-17
RAIN PREVENTS
PILLS PLAYING
BOSTON BRAVES
First of Series Scheduled
for Tomorrow at Ma
tional League Park
STALLINGS CONFIDENT
BY CHANDLER D. RICHTER


the season between the Phllles and Braves,
scheduled for this afternoon, was post
poned on account of wet grounds Man
ayers Moran and Stallings were both anx-
ious to play. as neither is anxious to have
doubie-headers pile up for later in the sea.
SON. but after waiting until 2 o'clock In
hopes that the sun would come out and cry
the field, the two leaders decided that II
was impossible to stage the contest.
The two managers had just decided
that the game could not be played when
the sun came out The late hour of the
postponement and the shining sun at 2:t5
caused great crowd of fans to go to the
ball park, only to be disappointed.
The Braves arrived in this city this
morning keyed UP for the series. There
10 not player in Stallings large squad
who does not feel confident that the team
is going to win the pennant and they were
anxious to deal the Phillies crushing
blow right at the start or the season.
Two straight defeats at the hands of
the Phillies might cause the Braves to
skid badly and would surely take away
some of the confidence which is so mo-
ticeable at the present time. Stalltngs'
men are convinced that they will walk
away with the pennant, and this conf
dence may bring about their downfall.
A team suffering from overconndence is
worse off than one which lacks 1t. and
few defeats go a long way toward start
ing team in that condition on the down.
ward grade.
Alex to Pitch
AS usual, Alexander the Great will start
the series for the Phillies, and II is likely
y either Mayer or Rixey will pitch the last
game. Under ordinary circumstances
the latter is not as dependable as other
hurlers on Moran's staff, but against
the Braves the lanky Virginian is par
ticularly effective. Last season RiXey
won FIVE games from Boston and was
beaten only two. 1t is possible that he
will again be able ito throw his glove into
the box" and get away with Stalltngs'
team.
The first game will be n real test for
Alexander, and the Phllly star will have
to be in his 1915 form If he hopes to
win. He not only will face n harder hit
ting team, but will be opposed to Dick
Rudolph, star of the Boston stan Rudolph
is in wonderful form. The Mackmen who
batted against him in the worlds series,
and again this spring, declared that he
was in better form in March of this sea-
son than in October of 1914.
Several new faces will be seen with the
Braves, and few old ones will be there
with different uniforms. Elmer Knetzer,
the old Brooklyn pitcher. who has not been
seen in this city since the opening series
of 1913, is likely to pitch one OF the games
here. Knetzer jumped Brooklyn in the
early spring of 1913 for the Pittsburgh
Feds, being the first major league player
to cast his lot with the independent or
ganization.
Without Regular
Some of the new men are Wilhoit the
Vernon outfielder, who needs no introduc-
ton TO EVENING LEDGER readers ms he
was tipped off as a recruit certain to be
a regular before the season opened; Black
burn, Tragressor, Compton. Nehf and
Barnes. The last three named were with
the Braves when the team played its last
1 series here last fall.
Blackburn and Tragressor are catchers.
The former played with indianapolis, OF
the American Association, and unless we
are very much mistaken he will have
.yHank Gowdys first catching job before
the season closes. Blackburn is one of
j the cleverest and smoothest young
catchers who has broken into the Ma
tional League in quite while.
Incidentally, John EverS also will be
on hand TO receive his usual ''panning"
from the fans. Evers' health is better
4 and he seems to be on the threshold of
one of the greatest seasons in his long
career. We cannot recall ever seeing
Evers In better shape than this spring
He has played grand ball during the train
ing season and against the Dodgers in
the opening series of the championship
season
Nabors VS.. Caldwell
While the Phillies are entertaining the
Braves, the Athletics will meet Bill Dono-
vans reconstructed Highlanders. Frank
Baker is due to make his first appearance
against his old team mates, and, needless
20 say, there will be quite a battle. Mack's
best pitching assets will be given special
instructions on how to pitch to the home
run king while ]. Franklin Baker will be
extremely anxious to pole few drives
into the short rightfield stand, which he
I helped to make famous.
Jack Nabors is likely to do the hurting
for the Mackmen, while Ray Caldwell is
. the logical choice for the Yankees, though
It is possible that Manager Donovan will
give Bob Shawkey chance TO humble his
old team mates. Donovan is looking for
= soft series, but may be sadly disappoint-
ed, as the Athletics are improving rapidly,
The brilliant work of Lawton Witt in
his debut in Boston on Saturday was no
surprise, and the youngster probably has
Aclinched the position. Witt made a clean
1t; beat out another bounder; took two
ses on an infield out and helded brill
hntly Box scores sent out from Boston
some OF the local papers credited Witt
18th three errors, but this was a mistake
srhe youngster had Ave chances, three OF
szhieh were hard ones, and accepted them