Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-29
POWERFUL PITCHING STAFF
MAKES 1T DANGEROUS IN NATIONAL RACE
Reds Must Improve in
Base Run in G and
Strengthen at Second
Base

they apparently have but little chance.
1t will be a wonderful staff II Herzog
works his men properly, and one that
makes the Reds mighty dangerous.
There are only two stars on the Red
land team as it will line up. They are
Manager Herzog and Heinie Groh, recog-
nized as the best shortstop and best third
baseman, respectively, in the National
League. There Is not another man on
the team who is above the average, and
It is well for seven other clubs that they
are not with such a powerful pitching
staff but, barring Wade Killefer, all are
ball players who are certain to improve,
and Killefer should be just as good as in
1915.
A second baseman must he found or
game after game will be tossed away, as
was the case last year. Manager Herzog
has three candidates for the position, but
is after another, a Phladelphian. Bill
Rodgers who was with the team the last
half Of 1915; Bill Louden, purchased from
the Feds, and a youngster named Carl
Emmer, from the semipro ranks Of Co
lumbus, are the prospective candidates
for the position, but none of them looks
strong enough.
Manager Herzog is trying to sign Allie
McWilliams, known to Philadelphians as
the greatest basketball guard in the East,
but of whose baseball ability little is
known. If Mcwilliams signs the con-
tract offered him he has a splendid chance
TO make good, as he is a far better ball
player than is generally believed
McWilliams played with Upland, of the
Delaware County League, and Frank
Baker declares that he is as good as many
in the major leagues in fielding, and does
not bar his old teammate Eddie Collins.
McWilliaNns could not hit in the Delaware
County League and naturally did not at
tract much attention but he should de-
velop into at least $50 major league
hitter which would prove highly satisfac-
tory to Herzog.
Should Hit
Lack of batting practice, due to busi-
ness position which prevents him from
practicing daily, was responsible for Nc
Williams failure to hit at Upland. He
steps into the ball we'll and swings very
good. One month in the South with expert
enced Clubbers teaching him. should en-
able McWilliams to win a regular posi-
ton or at least easily clinch a utility
berth.
One outfielder was badly needed by the
Reds last season to team with Tom Grif
fifth and Killefer. Herzog has picked up
three promising men in Beall, of Milwau-
kee; Neale, of Wheeling, and George An
derson, of the Brooklyn Feds. One excel
lent gardener can be selected from this
trio unless all suddenly go to pieces
Beall hit 1874 and stole SO bases in the
American Association; Neale batted 1851
and pilfered AZ bases in the Central
League, while Anderson hit .259 and stole
10 times in the Federal League. The lat
ter improved greatly in all departments in
the closing weeks of the season.
Lack of base-running ability was han
dicap to the Reds last season but HerZog
believes that there will be n great i'm
provement this year. Herzog and Mollwitz
were the only men on the team who ran
bases we'll last year. A striking example of
poor base running is shown in the case of
Griffith. He hit 1907 and was continually
on the bases but stole only six bases. This
is unusual because Griffith is a fast man.
He was never taught to slide or instructed
in the art of getting a lead off first until
last year, and will surely improve greatly
this year.