The sun., 1916-09-24
WORLDS SERIES
HERO FORECAST
RARELY RIGHT
Stars Very Frequently Fail
While Lesser Lights
Shine.
COBB's AVERAGE FOR
CLASSICS WAS POOR
~ sHoRTsT0P.

I
WHO wfl be tho hero Of the 1915
worlds series? viii Il b some bat
ting star like lack wheat. Jake Dau-
bert Duffy Lewis. or some pitching
prince like JeR Pfefer. Jack COMBS
Dutch Leonard Or Ernie Shore? Or will
II b. some lesser light like Ivan Olson.
Otto Miller. Everett Scott or Hal jan
win who will carry away the hcro's
crown?
There Is nothing so uncertain a 70
forecast how players will act when they
get into the big blue ribbon event. And
you Omit tell how the same player will
act In n succeeding series. Jack Muir
ray was the goat in the 1911 series,
vhen no failed to strike n blow. In
1919 he was. next to Herzog. McGraw's
most consistent clubber and one of The
heroes Of n lost cause.
Herzog did not hit much in 1911. but
ne bumped the Red Sox pitchers for an
average of 400 In the 1919 series. In
a913 Charley again was "A big disap-
sentiment. and made only one hit in
h five games with the Athletics. Artie
Fletcher was n sieve at shortstop In
1919. but played great ball against the
Athletics the Following year.
veterans starred C~onsistently.
Christy Mathewson. Frank Baker and
Eddie Plank are about the only players
who starred consistently through the
numerous series IN which they particle
pated, though. Bakers batting average
zell to ESQ in the 1914 series hetweeu
che Athletics and Braves. Chicf Bender,
Eddie Collins. Jack Barry and Ruhc
Ofdring all spoiled their great worlds
series records in hat Brave series. while
most of the old Cubs suffered when they
were crushed by the Athletics in 1910.
Johpny Evers. a hero in later series,
hit only $50 against the White SoN in
1905.
While II is true that frequently great
stars have fallen Hat in worlds series.
there il a. false impression :h1t :H.c !:
the rule rather than the exception.
There seems t. he an erroneous idc,
that 1t is tho regular thing for some
obscure player to reach tho !ottiest
heights OF worlds series fame. while
stars look on with envy.
Worlds series history will hardly bear
out such a contention. We recollect
only two cases in which obscure players
carried of the leading honors. In 1906
George Robe. Il rather veal. hi.iing
White Sox substitute iniieldor. licked
the Cubs with a flock of triples, and in
1914 Hank Gowdy OF the Braves. a bat
ter who has averaged around .:35 in
his big league career. hit everything
the Athletic pitchers could serve up.
| might include Babe Adams, the Pirate
. pitcher Of 1909. but Babe later proved
he was a real pitcher.
Cobb Failed TO Shine.
" Cobb fell down harder IN worlds
series warfare than any great star who
} ever participated in the big games. In
only one OF Tyrus's three series did he
maintain anything like his American
+ League batting form. That was In 1908,
when he hit .3s2. In 1907 he hit only q
bare 200, and In 1909 but .2Sl. II has
always been Ty's ambition TO get in an
other series, as he feels he could wlpe
out his past failures II given another op'
'~portunity.
Hans Wagner disappointed his friends
Is In 1908, but went strong against the
Tigers in 1909. While Speakers worE
was good In both 1912 and 1915 he wa.
collapsed BY Hooper in the Giant series
and by both Hooper and Lewis in th'
. Phiily series last fall.
Starting in 1908. the year OF the mrs.
clash between the pennant winners o.
the National and American leagues. th'
frat modern worlds series hero was Bill
D!neen. now umpiring in the American
League. Bill was the leading reason fol
tho Red Sox victory over the P.ratel
that year. as he pitched three OF the nv
Boston successes. Dineen lost one gam'
that fall. and two OF his victories wer'
to 0 shutouts. Bill put Plttsburg on
Of the running In the eighth game. whei
he won by the above score. Tn serie
chat year was to be a MINI game affair
and Boston won, five games to three.
A~-<x-S- D----vr.AY> u~~
IN 1904 Bill had no chance to try hi
skin on the Giants, as the New Yorl
dub refused to play Boston because the
alleged the American League was a mi
nor league. This was a very treason
able" argument. inasnuch as the Re
9ox were the worlds champions.
In 1908 Mathewson won n niche !
She worlds series Hall OF Fame while
ne may never have 10 divide with ar
other picher. 1t Is doubtful IL Matty'
pitching In 1905 viii ever be ~equalled b
another twirler. 1t surely canot be SUI
passed.
In one week. starting with a Monda
and finishing on a Friday. big 81
blanked the Athletics. the America
League champions. for twenty-seven ir
ntngs, with fourteen hits. Matty wo
the first game from Plank. 3 TO o: tn
third from Andy Coakley. Q to 0. nm
the NTH and last game from Chic
Bender. . to 0.
II has been said in Philadelphia thf
alexander should be called tho creates
pitcher Of all time because no ha
pitched fifteen shutouts this seaso'
Mntty pitched fifteen in 1905. includir
the three against the Athletics. Eve
Jack Coombs pitched thirteen In 1911
AZ the opposition In tho National Lengu
has been very soft this year Growers AZ
uirers seem TO be going too far.
Ola Mackmen No slouches.
Matty's three world series shutou
stand out rs a greater feat than tweni
shutouts during tho season. when shu
outs may he ACQUIRED AZ the expense
second division teams. Mathewson, hoy
EVER. had to beat the champions OF u
rival league. ana though tho Athlet
champs We're not as powerful as the late
invincible Athletic machine, those o.
boys carried quite n kick.
Starting with Topsy Hartsel. thei
were few soft marks until Monte eros
was reached. Bris Lord. Harry Davi
Danny Murphy. Socks Seybold. La,
Cross and Ossie Shrek could muss u
that old apple some. especially Davi
Murphy and Scybold. but they were q
lyclay before Matty.
In 1906 the big hero Of the White So
victory over the Cubs was unquestloI
ably George Rohc, perhaps the mo
unique worlds series character vet d.
covered, George never amounted IN an,