The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-07
Grover Cleveland Alexander's
Views On the Pennant Race
by GROVER CLEVELAND ALEXANDER


Wilbert Robinson, manager of the
Brooklyn team recently declared that
the Phillies were dangerous, but that we
have such a poor base running team
that we are facing a handicap that we
will not be able to overcome with 1.-The
pitching staff in poor shape" 1 guess
we exploded the weak pitching staff
theory in the past series with the Dodg-
ers, and the games also proved conclu-
sively that we get more out of hits and
make better progress on the bases than
Brooklyn.
To my way of thinking, base running
is one of the most misleading depart
ments of the game. The wonderful value
OF Ty Cobb. Eddie Collins, Max Carey,
and few other stars because they in
variably steal large number of BASES
during a season and pilfer them at the
right time has caused the majority of
major league managers to scour the
bushes for speed merchants with great
stolen base records; but the idea is all
wrong.
ABOUT SPEED MERCHANTS
DtlltN6 III SpGGu DIS lildSb as Ni1
body does but 1 don't believe in this
base stealing craze, and l don't think a
teams base running ability should be
rated according to the number of bases
it steals or the number of speedy men
it has in the lineup. The best way to
prove conclusively that the base steal
ing teams and speed merchants are not
the run getters is to present figures
In 1914 the Braves won the National
league pennant and were considered the
poorest base running team in the Ma
tional league. During the entire season
the Braves stole only 1879 bases and were
absolutely last in this departments. On
the other hand. Cincinnati finished Sec
ond to the Giants with total of 224
The Giants led the league in stolen bases
with 239 and finished second to the
Braves, but superior pitching and strong
batting was responsible for New York
high position and not stolen bases.
I can remember reading the advance
dope on the world series between the
Athletics and Braves, in which the SUI
perior base stealing of the Mackmen was
pointed out as one of the great handi-
caps the Braves could not overcome
Stallings' team was rated as poor
base running combination because it stole
only slightly more than half as many
proved conclusively that while the Braves
did not steal bases. they were clever
team on the paths.
DOPE THAT COUNTS
The same conditions existed in 1915
Philadelphia won the pennant with the
Braves second, and these two teams
were tied for last place in the stoler
base total; with 121 Pittsburg led the
league with 1872 stolen bases, and finished
fourth, while New York. st. Louis, Gin
cinnati and Chicago, the second division
teams, followed Immediately behind the
Pirates for the stolen base honors.
In the American league the pennant
winning Red Sox stole only 11S bases
which Is less than half the number tai
lied by Detroit and Chicago, yet no one
will accuse the Red Sox of 1915 of being
slow or poor base running team.
Personally. like nothing better thar
to pitch against team which runs wild
on the bases. good catcher, if aided
by intelligent pitching, can cripple the
offense OF a team playing this style Of
ball The percentage is against the base
stealer at all times, and by much wider
margin than the figures would indicate.
SPLINTER is OVERRATED
For instance. l. believe statistics show