Evening star., 1916-01-02
TOP!NOTCH PITCHER
Grover Cleveland Alexander
Always a Consistent SIabbist.
LAST SEASON HIS BEST
Has Twirled Five Years for Phillies,
Holding Opponents to
.214 Average.
By ERNEST J. LANIaAN.

Grover Cleveland Alexander. during
his five-year stay in the Nattonai
League. has confined his opponents to a
batting average of -214. his best year,
of course, Mt puzzling the hitters being
1915. Aleck last season limited the
men who hit against him to a stick
credit Of .17S. which was forty-three
points lower than his previous best
campaign. Two hundred and nineteen
was the mark the batters rolled up
against the Nebraskan in 1911, in 1s1S
and 1914 1t was .224. and in 1918 1t
climbed up to .233. Secretary Heydlers
records show that in five seasons 6,72l
at bats have been charged against
Alexander and 1.442 hits. The man
who conquered everything in sight In
the base ball world last season except
the Red Sox hurled trihe over l9o
complete nine innings games for the
Phils from 1911 to 1915. inclusive. and
was located for an average OF ana
610 safeties in each contest.
The first year Alex the Great was
i'm fast company opposing batters nick
ed him for seven swats per comoat. N III
1919 they reached him for 81. and that
was again their average in 1913. ~
1914 it went down to S.3, and this last
season it descended to 6I-ngures
probably that never Will be beaten.
Not only did Alexander last year hold
his opponents to a smaller batting per
centage and a smaller average OF nits
than ever before-he also worked
harder than he ever had since shared
from the New York state League.
Previous to 1915. the Phirs most areu-
Gus campaign was that of 1911, IN
which he did mound duty for 367 In
nings. The last season he won on the
rubber in nine more frames. pitching
f1J. I'm
seven inninsr k:sides. In 1914 Alex.
ander hurled asJ rounds. in 1913, 30s
rounds, and in 1912, $40 rounds.
Has Always Been Steady.
Alexander had such big year in 1915
that many persons think he will be
unable to repeat in 1916. His record
doesn't indicate that he is going to hit
the back trail. for he has been uni
formly steady in the five seasons he has
been with the Phfs and always has
pitched much better than they have
played.
Alexander will not carry any grudges
athletes or clubs treated him rudely
last season. He was pulled out Of
only six games that he started. ana
was touched up only freely In two-by
Reds, on August 8. In this latter con-
troversy Alexander took things easy.
for his team-mates. particularly Cra-
vath. were numbering the Red pitchers
The star of the PhillieS pitching
staff went the routs thirty-six times
last season. allowing one hit four
times. two hits four times. three hits
once, four hits I'VE times. five hits three
times. six hits four times. seven hits
three times. eight hits four times. nine
hits four times, ten hits twice. eleven
hits once and thirteen hits once. The
teams that found the NebraskRn for
ten hits were Chicago. on August 81,
and Brooklyn, on September s. Alex
won over the Cubs and lost to the
Robins. The Reds got to him on May
20 for eleven safeties ard beat him.
to 2. and the Pirates reached him for
thirteen wallops on September Is and
were trimmed, to 2. the combat last
ing thirteen sessions.
OF the 253 hits made of Alexander
last season. 1s1 were singles. forty
nine were doubles, ten were triples
and three were homers. The Reds did
the most damage to the Nebraskan's
delivery. collecting nifty safeties. The
Braves procured forty-sfx, the Cubs
forty. the Giants thirfy-six, the Car
dinals thirty-three. the Pirates thIrty-ons
and the 6uperbas seventeen.