New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-06

Another disagreeable thing about
Hughle Fullerton's baseball system is
that he insists upon defending 1t.
Shortly after the world series we tor
pedoed and sank Mr.. Fullerton's sys-
TEN without warning, and we figured
we had just about ruined one prophet
for the rest of his life.
Instead, Mr.. Fullerton has calmly
bobbed up again. He has that kind
tolerance for converse opinion which Is
the mark Of the truly great. There
Is this to say for him: He said the
White Sox would win the series in six
games, and they did. We were among
those who declared the Giants would
win. There are probably some people
narrowminded enough to let this infu-
ence them In Mr.. Fullerton's favor.
A recent letter from the seventh son
Of the seventh son. In part, says:
Many thanks for your column ad
for my dope, which has just been
called to my attention. find In It
several good hints. However, It
seem. to me, that you. like the ma
FORTY of baseball writers. appear to
neglect TO read this annual stuff
carefully. In other words, you hit
the high spots.
Doesn't Claim Perfection
Il am no. arguing that the stuff Is
perfect but the thing have been
after for many years has been to con-
vince you fellows that baseball can
and does dope. am painfully aware
that ! am a darned rotten statisticlan
and that hate figures. | admit tnat
lot OF fellows could do lot better
with the figures, and, perhaps, get
better figures than | do.
The thing do argue Is that the
system OF doping which have worked
out during the last twenty-five years
q began doping on this system TWEEN
ty-one years ago. Is approximately
correct | have made some converts,
but the majority of writers refuse TO
take figures seriously, or to admit
that baseball dopes. It does, beyond
a doubt.
You can understand the difficulty
Of doping a short series between two
strong clubs. Too much depends
upon pitchers; but doping for an en-
tire season works out well in almost
every case. Last season every club
in the two major leagues finished ex-
actly where it belonged, excepting
the Boston Braves and the st. Louis
Browns, which teams were wrecked
by internal troubles that had moth
ing TO do with baseball or dope. We
cannot dope that.
Each year for the last twelve /
have laid out carefully in the first ar
ticle of every dope series my system
of doping, and asked every one to go
to il and work it out their own way
place their own values of the play
ers (they may have better ideas as
TO player values than | have), but 20
use the system.
The majority will not do it, but II
you will try it once, even in hap.
hazard manner, you will be surprised
TO see how we'll it works out.
Should Value Position
The great trouble with the major
ity Of fans and writers, it seems TO
me, Is that they place too much value
upon a player NlAHOub ltbhiu " Aio
position value. The value is not in
the man ton defensive work. "a
much as in his position.
sincerely wish you would take the
system this winter and apply it to
the two major leagues. making your
own values for individuals. 1t is not
only interesting, but instructive. You
will, in Analysing a player and divid-
ing his value into the different
points, be surprised 10 find out many
things you never even thought of. but
would have thought Of had your at
tention been called 10 il.
have been trying to convert Grant
Rice 10 dope for long time. but he
refuses 10 see. This fall converted
Bill Hanna. which is a great triumph.
am going to spend the winter in
Fort Wayne, where have Looie He'll
broner's magnificent dope records at
hand, and will work out the races for
next season. Many thanks for not