South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-10
LOOKS LIKE
IT'S ALL IN
TWIRLING
Analysis of Baseball Shows
Cellar Champs Play Like
League Leaders When
Pitching is Good.
International News Service

International News Service
NEW YORK. sept. 10-Batting
heiding and pitching constitute the
backbone OF baseball
Each department of the game is
all important for the club which is
weak i'm any one branch lacks bal
ance, and without balance a ball
club cannot play consistently.
The question Of which is the most
important has often been argued
Many baseball men will tell you that
batting is the most important fac
tor in the pastime. Others Will ar
que that pitching counts most heav-
ily. and some will contend that good
fielding combined with either heavy
hitting or good pitching. will get
consistent results.
Leaving all arguments aside. let's
take a slant az several OF the weak
cr clubs IL the two big leagues.
Look at the Pirates. for instance
TEey are buried In the National
league cellar. with no hope OF get
ting out this year vet al times the
Pirates play like world bepters.
They look just as good as any club
in either big league -when they are
getting air-tight pitching.
Perhaps the best pitcher on the
Pirate staff right now is Wilbur
Cooper. Pitching for a losing club
he has not been able 10 push his
way 20 the top. but he is a sweet
pitcher. and when ne is right he
needs only a run or two 10 win.
When the Pirates played their fare
we'll series at the Polo grounds Will
bur Cooper pitched the first game
and won IL. l 10 0. RUbe Benton
was pitching against him, and pitch
ing great ball. but Cooper BANKED
the Giants in every round
All I'm the Pitching.
Without bang-up pitching that
dav the Pirates would PROBABLY
have been beaten. figuring that they
were able 10 make but one run off
Benton So the pitching stood out
as the dominant factor here. and
instances Of the kind occur nearly
every day IN the big leagues though
the scores may not he , 20 o.
Take the Browns or the Athletics
in the American league Put them
on the field with good pitching and
they are tough nuts for all corners
TO crack The Mackmen. with Joe
Bush I'm form. need not take off
their hats 70 any club In their
league The same goes for the
Browns. with Plank, KOob or Dav-
export keyed up for pitching good
ball
The champion Dodgers. Who have
been waIlowing i'm the second divi-
sion all the season. are by no means
"A weak club al the bat. Fact is. the
Dodgers hit as hard and as far as
any club i'm their league. But bad
pitching has been their undOing this
season. Occasionally. however ole
lack Coombs or RUDE Marquard
steps 10 the mound and puts up an
1S-carat pitching exhibition. Do the
Dodgers look like champions then
They certainly do.
Not like Champs.
Take the Giants. Phillies. White
Sox or Red SoN and put them in a
game where they viii get weak
pitching. VIII they look like world
beaters2 Far from il. or the win
ming club generaiis loot good. and
the winning club as a rule, must
have the best pitch ms
ANY ball club IN the business Will
NAV better ball hetind good pitch
Ing than IL can possibly play back
~ a pitcher who is Eoins poorly
OF course. the chances are fewer.
and consequently there are fewer
apportunities for the felders 20
make bungies. but a we'll pitched
game arouses the lighting spirit IN
the player. or takes il out of MINI
as the case may be.
So there is no good argument
that can be advanced TO prove tha@
hating has anything on the pitch
ing department i'm the way Of i'm
portance. Batting lends life TO the
eaue. and. like fielding. furnishes
The spectacular end Of IT, But when
the man ont there on the mound Is
~ l..