Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-07-06
PLAYING THE FIELD
BY Jack Veiock.

grow bit stale from too much work
when Gibson was showed into the
breach to fill McCartys shoes
In the first full game Gibson worked
he handled the shoots of young Fer,
die Schupp and caught perfect game.
More than that, he won the game
ming, and although some of the fol
lowers of the Giants figured that
"Gibbie's" showing was a flash in the
pan, he has managed to shatter the
idea by catching consistent ball in
every game he has worked.
New York, July Baseball is
popular for a good many reasons.
1t is sport without peer, for
one thing and it stands in a class
by itself, because no other sport with
the possible exception OF the English
game OF cricket is any thing like it.
1t is a sport for both players and
FANS ii is full of thrills and above
all is wholly red blooded.
But one of the very biggest fac
tors which contributes to the popu
larity of baseball is the uncertainty
Of the game.
Every game Of ball that is played
bristes with uncertainties. Every
season brings forth surprises, be-
cause players and teams SO often do
the unexpected thing The fan can
never be dead sure of anything in
baseball, and the same applies to the
player, the manager or the team
The timely hit. the untimely error
the unexpected mental lapes of
player. the ninth inning rally and a
hundred and one other things which
happen on the diamond mark the un
certainty of baseball AMI put spice
and variety into the game
The present season has been a sea.
son of many thrills and many upsets
to date And if one stops TO con
slider the original source of unusual
interest in baseball this year-a year
Of war-it can all be traced to the
freakish, uncertain nature of the
King of pastimes
Take slant at the standings of
the clubs in the two big leagues,
and will ind the pennant races
somewhat jumbled up when com
pared to the advance dope" YOU had
when the season opened.
The Giants, true to predictions, are
proving big factor in the National
League this year But they are not
walking off with the pennant by a
Ions shot. and they will not be able to
breeze through to a championship as
many predicted
Look at the heroes of l9l4-the
Boston Braves, Last season they
figured strongly on the race for the
pennant, and they were touted as
the real stumbling block in the path
Of the Giants But the Braves are
: away down there walloowing around
III Tue bttoHu UlVtSlO1l. ne tHunlplOH
Dodgers were counted on for better
showing than they have made, and
the Cubs and Cardinals have fur.
nshod big surprises by giving the
foremost pennant contenders a tough
argument. A second glance at the
have furnished two big surprises in
three years
In the American League the two
Sox teams are living up to preseason
predictions, But the rest of the en-.
lrants have succeeded in knocking the
props from under the dope pot that
; was put On to bel as the curtain went
up.
The unexpected showing of both
seasoned and rookie pitchers; the bat.
= ting feats of unherailded sluggers
and the dismal work of others who
} were expected to shine all 20 to
show just how little the baseball
fan can depend on the grandolddope
as 1t Is hashed up on paper.
:. Yep, Steven, the ole game is popu.
lar for a good many reasons. but
on one predicted just what would
= happen this year, and no one will ever
= be able to do so.
g AZ a. = g. ~.