Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-24
BALANCE IS NECESSARY
CONSIDERED CHIEF FACTOR
IN SUCCESS OF BALL CLUB
Fans stu Argue Whether Batting
Fielding or Pitching Is Most Inn
portant Accom- Iishment.


NEW YORK. September 23-Battins
fielding and pitching constitute the
backbone of baseball.
Each department of the Came is all
important, for the club which Is weak
In any one branch lacks balance, and
without balance 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 importan factor in
the pastime. others will argue tina,
pitching counts most heavily. and
some will contend that gooo teldinE.
combined with either neavy hitting or
good pitching. Will get consistent re-
suits.
take slant at several of tho weaker
clubs III the two big leagues.
=, Look al the Pirates, for instance.
they are buried in the National League
cellar. with no hope of getting out this
year. yet at times the Pirates play
IKE world-beatcrs. Tney look just as
ing.
Perhaps the. best pitcher on the
Pirate staff right now 10 Wilbur Coop
er. Pitching Tor a losing club, he has
not been able TO push his way TO the
Top. but he Is a sweet pitcher. ana
q
or TWO to win. When the Pirates
played their farewell series at the Polo
Grounds Wilbur Cooper pitched tho
hrst game and won II, 10 o. RUDE
Benton was pitching against him, and
pitching great ball. but Cooper banked
the Giants in every round Max Carey
on double steal
Without bang-u2 pitching that day
the Pirates would probably have beer
! beaten. figuring that they were able
10 make but one run off Benton. Sc
the pitching stood out as the dominan,
factor here. and instances OF the kind
leagues. though the scores may not be
l TO o.
Pitching Mig Factor.
Take the Browns or the Athletics In
inc American League. Put them on
the field with good pitching and they
are tough nuts for ali corners to crack
need not take off their hats to any
club IN their league. The same goes
for the Browns. with Plank. Koob or
Davenport keyed up for pitching good
bali.
The champion Dodgers. who have
been waiiowing in the second division
weak club in, their league. But bad
pitching has been their undoing this
sea- SON Occasionally. however Ole
Jack coombsS or Rube Marquard steps
70 the mound ana puts UP an eighteen
carat pitching exhibition. Do the
Dodgers look like champions then
Take the GIANTS. Phllies. white Sox
or Red SoS ana put them in game
where they will get weak pitching.
Will they look like world heaters?
Far from it, for the winning club gem
orally looks good. and the winning
clup. as rule, must have the best
pitching.
Any ball club in the business will
play better ball behind good pitching
than il can possibly play back of a
pitcher who IS going poorly. OF course,
the chances are fewer opportunities
for the felders to MAKE oungles. but
well pitched game arouses tho fight
Of him. as the case may be.
SO there is no good argument that
can be advanced to prove that batting
ment in the way of importance Bat
ting lends life to the game. and. lik e
folding. furnishes the spectacular end
of it, But when the man out there on
the mound is bossing the Job he's the
whole show.