Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-27

Imagine worlds series in which
the dope indicates that Davey Shean,
! cast-off by half dozen major league
clubs, is the class of three players
who figure to have chance TO par
tictpate in the contests.
Second base, the most important
of the infield positions, the keystone
of the defense, the most difficult po-
sition on a team to play properly
(although shortstops will argue this)
with two men of low power playing a
worlds series. 1t shows to what an
extent baseball has slumped this sea-
son.
The dope figures show that the
class of the second baseman in this
worlds series is more than hun
dred points lower than in the 1917
series and it is possible that the
final figures will indicate that second
base is the weakest point in the
teams engaged. That fact equalizes
matters considerably but accents the
opportunity for luck in hitting and
. the breaks of the game to decide a
series. the object of which was to
prove which is the best team.
Do not think that this is any Sc
we're criticism of Shean, Zeider, or
Turner. They are three veterans,
faithful and hard working, but lack
ing in qualities that make great stars
in baseball.
Shean is perhaps one of the most
intereSting cases in the history of the
game. Discarded all around the cir
cult because of weak hitting he has
been a faithful if rather plodding
player, smart, intelligent, a psyche
logical effect on all players in being
with a winning team, and usually
takes form of sharp increase in
hitting. Also it is inevitable that in
fielding on winning team with good
pitching is easier than working be-
hind pitchers who are being hit hard
all the time. Further, the pitching
against a winning team always is
softer on the average.
All of these things have tend
ed to improve Shean's work, but
the great increase has been in spirit
and confidence he has found at last.
When we come to apply these to a
worlds series, however, the psyche
logical effect djminishes. Shean has
gained some points because the
pitching which the Cubs will use to
stop Ruth, McInnis, Hooper and the
great hittersl of the team also will
tend to help .Shean's chances of hit
ting safely. You often find that the
supposed weak hitters of a world S
series team are the batting heroes,
merely because the pitchers exhaust
themselves and their arts to stop the
sluggers and are bumped by those
not expected to hit hard.
However, we cannot figure Shean
to do any great amount of hitting
against the Cub twirlers. In fact, it
looks as if we are compelled to al
most count the second baseman out
of the attack. They certainly do not
figure to have a place among the
shock troops.
Rollie zeider always has been a
weak hitter, and often ans erratic
fielder, but Zeider is a dangerous ball
player. He is extremely smart, re-
sourceful and tricky, and if the rules
permitted stealing first base he
would to-day rank as one of the Ty
Cobbs of the game. Zeider has been
hitting well this year, at least better
than usual, and meeting the ball
squarely, while his audacious run
ming on the bases has contributed
largely to the Cub successes. He has
broken up many games by his start
ling moves on the bases and my fig
ures indicate that he probably has
been successful in larger percentage
of his efforts than any player in
either league, which shows what he
can do If he reaches first base.
Against the Boston club Zeider
would hit somewhat better than he
would against the Cleveland pitch