The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-09-01

The cubs score q gain of more than 100 points on pure dope. It is a dam gerous thing, as usual rule, for any team to bank upon one man in any crisis The Red Sox has had all their> eggs in one basket this season and have not broken many, but in the case of the Cubs the situation is even more dangerous.
 IT ALL DEPENDS ON BILL
 If anything should happen to Billy Kil1ifer the Cubs would lose this series almost beyond dougt, and that state nent is made without reference to the dope. Without Killifer the Cub pitching staff would be reduced one third in strength and the catching strength (not figuring effect upon pitchers) would lose 10 points.
 If Killifer should be hurt, or sum- moned to immediate army duty, the Cub hopes would crash immediately. This importance of the little Paw Faw catcher to Mitchell's machine has been demonstrated time and again this sea- son, and each time he has been out of the game the pitching has weakened and the entire team has faltred and played ragged and uncertain ball
 This is a notable feature of all teams which have become used to working yxith finished and clever catchers who more or less are in charge of the field directions and working in perfect ac- cord with the pitchers and infielders. It is not a reflection upon the asso- ciate catchers, because they may have .lr n,ad a1a T as the first catcher, yet not have had the chance to work with pitchers ana infielders so that their change of style and method may wreck the team play entirely.
 A GENIUS
 .Killifer is one of the really great catchers of all time. and one of the best dhstlers and leaders in the game to- day. His work with the Cubs has been marvellous He has got more pitching out of the squad than was supposed to be in it. In this he has, of course, had the assistance of Manager Mitchell who is one of the best judges of pitch ing and tpitchers in the world. Mitch gives Killifer all the credit, while Xii insists that it should be split at least and that Mitchell is one of the greatest teachers the game ever has known. Killifer in addition to his own ability, has had the advantage of working un- der two of the great masters of eaten ing and studying batters-Pat Moran and Fred Mitchell-and has learned much.
 EHe leads easily in catching ability, and would lead further were it certain that Sam Agnew is going to do all the catching for the Red Sox. Agnew is Aa poor hitter, although he figures to hit a bit better against the Chicago pitchers than he has done during the regular season. He has had poor year with the stick, in spite of the fact that the team has been winning and that the pitching of the opponents has been the worst in the history ol baseball.
 sAgnew is normally about .220 hit ter, but this season he is far below that poor mark. Killifer is danger 0us batter, but scarcely one to be classed as a great hitter. He hits in the pinches and he is great factor ir run scoring.
 In the defense work, Killifer stil leads Agnew, although Sam is clever man, handy backstop, who works >> vel, with a pitching staff which it not easy to handle, and who can throw and will throw-
 SCHANG UNCERTAIN
 The same situation that confronts the Boston management at third base applies to their catchers Schang, al though he has not hit to his early promise, is far and away a better hit ter and a more dangerous one, espe. cfally against left-handed pitchers than is Agnew. Barrow can gain hit ting strength by using Schang in par df the games behind the bat, and par at third base, which he probably vii do. But what he gains in hitting power he will lose in part in the defense end of play Schang, who, with th' Athletics, promised to develop into ont of the greatest catchers of all time has not lived up to his early promise He is an cratic and uncertain mar now and not nearly as steady or de- ISendable as Agnew, who. when Schane was at his early best, was decorating the bench while others caught fo, Boston.
 { Again the element of uncertainty which makes the coming series mor' wt2r---------------------------- nil nAAar hAAHna