The sun., 1919-02-16
CHICAGO PITCHERS
MUST Be HURDLED
Cub BOxmen Menace McGraw's
Ambition to Win Seventh
Pennant.
FIVE SUPERB FINGERS
Alexander, Vaughn, Tyler,
Hendrix and Douglas Make
League Tremble.
FIVE SUPERB FINGERS
ny sHORTsTOP.

ny sHORTsTOP.
n John Joseph McGraw. manager Of
the Giants. is to realize the big ambition
of his career next season and be the
first manager TO win seven major league
championships he will have to do 1t over
the bodies OF the Cub pitching stan,
unquestionably the most powerful corps
OF hurlers In baseball as the reconstruc-
ton days open. Grover Alexander, Jim
Vaughn, George Tyler, Phil Douglas and
Claude Hendrix are Ave obstacles In the
path of McGraw that will take no END
OF strategy to push out of the way.
No pitching stan of this strength has
appeared In the National League since
Mordecai Brown, Orvle overall. Ed
Reulbach and Jack Pfiester pitched the
Cubs into pennants, and 1t ranks well
up with the great staff Of Mack's former
worlds champion Athletics erected
around Chief Bender, Jack Coombs and
Eddie Plank.
Even without Alexander. who shares
with Walter johnson the honor of being
the greatest pitcher in baseball to-day.
the Cubs last season won the National
ueague championship in romp and
their pitchers captured practically every
honor at John Heydler's bestowal
Ranked according to earned run effl-
cheney. Vaughn. Tyler and Douglas stood
first, second and fourth, while Hendrix
the fourth man on the staff. led the
pitchers of the league in percentage or
games won and lost. Tyler was second
and Vaughn third.
Vaughn in Vanguard.
Individually Vaughn took most every
other honor, the greatest number or
shutouts, greatest number OF innings
pitched, greatest number of low hit
games and greatest number OF strike
outs. Tyler was close behind him In al!
departments. In the 1918 worlds series
Vaughn and Tyler pitched the entire six
games all but two Innings, Douglas and
Hendrix each figuring in only one frame.
Tho great pair Of southpaws held the
Boston team to a club batting average
Of 1856, but the Red Sox got the breaks
and won four out OF six games Vaughn
pitched magnificent ball. permitting only
runs and II hits in 81 innings but
lost two games by scores OF / to and
2 to 1, and had to pitch shutout to
win.
Chicago Just now is agitated over big
Jim's refusal to sign his contract, ana
the big fellow declares he never. never
Will sign for the money offered HIM
Sensible fans know that when the 1919
season opens Tiny Jim" VIII De wear
ing his Chicago uniform.
The Cubs won their easy victory last
season despite the fact that Douglas
was not used until the season was
third over, and then Mitchell had to
work the big fellow carefully. Shut
fling Phil had to undergo an operation
lust before the start of the training sea-
son, and It was some time before he was
ready to pitch. When he DID get
started he broke in with a couple of
shutouts and was a dangerous man for
the remainder of the season.
Douglas Now Behaves,
Early In his career Douglas was
pitcher Of the Bugs Raymond type. and
despite stretches of brilliance with the
Cincinnati and Brooklyn clubs he was
so lacking In dependency that no man
,ager would be burdened with him. The
last two years Shutting Philips conduct
has been above reproach, and with ma
tional prohibition in force he should
rank with the top stars in baseball Any
baseball player will tell you that when
Douglas is right ne is as hard to hit as
Alexander He Is tall, rangy fellow.
with tremendous shoulders and has ter
rife speed.
Claude Hendrix led the National
League pitchers in 1912 while with the
Pittsburg club, when he was ranked
with the best spitball pitchers In base
ball However, a jump to the Federal
League did not do him any good. and
he slumped perceptibly In the next few
years Last season Claude made great
comeback and quickly filled the gap left
vacant in the Cub staff when Alexander
was drafted. His old spltball had its
former hop 10 II. and Claude was as
consistent q winner as Vaughn and
Tyler. He won twenty games and lost
only seven.
When Alexander, the greatest pitcher
in the National League, returns to the
Cub staff 1t Is hard to see how any club
can prevent Chicago from repeating Its
1918 successes. Alexander still Is iT
Europe but is expected back before the
season starts. John Heydler. president
OF the National League, recently re-
ceived a letter from Al Orth. the former
umpire, now Y. NJ. c. A. secretary IT
France, to the effect that when Alex
nnder passed through the rest camf
where Orth is stationed he understood
the pitcher was on his way home.
''Aleck" may not be back for the
start OF the training season, but 1t Is 6
pretty good bet that he will be will
the Cubs when the season starts OIL
perhaps few weeks afterward.
Alex May Beneht.
Inc prODaDlllty IL tnht ALEXANDER
year In the, army did the big fellow
more good than harm. He Just had gon,
through period Of three straight year,
in each of which he had won thirt,
games or over. and a years rest To-
tho $4,000 arm was the best thin
that could happen to It. "Aleck" o
course did some pitching In the army
but that kind of pitching does not cal
for the same amount Of energy as /
used up in the grind Of a pennant sea
son.
One OF the outstanding features of tn
Cub staff Is that the regular quintet I
composed OF big men, the type which d
not wear out easily. Even Tyler, tn
smallest of the group, is feet tai
while Douglas stands 9 feet ~ incne
in his socks, Hendrix. Alexander an
Vaughn come in between.
The STAFF also is we'll balanced, wit
throe right handlers. Alexander. Doug
las and Hendrix, and two left handler.
Vaughn and Tyler. To make runs o
the Cubs next season will be iittl
harder task than falling of the Pre-
verbal log
The remainder OF the Cub team
no brilliant array like the old Chanc
machine, hut has some bright indiv!d
ual stars in necessary spots. Last sea
son II was one OF the fastest teams 4
baseball daonita tho IA bot