Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-02
BY BILLY EVANS,
American League Unpfre.


swhat about the worlds series.
BiIl%"
Since my arrival home that question
has been put to me hundreds of times
] didn't mind it SO much at first. but
otter telling the same old story a
score or more times / began to think
: il would be an excellent idea for me
to have cards printed, putting forth
my impressions of the recent clash
between the Reds and the White Sox
Then 1 decided on this method to give
the public my opinion as to the many
debatable things that happened during
the series.
Most people have asked me ii
wasn't terribly surprised at the out
come, the winning of the champion
ship by the Reds. Now, that II is
all over, / must frankly admit was
surprised. but not terribly. l thought
the White SoX would win, despite the
) fact that ] knew the Reds were
high-class aggregation. In my ad-
vance stories on the series l said l
believed no club in the last ten years
entered a world series with a better
chance to win than the Reds. inquired
them a bit like the Braves of 1914-a
club that had come from nowhere-and
had reached the conclusion IT was apie
10 get about anywhere. However, 1
had seen the White Sox perform so
brilliantly so many times l 1elt the
finish would favor the Sox after
hard struggle.
Strongest Club Did Not Win.
do not believe the strongest club
won the series That statement in
no way detracts from the perform
ance of the Cincinnati club. The
Reds played the better ball, deserved
10 win, and since the championship
was to be decided in nine games,
periority of the Reds as far as the
recent series is concerned. The Gin
cinnati club played steady, consist
ent ball. punctuated' here and there
with some brilliant effort, such as
the catch by Eddis Rousch in the
ninth inning of the final game. which
STAYED off q Chicago rally. i have
been asked many times if the Reds
did not play above their game. l
have always said / did not think so.
ply playing the high-grade of base
, ball that won the Pennant in the Ma
tional league and eventually the
world championship.
On the other hand, know the Chi
cago club did not play anywhere
exception Of the seventh game. when
the Sox came through with q bril-
liant performance that was typical
OF its efforts through the 1919 sea-
son, / would say the club was off it's
sne alibi for the defeat of the Sox.
The Chicago club was outpiayed
through the greater part Of the
series. and the victory of the Reds
was only the result of more timely
h
on the Fart Of the pitchers. particu-
larry in the first five games, when it
meant SO much.
cicotte's Defeat Disastrous.
II asked to give one big reason
why the Sex lost. would point to the
first game, in which Eddie Cicotte was
knocked out of the box. In the 1919
series the hopes Of the Sox at the
start were largely centered around
Cieotte. know this thought was up
peTmost in the mind of every Chicsfo
player. Personally, ! had the same
viewpoint, that it was up to Cicotte
Sox were to win. / regard Cicotte as
one of the greatest pitchers in the
game Because of his peculiar style
and his assortment of stuff, felt sure
, he would give the Reds all kinds of
trouble. Every player on the Chicago
club entertained similar thoughts.
The club as a whole entered that first
game sublime in the confidence that
Cieotte would turn back the Reds and
get the Sox away to q flying start.
There is no doubt in my mind that
the Reds put over the big thing in the
series when they drove Cicotte off the
rubber in the first game. scoring five
runs in one inning and practically
that drubbing handed cicotte had an
injurious effect on He Chicago club.
Not once during the American League
season had Cie0tte been treated as
rudely. Every hit made OFF him in
that inning was ringing drive that
had the earmarks of a base hit all
oker 1t. True, had not Risberg STUN
bled in trying to complete a double
play he would have thrown Kopf out
ten feet and retired the side, but that
was q break of the game. and perhaps
would have only saved Cicotte tempo
Farily. The Reds were able to take
advantage of that break by making
base hit after base hit. I know just
about how every Chicago player felt
as Cicotte walked to the bench after
pitching ace of their staff, a pitcher
they regarded as almost unbeatable,
had been hit to all corners of the lot
1t must have had a most depressing
effect on the club. and think it was
the beginning of the end of the hopes
of the White Sox.
The failure of Williams in the sec
ond game also was body blow.
Right off the reel the Reds had beat
en- the two pitchers who, to a great
extent. had made possible the win
ming Of the pennant by Chicago A
mere glance at the score of that game
would make it seem that Williams
had greatly outpitched sallee. yet
such was not the case. Sallee was
touched for ten hits. while at least
half dozen hard-hit balls were
caught. Williams was found for only
four hits. but he gave six bases on
balls, four of which figured in the
run making, while one of the four
hits allowed was a triple with two
men on as result of bases on balls
Sallee, on the other hand, was often
in trouble. but pitched his best in the
pinches.
Williams OFF a Few Inches.
Williams is smart, brainy pitcher,