Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-30

I finished the 1914 season in New
York, and stayed there to officiate
in the city series. I dropped around
to the theater one evening, having
received couple of passes from
George M. Cohan, who is dyed in
the wool supporter of the American
League. and base ball fan extraor-
binary. Now it is a well known fact
that Mr.. Cohan has a master mind.
He has a hair-trigger brain that can
reach positive conclusions quickly,
and usually he is hundred per cent
perfect in his deductions. Prior to
the performance. / bumped into Mr..
Cohan, and. naturally, the topic of
discussion was base ball. Since was
not to be one of the officials. / felt
could freely express my opinion as to
the relative strength of the two clubs.
To Mr.. Conan I expressed the same
opinion as to my other friend, that I
didn't believe the Braves would offer
strong competition. I regarded the
Philadelphia club as the greatest
team of all times, at the very top
of its game. and couldn't for the life
Of me see how the Boston club had
even an outside chance. Mr.. Cohan
listened to my argument, and then
came forth with his viewpoint. After
that series was over, and I had thor
oughly digested what MIR. Conan had
said. realized. how wisely he had
figured in making his deductions.
Il want to see the Athletics win,"
said Mr.. Conan, and / realize that
on paper there is no comparison be-
tween the two teams. yet feel GER
tain that the Braves are going to
treat the base ball world to the big
gest upset in years. Sentiment only
would cause me to favor the Athletics.
! figure the psychology of the situa-
ton is going to- enter largely in the
determining of the winner. This Bos-
ton club was nowhere in the middle
of the season. and then it started to
come. With each victory came added
confidence. The winning Of the Ma
tiona1 League pennant was the big
climax for the Boston team. I don't
really call it a good club, but every
fellow on that club just now believes
1t is the greatest club in the world. 1t
is going to get good pitching. that is
certain. and I believe most of those
Braves are already trying to decide
just how to spend the winners share.
You think the Athletics may take four
straight. while I don't believe the
Braves will need over five games, and
they might do just what you think
the Athletics will"
The Point Of View.
In substance those are the words
Mr. Conan used. His viewpoint was
directly opposite to mine. Mr.. Conan
is theatrical man. who likes base
ball. I am a base ball man. who likes
theatricals. Mr.. Conan proved con-
clusively that the opinion of a base
ball man about base bal: can be as
funny as some of the shows he has
written. Whereupon Mr. Conan pro-
ceeded to go out and bet 20 or 80
cents on his own opinion, which was
more wisdom on the part of Mr.. Co
han. Since then he has often kidded
me by telling me that he has a high
respect for my criticism of his shows,
but about base ball, that's different
story.
Doping out the probable winner. az
I have said before, is the mere opin-
ion Of one man. A lot Of critics are
going to pick the series right. and
IL "Red" Faber Of the Sox was pitch
ing in 1917 form, would say without
any hesitation that would lean