Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-08
ONCE naughty AS
PLAYING IN A DAzE
MeekIy Submit to Severe
JoIts Handed Them by
Streets Club.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.


where tomorrow the John
~ Leonard Martin base ball
show will be resumed, the
jubilant Cardinals, National
League pennant winners, doubt
less consider everything over but
the shouting, while the once
naughty Athletics, flag victors in
the American League, probably
are wondering what all Of 1t Is
about.
For the first time since 1925, when
the Cardinals were / up on the Yam
KEGS after the third game Of the series
was played, an American League en-
trant is On the wrong end of the stand
ing in the annual diamond classic, and,
what is worse, the Athletics are on the
wrong end in the current series for the
second time.
There the AS belong, too, judging
from what they showed in the three
games played on their home lot this
week. Merely going through the mo-
lions Of playing ball much of the time,
the Clan McGillicuddy was all but help
It was a sorry-looking lot Of Ameri-
can League leaders that took the field
against the Cardinals, and but for Man
ager Gabby Streets willingness to
gamble with his pitching the series
might well have ended in Philadelphia.
Against the top-notchers of the Car
dinal pitching STAFF the AS never were
in the running. Against the st. Louis
second-string moundsmen scoring was
extremely difficult, and only a wonder
full piece Of pitching by their one hurler
who has been at all effective got the
Macks by.
Before the series started the Athletics
generally were picked to cop the laurels
easily. And it is no secret that they
regarded themselves virtually unbeat-
able But their confidence suffered
such q severe jolt early in the tussling
that the American League champions
have not been able to pull themselves
together since. Whether they will be
able to do so in ST. Louis this week end
Is questionable, very questionable.
A once-powerful White Elephant ap-
pears on the verge Of becoming q meek
and mild mouse.
A GREAT thing in the Athletics
"A favor was their long hitting abil-
1ty, 1t was argued by many
who made the American League cham
pions their choice to win the series.
The AS while not batting for a par
ticularly high club average in the
league season had socked many extra
base hits that told heavily against OPP
ponentS. those pickers of the two-time
world champions pointed out. It was
not the number of hits the AS made,
but the kind of hits that won so often
for them was the contention.
Quite true, so far as the Athletics
fnpx I'd hn
championship was concerned, but in
this series with the Cardinals Connie
Mack's heavy artillery has not been so
damaging. In fact, in the three games
in Shibe Park the Cards did the more
solid slapping Of the horsehide.
Five Of the twenty-one hits made by
the Macks in Philadelphia were Of the
extra-base variety, three being doubles
and two homers. Six of the Cards
twenty-siX Safeties were longer than
singles. five being two-baggers and one
home run.
And the Cards, more shifty and
speedy on the base paths than the AS.
got much more from their hits The
st. Louisans certainly looked far bet
ter than the AS as a st-to-third OUT
mt running in front of singles.
In this series speed as well as smart
pitching and sharp hitting is telling
heavily and the Cards have 1t all over
the AS so far as speed is concerned.
THEY said wild Bill Hallahan
i couldn't come back for another
win but those ardent supporters
Of the AS had to eat their words yes
terday when the frail left-hander STEP
ped to the hill in Shibe Park to pitch
a superb game and make Mack's
minions like it.
Hallahan'S control was good he had
plenty Of zip on the ball and he I'M
corked change Of pace that had the
AS off balance much of the time. Four
OF the nine hits made off him were
rather scratchy and had Third Base
man High heaved to the plate instead
OF electing to try for a double play that
did not materialize after sharing Miller's
bounder in the seventh the southpaw
slabman very likely would have scored
shutout. Simmons would not have
had chance to score from third had
High fired the ball to the catcher.
MACKS pitchers and pinch-batters
w yesterday were woeful failures.
Hoyt was rocky throughout the
six innings he toiled on the hill to take
beating, the left-handed Walberg was
not impressive in his two rounds and
Rommel had little more than nothing
in the ninth.
That Mack pitching staff which was
such a puzzle to batters Of the opposi-
ton in the American League campaign
ing appears to have dwindled to one
good hurler, George Earnshaw.
Mack lifted the left-hand swingers,
Bishop and Haas, after letting Hoyt
take his batting turn in the sixth and
sent up McNair and Moore Both subs
were helpless against Hallahan in that
inning, and in the eighth McNair
famed. Moore got hit in the latter
round, but it was a high bounder in
front OF the plate that did not come
down in time to permit a throw to
first. Heving and Boley were picked
to bat for pitchers and Hallahan made
both look foolish, winding up the game
by striking out Boley.
NOTHING left to say about this
IN Pepper Martin. So much has been
written of that crazy, hustling
Cardinal all who read must know he
Is the world series. More than all
others, the AS realized this in Phila-
delphia, and they went haywire every
time Pepper stepped to the front. just
good, hard.working ball player. this
Martin.