The Washington times., 1932-09-15
RATED
MOUNDSMEN
SPARKLE

This is the third of series OF
four articles by Frank G.. MenEe
concerning the tOorld series.
BY FRANK G. MENKE
International News Service Sports Editor
NEW YORK, Sept. 15.-EVen
the fellow who prefers a torrid
argument to a bucket Of cool
beverage won't dispute the point
that pitching determines the re-
suit in about 70 per cent Of the
world series struggles.
But how is one to determine
who will do miraculous deeds on
the mound and who will swoon
into disgrace under the shower
baths?
Men who were supposed to do
the herculean have faltered when
the test was made and, leaping
into the breach of other years
have come youths, unheralded
and unSung, who knew not the
twitter of nerves, paid no recog-
milton to whether this was a
momentous occasion, or just an.
other bali game, and pitched
themselves into unforgetfulness.
Back in 1905 Christy Mathew.
son, then the dazzling star OF
the Giants, was counted to
Shackle the heavy hitters Of the
AS and make them ridiculous in
their efforts to hoist baSeballs
into the outer reaches. Matty
made good. He pitched against
the Mackmen three times and
shut them out just as often, prov
ing, if you wish it so, that the
great pitcher will come through
nobly in every crisis.
Overlooked Adams
When the jugglers of mathe-
mates were trying to determine
who would be something to write
pieces about in the world series
of 1909, nobody gave much heed
to youngster called Babe
Adams. He was on the Pirate
roster merely to add local color,
or a touch Of flaming youth. But
it was Adams who stood the tt
gers on their ears, tweaked their
whiSkers, extracted their claws
and made them yowl in humil-
ity.
Eddie Plank and chief Bender.
wonder men during the regular
season of 1914. were conceded to
have so much stuff that they
would cause the Braves Of that
year to wrench their backs Strik-
ing at the SwiShing horsehide.
Both were crushed under the
Boston Juggernaut and each
made to resemble youngster in
his debut.
Nobody counted on Walter
''DuSter" Males, tho gee gee lad
of 1920, the recent inhabitant Of
the Minor League wildS. to do
anything for the Indians against
the Dodgers. Yet 1t was the Dus-
ter who swung the pendulum
and who turned in the pitching
that made it ~ossible for the In
dianS to win.
walter Johnson. the marvel
man, was expected to be the
Titanic party in the world series
of 1924 and 1925 when the Sena.
tors confronted the Giants and
Pirates in turn, but the great
Walter failed while the under
studies, the second stringers, the
presumed raw recruits, had to
amble into the picture and halt
the thrusts.
Pitchers Fail
Grove and EarnShaw, who had
annihilated All-American League
opposition through 1881, were ex-
pected to wreck the Cardinals
last year. The pair won and
lost three. and Derringer, the kid
enom, who was the real leader
of the National circuit, and in
whom were vested the high hopes
of the Cardinals, was knocked
lop-eared in both his starts.
Sure enough, pitching is TO per
cent Of the game. But no set OF
figures ever have been compiled
and no standard Of conduct ever
has been established, whereby
any human can forecast just
what star will be eclipsed in a
series and what green recruit, OF
ancient war horse will come along
and gain the filigreed crown.