Evening star., 1954-10-08

Excluding Catcher Chief Meyers only times,
substitutes John McGraws regulars stole
315 bases, averaging IS apiece.
"THE 1911 TEAM stole the pennant" McGraw used to
say Mighty few ball clubs faster The players got
the notion that they could steal anybody and they nearly
broke Roger Bresnahans heart Od Giant Bresnahan
managing St. Louis them
"We handed the same treatment Bill Dahlen who had
left manage Brooklyn On trip West arrived in
Chicago with club and tars We had to telegraph
for uniforms Nearly player had slid out the seat
of his pants"
On the day the Giants wired for uniforms Devore
slid base and couldn't get up. He unhurt
but his pants had actually apart Players had to sur
him and walk him off the field. There wasn't
anything left to pin up.
Giants lost the World Series games to the
Philadelphia Athletics but they might have made it closer
If almost every game had not been played in rain
muddy field At time the footing conducive to stealing
bases
JOSHUA DEVORE WHO was nearly 81 when he died in
Chlicohe, Ohio not good hitter Indeed, he was
almost total loss against But he could field
and being small and speedy, he good lead-of
Josh off farm in Ohio and joined the Giants in
1903 so rube-lke that players constantly picked him.
playing practical jokes and nvenng nicknames for him.
Josh green that the mighty Chrisy Mahewon moved
by compassion insisted that the rookie with him Under
such an influence, Devore promptly smartened up
lefthanded batter Josh did learn hit south
paws. In that 1911 World Series he struck five times
succession four times in against the Athletics great
southpaw Eddie Plank STILL he valuable in the field
and the bases that McGraw played him regularly although
Josh frequently tried his patience
DEVORE, 1T WAS AGREED, was harmless and hkable
McGraw also took the that he lazy unpre
dicabe Once Little Napoleon threatened to fine
Rube Marquad $40 each for talking during game the
pleasant view from the hotel they occupied
Another time firing of watching Devore cringe against
left-handed pitching McCraw ordered him Saee
of st. Louis hit him.
"If you don't, it'll cost you $10" McCraw threatened
Devore gritted his teenth and finally obeyed
hit him between the shoulder blades trotted to first
base he yelled to McCraw the bench, "Gee Mac was
easy"
Easy may have been that time, Devore remained
uncured. He still couldn't hit southpaws
THE GIANTS 1911 outfeld consisted of Devore, Fred
Snodgrass and Red Murray, who stole 48 bases
respectively Beals Becker the man. used mostly
for pnch-hng and although he played only SIS games
he stole 10.
Fred Merkle at base stole 49, Third Baseman Buck
erzog 49, Second Baseman Larry Doyle Shortstop
Art Fletcher TO- Their combined stolen more than
o times that of the 1854 Giants and people away
the World Series of recent memory talking favoraby of the
speed OF Leo Durocher's team!
Most of the obituary Devore linked him chiefly with
tne Miracle Braves of 1914 not the Giants should have
oeen the other way around for Josh first Giant He
only came TO the Braves in a. when he nearly finished
and probably the chief he stuck was because
that he platooned them
Over the stangs played II men in the outheld
only Joe Connolly facing all pitching The Others including
Devore aternated in basebas platoon experiment As
stangs may have e and Casey sengel openly stated
VNI1 ifno ITO ;Io~