THE TIMES: JANUARY 19, 19l8
a
meeping iPACByviTO
PEACETM
CONTRACTS
F0RG1ANTS
Alacrity With Which Stars
and Recruits Are Signing
Up Shows That New York
; . Didn't Wield the Knife
Fat Salaries on Other
Teams to be Sliced.
New York, Jan. 1 9 The speed with
i -which the Giants are signing their
contracts this winter seems to be a
j line omen for the players. The New
York players are breaking all winter
! records tor falling Into line. Des
i pite the fact that contracts were
I mailed to players only a little more
than two weeks ago, already every
regular on the club with the excep
tion of (Robertson, Burns, Fletcher,
Mccarty,' Sallee and Perritt and prac
: tically every youngster is under con
tract. A year ago 3e.llee was the first
' Giant to sign.
Obviously the Giants are sending
j out peace time contracts or there
' would not be such a rush to get on
i the band wagon. It is true that many
clubs have not as yet sent out con
; tracts for the coming year and per
lhape are not in a position to write as
i high figures into contracts as the
! Giant coffers permit. However, such
I clubs as have sent out contracts are
1 having quick responses. Both Cicotte
1 and Fabcr, the leading Chicago White
fox pitchers, were signed with little
difficulty. SttuiTy Mclnnis signed a
Boston contract as soon as the deal
was completed by which he went to
the Hub.
Ebbets of Brooklyn has not yet sent
out contracts, but recently signed
1 Rube Marquard in his office, although
Rube was supposed to be in the bad
graces of the Flatbush owners. The
Yankees mailed contracts only early
, this week and have not had time to
get response.
It Is known that this club will cut
'some contracts, tut these will be
i only Justifiable reductions. For in
i stance no one would expect Cald
well's $8,000 contract renewed.
. Griffith of Washington recently an
nounced there would be no general
I cut in "Washington salaries, though it
. Is reported that Walter Johnson's sti
' pend had a big chunk hacked off it.
It even is teaid that Johnson's salary
has been cut in two.
Speaking of contracts, one of the
few Federal League contracts to hold
over for 1918 was the four-year con
tract signed by Les Nunamaker, the
Yankee catcher. Just before Ruppert
-and Huston purchased the club. The
old Farrel regime took no chance of
the Feds getting its catching staff,
with the result that Big Ed Sweeney
i and Nunamaker drew a pair of the
most sugar coated contracts ever of
fered to a backstop.
Sweeney got a $8,000 per annum
1 contract for the seasons of 1914, 1915
and 1916, while Nunamaker drew
down $5,000 per annum for the sea-
sons of 1915, 1916, 1917 and 1917.
Dick Hoblitzel, the former Red Sox
first baseman, is convalescing rapidly
! from the effects of an operation in a
! Cincinnati hospital which he under
went so that he might be eligible for
service In the Dental .Corps. It now
: Is said that Dick has lost some of his
I ambitions for service with Uncle
Sam, and he now Is being mentioned
! as the war manager of the Red Sox.
One wonders what will happen to
all of the Boston firs basemen, now
that Mclnnis is a fixture on the Bos
ton team. Hobby and Gainer alter
nated at the bag during the last three
i seasons, but Gainer is now in the
1 navy. Mclnnis could be shifted to
some other infield position, as he or-
iginally came into the American
League a shortstop, though he is ex
pected to play first basse in Boston.
When peace comes it likely will be
discovered that either Hoblitzel or
Gainer will be sent to the Athletics,
along with Hal Janvrin and Tillie
Walker. Mack never gave up Mc
i Innis without setting his full equiv
alent in players and cash.
LEWIS WANTS TO
WRESTLE WINNER
New York, Jan. 19 Ed ("Strang
. ler") Lewis, thye inventor of the
j deadly head lock, is out with a chal
i lenge to meet the winner of the
i Zbygzko-Olln wrestling championship
match, which takes place at Madl
' son Square Garden on January 29.
'.Lewis is more than anxious to appear
! here once again, as he is positive he
' can redeem himself for the defeat he
' ': suffered at the hands of Zbyszko in
the final match of the reeent Interna
. tional Tournament.
i Rather than lose an opportunity to
wrestle for the championship, Lewis
. j is willing to forego his head lock
; which is acknowledged to be hit!
I greatest asset. It makes no differ-
: eriee to Lewis as to whether he meets
i Zbysiko or Olin. Ail he desires is
hance at the world's title.
DEMPSEY FOUGHT
WHILE INVALIDED
Poor old 1 Jack Dempsey ingIV
ously rounded out his careerr twenty
three years ago today when he took
on Tommy Ryan at Coney Island. It
was a good match that never should
. have been made, for Dempsey was
already far gone with . tuberculosis.
Dempsey had commenced his carerr
at Brooklyn cooperage shop which
"also turned out Jack McAuliffe, Jack
Skelly and Brooklyn Jimmy Carroll,
and afl of these begged the former
middleweight champion to call off
the fight. He clung to his determin
ation, and trained faithfully at the
ro&dhouseof Brooklyn Jimmy Car
roll, who died in December 1913.
Dempsey made a pitiful exhibition of
himself and was "pushed out" by
Ryan in the third round. Dempsey
died in Portland, Ore., a few months
Jatar,
SEMI-FINAL AT
ARENA TO BE
FAST BOUT
New Haven, Jan. 19 Fans are inter
ested in the debut of Bobby North ot
New York, who for a year and a half
was sparring partner for Benny
Leonard and who has made many
friends since coming to New Haven
to reside. . North is a quiet, unas
suming chap and is working out at
the Young Men's Hebrew association
where he is teaching boxing to the
club members. Several weeks ago
when the boxing game died in New
York, North came to this city to try
and get some good bouts. Although
he tips the scales at only 130 pounds
and has been boxing featherweights
up to a short time ago he came here
to get in the ring with the state
lightweights and stated he barred
none of them up to 135 pounds at 3
o'clock In the afternoon. Bobby said
that he wanted to show that he is in
the class with Chic Brown and Bat
tling Kunz and others and in order
to prove this point -he would meet
any lightweight the club might pro
cure and the better the boy the bet
ter he would like it.
North went two draws with Willie
Jackson, the boy who knocked out
Johnny Dundee and then defeated
K. O. Eggers. He is fast on his feet
and very clever. He is a great stu
dent of boxing and has watched such
boys as Mike Gibbons, Packey Mc
Farland Leach Cross and others
closely and his year and a half with
Benny Leonard gave him many valu
able pointers.
In order to give North a real tryout
and see Just what he can do the
Arena A. C. offered him Pete Hartley
for a 10-round bout as the semi
windup attraction to the Chic Brown
Battling Kunz 20-round bout. North
accepted terms right away. He
didn't hesitate a minute. "Hartley is
one of the best lightweights in the
game and I know it as well as any
one else, but bring him on and I
will give a gQod account of myself,"
said Bobby. The match was made
and now the fans declare it is one
of the classiest semi-final bouts ever
offered by a New Haven club.
As the Tesult of Dr. Garfield's sweep
ing fuel order, members of the Arena
A. C. voted to postpone the show un
til Tuesday night.
Officials of the Arena A. C. notified
Battling Kunz over the ong distance
telephone that government action
made it, compulsory to postpone the
show. Kunz said that it was agree
able to him to ibox on Tuesday but he
was dea'i-set against postponing it
until the following week. He stated
that a long postponement would seri
ously affect his training. Chic Brown,
on the other hand, said he would
abide toy any date set by ,the club.
The directors then chose Tuesday
evening.
WHOLE FOOTBALL
TEAM ENLISTED
IN SERVICE
Hartford, Jan. 19 Statistics com
piled by the Williams College Athletic
Council show that the varsity eleven
of 1915 boasts the proud distinction
of having each one of its "W" mem
bers, together with its manager, as
sistant manager and coach, in the
United States service at the present
time.
Some of the players who represent
ed the purple are in ahe army and
some are in the navy, while others
are engaged in driving ambulances in
France.
The Williams team of 1915 included
a number of stars who will be recalled
by followers of college sports. Among
them are "Alie" La Plante, choice for
All-Eastern end by some critics;
Fritz Tompkins, Norm Brown and
Jimmy Garfield.
The first named is driving a motor
truck with the Syracuse ambulance
unit "over there," while the other
three hold commissions in the army.
The complete list of members in
the service follows: Capt. Tompkins,
GarfieM, Brown, La Plante, J. Wright,
Overton, Keisen Brewer, Austin,
Choate, Clifford, Pollard, Jones, Hub
bell, Molthan, H. Wright, Cochran,
Welch, Fred Daly, the coach; Flynt,
the manager, and Mersellis, the as
sistant manager.
SHEPPARD SEEKS
BACK ARMY PAY
Washington, Jan. 18 Melville W.
Sheppard, the" middle-distance run
ner, has filed a claim with the War
Department for his pay as a prvate
in the 69th Infantry, New York Na
tional Guard, between Sept. 22 and
Dec. 12, 1916. Official records show
that while the regiment was at Mc
Allen, Texas., Sheppard was ordered
furloiighed to the reserve. He con
tends, however, that the order was
not put into effect and that he was
kept with his command until Dec. 12.
COCHRAN BEATS
GEORGE SUTTON
New York, Jan. 19 Welker Coch
ran completed his sessions at 18.2
balk vline billiards with George Sut
ton, the handless professional, at Mau
rice Daly's Academy far in the lead
and an easy victor. In the final mat
inee match Cochran outplayed Sutton
by SCO pointa to 206. , The young
professional failed to count any im
pressive clusters, his best being 54
His average was 20. Sutton's top
run was '72.
The evening competition proved
valkaway for Cochran. He put up
300 buttons while . Sutton tallied 71.
Cochran's best run was 153 and his
average was 37 4-8. Sutton's high
run was 36.
COBB IS PLACED
IN FIRST CLASS
BY DRAFT BOARD
f ii
Augusta, Ga., Jan. 19 Tyrus
Raymond Cobb, star outfielder of
the Detroit Americans, has been
placed in Class 1 by the exemption
board here, where he is registered.
It is understood he claimed de
ferred classification on the ground
of dependents.
When informed of the action of
the local board, Cobb declared that
he was willing to serve whenever
called. Ho was thirty-one years
old last Dec. 18.
MAGE CHAMPION
.lOfJEY MAKER
OF BOXING
One of the most ferocious battles in
ring history was fought near London
56 years ago today, Jan. 19, 1862,
when Jem Mace and Tom King faced
each other for the first time. The
bout was for the heavyweight cham
pionship of England and a purse of
$1,000, For 40 rounds the fortunes
of war favored first one combatant,
then the other, but in the 42nd Mace
put an end to the gruelling contest
by sending King to dreamland. Old
Jem won the belt in 1861 by defeating
Sam Hurst, the Stalybridge Infant,
and held it until November, 1863,
when he again met King. This time
King was the victor, and claimed the
belt, but soon forfeited it by refus
ing to meet Mace again. From that
time until 1872, when he toured
America, and fought a draw with Joe
Ceburn, Mace was either the cham
pion or the claimant. The "grand
old man of pugilism," as Mace came
to be called after his retirement.
lived past the fourscore mark, dying
in 1910. .
During his championship career of
10 years, and his subsequent" barn
storming tours, Jem Mace earned
over a million dollars. He died in
extreme poverty, and for a long time
had been dependent upon the charity
of friends. Unfortunate speculations
and investments, rather than dissi
pation, led to Mace's financial un
doing. Few other champions made
so much money as he, although John
L. Sullivan ran him a close second.
The Old Roman's income from all his
battles and theatrical tours totals
close to a million. Ten years ago
John L. . spent the last cent of that
million, but he took a brace, climbed
aboard the water wagon, and soon
made enough to enable him to settle
down on a farm and spend his last
days in comfort. Sullivan's greatest
popularity was in 1883, when he
netted nearly $200,000 from a tour
lasting seven months.
TOM OLIVER WAS
GARDENER ONCE
It was just 107 years ago today,
Jan. 18, 1811, that Tom Oliver, a
country lad, had his introduction to
pugilism. Although never a cham
pion, Tom was one of the leading
lights of the British ring. From his
boyhood he had been a gardner, and
in Che society of vegetables, fruits and'
tiowers his innate pugnacity remained
latent. He was as peaceful and quiet
a lad as could be found in England
until that day, when, having nothing
to do, he decided to attend a prize
fight which was to be pulled off in a
town a few miles away. Dan Dough
erty and George Silverthorne were
the combatents. The curious and in
nocent gardner watched them batter
away for hours, until neither man
could do more than stand on his feet.
Silverthorne had just a little more
stamina than his opponent, and was
finally declared the victor.
This was one of the fiercest and
bloodiest battles ever fought, even in
those day of bare knuckles and
slaughter-house rules, and one would
suppose that Tom Oliver would have
been shocked and horrified by the
display. Not he! When told that
Silverthorne had received $500 for his
hard-won victory, Tom' decided then
and there that pugilism was an easier
way to make money than gardening
The .simple country lad's ambition to
become a fighter aroused a great deal
of ridicule, and a giant who had some
ring experience led in chaffing Tom.
This made Tom hot under the collar,
and he challenged his tormentor to
fight one morning, for $2 a side, and
in half an hour Tom had stretched
his opponent on the turf, unconsciuos.
Tom's master, the market gardener,
thought he would discourage Tom in
his fighting aspirations by matching
him with a professional of his ac
quaintance, but Tom showed such
natural ability that the professional
was jaroused to' admiration of his
prowess. Thereafter he became one
'of the most prominent of English
pugilists, and after his retirement as
a fighter he was usually chosen to
pitch the ring and make the arrange
ments for nearly all of the great fights
in the country. For more than a
half century after his debut as a
bruiser Tern CSsfst was always among
those present at an important battle,
and to the last he held a reputation
for honesty and straight dealing not
surpassed by any other character in
pugilistic history.
TODAY IN PUGILISTIC ANNALS.
1788Richard Humphries defeated
Dan Mendoza at Odiham, England.
1895 George Dixon and Young
Griffo fought' a 25-round draw at
Coney Island.
1904 Kid Carter stopped Joe Cho
ynski in ahe first round at Boston.
President Tener of the National lea
gue, Manager McGrath of the Giants
and Manager Mathewson of the Reds,
all of whom are crack billiardists, are
members of the new three-eushion
club of New York.
PRINCETON PLAYER
SCORES A VICTORY
SCORES A VICTORY
Q Ystern Newspaper Union
"Hobey" Baker, former Princeton
football star and hockey player, re
cently scored a victory for the Ameri
can aviation corps in France, when he
sent a German airplane crashing to
the ground "somewhere" on the west
ern front.
The photograph shows Baker in
military garb "Somewhere in France."
(Talk Of SportsJ
Battling Nelson is gathering a string
or boxers with a view to devoting him
self to the managerial end of the
game in future.
Pitcher Thomas of the Minnennnlis
team won ,a place anions; the "iron
men and "norses of baseball last
season. He figured in no fewer than
62 games.
The Brooklyn Dodgers and the Bos
ton Red Sox will meet" at Albany, N.
i., March 15. and e-o thrnne-h in
bunch to their training camp at Hot
Springs, Ark. ,
The United States Football associa
tion, the soccer governing body, will
not hold any meetings this year. The
national commission of the U. S. F. A.
will handle all the business from now
on.
Another boxer of the name of Lewis
Gus Lewis, the Philadelphia ban
tam, has started out to win pugilistic
fame. .If he can show the goods dis
played by the other members of the
Lewis family Willie, Harry and
Ted he is bound to arrive at the ton.
Matty, who ought to know a pitch
er when he sees one, is placing great
faith in the ability of Eddie Gerner,
the young southpaw he farmed out to
Montreal last season.
Inside baseball stuff: Sh! There are
30 players in the National League, the
records show, who throw left hand
ed. .
George Sisler, Ollie O'Mara and
Red Smith are practicing their eye on
.the pins these days. They belong to
a bowling team organized in St. Louis
by Bobby Byrne.
Down in Havana where it's nice
and warm, John Lobert is dawdling
away the winter as boss of the race
track employes.
Boston fans are delighted with the
prospect of a pre-season series be
tween the Red Sox and the Braves.
They're a lucky bunch, those Boston
fans.
Of the men the Bostons obtained
from Connie Mack, Mclnnis averages
second among the first basemen in
the American League and Amos
Strunk is third among the outfielders.
A curious feature is that Schang, the
Athletics' star, doesn't figure among
the first thirteen catchers, while
Thomas, who goes to Philadelphia
with Vean Gregg, ranked second with
a .986 fielding average for seventy
seven games.
KAUFF IS READY
Benny Kauff says he expects to be
be glad to go into the army. He does
not expect to be called Into active
service until the middle of August,
however.
MAY'S RECORD GOOD
Although underhand pitching is
supposed to "kill" the man whosticks
to it, Carl Mays, tne Red Sox star
seems to thrive. After a good year
in 1 91 fi no ronpflled last season hv
running second to Eddie Cicotte in
ertectiveness as measured oy tne earn
ed runs scored against him. Cicotte's
figure was 1.53 per nine inning game
,and May's was 1.75. Eddie Plank was
third with 1.79.
BRIEF NEWS NOTES
Miners are demanding that the
government take closer control of
the food and clothing profiteers.
The International Sugar Committee
will distribute the entire Cuban sugar
crop throughout the world.
Adjutant-General Sherrlll Lssued a
warning to draft registrants to have
their draft questionnaires returned.
General Korniloff, leader of one of
the opposing factions against the Bol
shevik!, was, wounded in battle.
Continued eold weather has tied up
the oyster dredging industry along the
Maurice river, at Bivalve, N. J.
UNCLE SAMEUL'S
BASEBALL TEAM
HAS REAL STARS
Here is a hall team in the1 ser
vice of Uncle Sam that might come
out with a challenge to the winner
of the 1918 World's Series and
make an interesting fight:
Pitchers Ernie Shore and
Dutch Leonard of the Red Sox;
Eppa Rixey of the Phillies; Jeff
Pfeffer, Leon Cadore and Sherrod
Smith of the. Itobins, and Howard
Elimke of Detroit.
Hank Gowdy'of the Braves and
Joo Jenkins of the White Sox.
First Base Joe Harris of the
Clevelands or Del Gainor of the
Red Sox.
Second Base Jack Barry of the
Red Sox.
Shortstop Walter Maranville
of the Braves or "Doc" La van of
the Browns. ,
Third .Base Harold Janvrin of
he Red Sox.
Outfielders Duffy Lewis and
Harry Hooper of the Red Sox and
Jack Miller of the Cardinals.
MORAN PREDICTS
KEEN RACE FOR
FLAG IN 1918
New York, Jan. 18 Patrick Moran,
the stocky field directpr of the Phil
lies, made his second winter visit to
New York yesterday for the purpose
of discussing the club's training plans
with President Baker of the Quaker
club. Moran escaped back to his
home town of Fitchburg, Mass, last
night without suffering any new ca
lamity. The last time the New Eng
land Irishman was in our midst he
was compelled to sit idly by while
the great Pitcher Alexander and
Catcher Killefer were amputated from
his battery department.
Whether the Phillies contemplate
any new deals Moran would not say.
He contented himself with remarking
that the owner of the Phillies will be
ready to strengthen the club when
ever any advantageous deal presents
itself. It will, be recalled that Presi
dent Baker promised the Phladelphia
fans that the money obtained for
Alexander and Killefer would be util
ized for buying new material. Moran
predicted a tight, well balanced pen
nant race in the National League next
season. He declared there is not a
team in the league that will be able
to make a runaway race.
It iS said that Moran and Baket
conferred on some trades to
strengthen the Philly pitching depart
ment. Moran says that "outside of
his battel ies he will have a better
club in 1918 than, he had in 1917."
The Philly pitching staff has been
hit hard since the Alexander deal.
Eppa Rixey, the tall left hander, who
next to Alexander has been the most
effective pitcher on the Phildelphia
staff, has been commissioned a lieu
tenant in the Gas and Fire Brigade.
Then Wilbur Davis, a recruit pitcher
from Atlanta, who was expected to
fill Alexander's place, has been draft
ed. Davis is a big fellow, tried out
by the Athletics a few seasons ago,
and was considered the best piacher
in the' minors last season.
The loss of Alexander, Rixey and
Davis reduces the Philly hurling
corps to the veteran Bender and a
rather medicpre quartet, Oeschger,
Lavender, Mayer and Prendergast,
hardly an imposing staff.
Moran talks Very enthusiastically
about iMeusel and Fitzgerald, two out
fielders from the Pacific coast league,
both of whom may play regularly for
the Phillies next season. Fitzgerald
played with the Yankees under Hal
Chase back in 1911. In the event both
Meusel and Fitzgerald come through
Moran will play a brand new outfield
next season, consisting of Fitzgerald,
Williams and Meusel. In that event
the brilliant Whitted will relieve Fred
Luderus at first base, while Cactus
Oravath will be carried as a utility
outfielder and pinch hitter.
Following his conference with Ba
ker, Moran announced that the Phil
lies again will train at St. Peters
burg, Fla., next spring. His men will
report about 30 days previous to the
opening of the National league sea
son. The Phillies will go by boat to
Jacksonville.
Moran says the Phillies are trying
to arrange a. spring exhibition tour
with the Washington Americans.
Griffith may take his players to
Tampa, Fla., or Atlanta, Ga. In the
event the Senators go to Tampa, a se
ries in Florida will be arranged.
Discussing Alexander, Moran ex
pressed an opinion that there was lit
tle chance of any hitch developing m
the sale of his late pitching star to
Chicago. He said under the agree
ment made by Baker and Weeghman
the deal was to be called ofT in the
event that Alexander was drafted 30
days before the opening of the sea
son. He says the Chicago club has
made no attempt to call the deal eff.
In case a Philadelphia National
Washington spring series is arranged,
all major league clubs will be paired
off for exhibition purposes with the
exception of the two Chicago clubs.
The combinations arranged are the
Giants and Cleveland, the Yanks and
the Boston Braves, Brooklyn and the
Boston Red Sox, Detroit and Cincin
nati and .the two St. Louis cluibs. The
St. Louis clubs will play- their usual,
spring series In the Mound City.
NEW LEAGUES IN
WEST ARE LIKELY
Chicago, Jan. 18 A. R. Tearney,
President of the Three-I League,
asked the Presidents of .the Central
League, Western League and Central
Association last night to attend in a
joint meeting to be held in Peoria,
111., for the purpose of settling the
Middle West Minor League situation.
The date will be set after their re
plies have been received.
It is planned to form two or three
substantial circuits out of the four
leagues, ;
BENNY KAUFF IS
ALLSTAR TEAM
Official Records Almost Without Exception Give Stars
Place on Mythical All-National League Aggregation
Alexander and Killif er the Battery.
New York, Jan. 19 An All-Nation
al League baseball team, the selection
of which is based upon the official
records of the leading players for at
least 50 games in their respective posi
tions, shows, almost without excep
tion, the famous sars at their accus
tomed stations. According to the sys
tem used fifty per cent, is allowed for
the value of the player on the offen
sive and an equal percentage for his
defensive work. .
The theory is that a player on such
a combination should be equally strong
at bat and in the field. As a result
high grade stick work and fielding are
necessary to produce a place-winning
average and this applies to" all the
players including the pitchcer, who, in
addition, must show league-leading
ability in the box, although not called
upon to qualify in the 50 game class.
Under these conditions it is not sur
prising that Grover Alexander, late of
the Philadelphia Club, should stand
out as the premier twirler of the sen
ior league. Viewed from almost any
angle Alexander's records prove his
right to be selected for the position of
boxman on an all-star 1917 National
League team. He led the league in
number of innings pitched and allow
ed less runs per game than any other
twirler.
Alexander was also fourth in per
centage on the games-won-and-lost
basis and his combined batting and
fielding averages produce a higher
grand average than any of his rivals.
Perritt and Schupp of New York;
Schneider, Cincinnati and Vaughn,
Chicago are. close competitors for the
position but none quite approaches
Alexander's standard.
Catcher Killifer, who is Alexander's
battery mate and who was sold to the
Chicago Nationals recently with the
pitcher, easily makes the place behind
the bat. His grand average is .629,
eight points better than that of Rari
den, of New York, Gonzalez of St.
Louis, is third and Wingo, of Cincin
nati, fourth.
Among the first- basemen Konetchy,
ALL-NATIONAL LEAGUE TEAMS FOR 1917.
Position
Pitcher
Catcher
First base
Player
Alexander
Killifer
Konetchy
Club
Philadelphia .
Philadelphia .
Boston
Boston
Second base Rawlings
Third base Groh
Shortstop Hornsby
Outfielder Roush
Outfielder Wheat
Outfielder Kauff
Cincinnati
St. Louis
Cincinnati
Brooklyn
New York
Team Averages
PITCHER ONLY THINKS HE CAN'T
HIT, AVERS RUTH OF RED SOX
"The pitcher who can't get in there
in the pinch and win his own game
with a healthy wallop, isn't more than
half earning his salary," says Babe
Ruth, star twirler of the Boston Red
Sox in the February issue of the Base
ball magazine.
"The oldtime twirlers," says Ruth,
"used to take a big healthy swing at
the ball. Too many pitchers seem to
have the idea they can't hit," contin
ues "Babe."
"Most of them don't hit, just be
cause they think they can't. And it's
the same with fielding. A pitcher is
not supposed to be as good as a short
stop. But there's a lot of tough balls
come his way in the course of a sea
son and if he juggles one of them it
may count just as much in the scoring
as in an outfielder dropped an easy
fly."
The first of this season Ruth started
out at a .400 clip, but, of course, that's
a pretty hot pace and a pitcher could
hardly agree to keep it up. Like most
pitchers, Ruth wants to put some beef
into his swing and when such pitchers
drive the ball they just love to see it
sail. Several games that Ruth has
CORNELL BEATS
- PRINCETON FIVE
Ithaca, N. Y., Jan. 19 Cornell
came through with the punch in the
last five minutes of last night's game
with Princeton and won by the score
of 22 to 20 after trailing the Tigers
all the way to that time.
The turning point of the game came
when, with the Tigers leading 19 to
15, Miniasan was substituted for
Tripp at right forward, the latter be
ing ruled out for fouls. Miniasan
threw two field goals in quick suc
cession, one of them a spectacular
heave from the side line, and gave
a one point advantage to Cornell.
Superiority in team work gave a
slight advantage to the Tigers in the
first half, which they increased a lit
tle in the opening of the second.
Cornell then began to close the gap
and Miniasan did the rest. Trimble
starred for Princeton.
Speaking of the great increase in
prices for commodities, and who
isn't speaking of that these days it
must make John . McGraw sick to
think that he, Wilbert Robinson and
Billy Keister, a great trio 18 years
ago, were sold by the old Baltimore
Orioles to St. Louis tof a paltry $15,
000. And here" the other day thff
Cubs purchased Alexander and Kille
fer from the Phillies, forking up over
180,000,
of Boston and Chase, of Cincinnati,
are almost tied for first place; th
Braves' initial sack guardian winning
the position by the scant margin of-
three points in grand average. Chase
has five points the better of the bat
ting averages but Konetchy is eleven
points better in fielding with the nel
results that the Boston player is the
choice for the bag.
- Another Boston player fits in on
the midway sack for Rawlings' records
at bat and in the field show to better
advantage than either Cutshaw of
Brooklyn or Doyle of Chicago. Of
this trio Cutshaw has the best batting
average but Rawlings' fielding puts
him to the fore with a total of .616
to Cutshaw's .611 and Doyle's .603.
At third base Groh, of Cincinnati,
leads the field by a comfortable mar
gin. He batted .304 and fielded .966
for a grand average of .635. His
nearest rival is Zimmerman, of New
York, who is thirteen points below
the Cincinnati playert Zimmerman's
figures show that he batted seven
points below Groh and fielded nine
teen points below the season average
of the winner of the place.
The position of shortstop is earned
by another star, in the persons of
Hornsby, of St. Louis. He is twenty
five points better than his nearest
rival, Fletcher, of New York. Olson
of Brooklyn and Maranville of Boston,
finished right at the heels of Fletcher
but neither threatens the first place
laurels of Hornsby. The latter hit
.327 and fielded .939 for the 1917 sea
son giving him a grand average of
.633.
For the outfield, Roush of Cincin
nati; Wheat, of Brooklyn, and Kauff,
of New York form the leading trio.
Burns, of New York, Cary(- of Pitts
burgh, and Neale, of Cincinnati show
up well but none of them could wrest
a place from the first three mention
ed. Rousch is six points better than
Wheat while Kauff falls three points
below the latter's average.
The personnel of the team, with the
averages and grand averages for the
season, are as follows: ' . .
B.A.
.216
.274
.272
.256
F.A.
.992
.984
.994
.977
.966
.939
.962
.979
.976
.974
G.Aver.
.604
.629
.633
.616
.635
.633
.651
.645
.642
.632
O.E.R.P.C.
1.85
. 304
327
341
....... .312
308
290
won have been won in this way with
a good hard wallop and they have
managed to drive just past the out
fielders. The pitcher who stands out in this
respect is Walter Johnson. He has
an awful lot of stuff and he is a fair
man. Ruth and Johnson have had
some fine battles. In 1916 Ruth won
four games from him by a score ol
1 to 0. That goes to show just what
kind of tussles they were and it's no
discredit to Johnson that he lost. The
Red Sox are a far better team than
Washington.
The thing that Ruth has set out to.
do is to pile up a big score of straight
wins. This season Ruth started out
with eight to his credit. But the
s:rain began to grow the further he
got and finally wore on his nerves.
Kuth is not inclined to worry in tha
tightest game, but the closer a pitcher
crawls up on the particular record the
r. cre anxious he is that nothing will
fcf.mper to upset his plans.
Ruth is out for another banner sea
son in 1S1R. He is out to pile up aa
many wins as he can according to the
way he feels about matters just at
present. v
ERNE'S KNOCKOUT
FINISHED LAVIGNE
It was on Jan. 19, 1907, that Young
Erne knocked out Kid Lavigne in
the sixth round at Philadelphia. This
bout was memorable as marking the ,
end of, the ring career of the "Sag- j
inaw Kid," in his prime one of the
greatest lightweight champions the
game has ever had. At the time he
met Young Erne the French-Canadian
lad had been out of the ring for more.
tlan a year, and' time and lack ot
training had reduced him to a mere
phantom of the boy who once lorded
it over the world's pugilistic light
weights. After this pitiful affair L- .
vigne gave up all thought of regain
ing his lost laurels. He made a smalf
fortune as a boxer, but had saved lit
tle, and he was practically broke
when he retired from the ring. Since
then, according to all accounts, he
hs had hard sledding and tried var
ious occupations with little success
The Kid's pugilistic career was prac
tically ended when he lost the title to
Erne. Latir he was knocked out by
George McFadden and Jimmy Britt.
NOW, WHO IS THIS?"
There's a Giant. If you know
Then say to me "Stoven, I getcher; '
He's loaded, he is, - - -
Wish the old pep, Gee Whla,
He's soma little shortstop, you
fcetcherl .