t.u U if it 10 j&vmmstG KmrGm&wm&viffiV'mj?, aroFPAr, jtnrr 6, loig. HERZOG OF REDS PICKS BRAVES TO WIN"pENNANT "THE CAST-OFF," BY C. E. YAN LOAI BOSTON BRAVES WILL WIN PENNANT IN NATIONAL LEAGUE, AVERS HERZOG Cincinnati Manager Declares Stallings' Team Is Class of- Circuit, and Is Now on Way to Victory Working of Double Steals Recalls Trick of Old Catchers. ... "The Braves will win the pennant again If IUIt James Bets back into shape, nntl I would not bo surprised If they won it wlthbut him." Charley Herzog, manager of the; Iledd, mado this statement Just beforo tho team left for the West Saturday night. ' - "Thcro Is no team In the league In tho Braves' class, with the posslblo ex ception of Brooklyn, and now that tho champions havo struck their stride there will be nothing to It," ho continued. "They aro not as fat" down now as they were last season, and In tho last series with tho Beds they looked better than at any tlmo In 1914. In 1914 they won becnuso they caught tho field napping. Tho field Is better balanced and every ono Is fighting tho Braves hard, but they aro too strong to bo denied. No club In tho National League has been nblo to make any headway or stago a winning streak that would put them out In front, and this has given tho Braves their chance. Tho Dodgers and Phillies have gono along In great shapo for a time, but Just as soon as they havo a chanco to take a, largo lead they slump. When tho Braves go out In front they will keep on going. Ilcmember what I tell you. Tho Braves will bo in first place beforo tho first of September nnd they will stay there." Players Agree That Braves Arc Striking Their Stride Hcrzog's opinions aro echoed by every member of his team, and Fred Clarke recently said that tho Braves wcro tho most dangerous club in tho league. That Stallings' team has Improved wonderfully In tho last threo weeks is borno out by tho statements of players who havo camo hero after a series In Boston. Tho Beds' manager says that tho Phillies' only chanco lies in Alexander's ability to start .the "Iron man" act shortly, nnd for him to hold up to tho terrific pace for the rest of tho season. This Is entirely possible. If tho Braves get within striking dlstanco of first place, and have James, Iludolph and cither Davis or Tyler working In order, It will most likely bo necessary for Alexander to go to tho mound every other day for a month for tho Phillies to shako them off. Alexander Is In tho 'best shapo of his career and declares that ho feels capable of doing this, but it may bo a larger sized Job than he thinks. Poor Work of Jnmcs Hindrance to Boston James 13 paying tho penalty for his actions this spring, when ho held the Braves up for a now contract under tho threat that he would Jump to the Federal League. A now contract was given him after tho world's scries last fall and one that ho signed at his own figures, but ho changed his mind about his own worth during tho winter and then held tho club up. Ho reported late and was slow rounding into form. A report reached tho East beforo James went Soutli that he had Injured his arm in an exhibition game on tho Pacific coast last winter. This was In dignantly denied by both Stallings nnd James when tho article was reprinted from these columns, but later developments caused Stallings to admit that such must havo been tho case, and James was turned over to a specialist, who dls-' covered several badly strained ligaments. Rudolph, Marvel of Baseball, Coming Into His Own. The big pitcher has been of Uttlo use to the team and has failed to keep step with llttlo Dick Iludolph, who Is now on another sensational ntreak. Ru dolph has pitched wonderful ball all year, but has been unfortunate enough to havo llttlo hitting and poor fielding aid from his team-mates. Ho Is now -working every third day, and Intends to go through to tho finish at this clip, beside doing relief work. Rudolph Is surely one of tho marvels of baseball. It Is almost unbelievable that n man with his physique can go to the mound so often and becomo more effective ns the. season wears on. If James wero back In shape and working as he can when he Is right, tho Braves would still havo a wonderful chanco. They aro not very far back now. WHEN A' FELLER NEEDS A FRIEND -..;...;" -) SHIS Mam - You TAKevk ,;-':., "-.. t This sovp Arjpp How Catchers of the Old Days Broke Up Double Steals k Doublo steals, with runners on first and second, were worked twice Saturday, and in each Instance tho man going to third had such a tremendous lead that it was an Impossibility for any living catcher to havo thrown him out, but still the throw wns made. It brings to mind a play that should havo been made and ono that was once seen often with Johnny Kllng, Bill Sullivan, Lou Crlger, "Doc" Powers and a few other stars of a few years ago behind the bat. When thoso catchers wero working and a double steal was started to third and second, with one man out, they invariably threw to second instead of third, and nlno times out of ten caught tho runner standing up. The man going to second invariably slows up, thinking that tho catcher will throw to third to head off the nearest man to tho plate, and that is why he can be picked off so easily. By picking off tho man going to second, two men aro out and It still takes a single to score a run. There Is less chanco to catch the runner going to third, and if he is caught there Is a man on second and ho can still score easily on a single. Schalk, Klllefer, Snyder and a few others are Wonderful receivers, but they still lack the polish of a fow of the old school. Come-back of Mayer Gives Phils Big Chance on Road The Phillies opened up their second Western trip in impressive style by defeating Cincinnati with a nlnth-lnnlng rally. Bert Nlehoff, who was a mark for tho Cincinnati twlrlcrs In tho series in this city, provided the wallop that clinched tho victory for Moran's pennant hopefuls. Tho victory was particularly sweet to the Phillies, as It marked the come back of Erskine Mayer. The side-arm artist was hit rather hard, but always managed to tighten up in the pinches, while his support camo to his rescue several times. Now that the team Is on tho road and needs victories badly, it is hoped that Mayer will be able to return to Ills winning stride Ills lack of form In the last two weeks prevented the Phillies from getting a large lead in the pennant fight. Cincinnati Players Begin Loafing and Are Fined Manager Herzog, of the Reds, passed out a few fines and suspensions before the Reds left town, because his players have been loafing. Rube Benton, the bg southpaw, was fined 100 and suspended Indefinitely for looking at the bright lights in this city too long, and the same punishment was meted out to Lear, the former Princetonlan, who was batted all over the lot by the Phillies In the second game on Saturday, Herzog would not say who were the other players fined, but intimated that several were Included, and that they would play better ball and try harder or they would be suspended for the rest of the season without pay. Athletics' Young Twlrler, Knowlson, a Comer Yesterday was one of the few occasions when both home teams were on the road at the same time, and today is one of the few days during the neason when there is no game scheduled in this city. The Athletics have an open date, while the Phillies play In Cincinnati again. The Mackmen lost another doubleheader to Cleveland, but Manager Mack Is evidently not worry ing much. Two recruits, Knowlson and Cone, wero on the mound for the Athletics and the former gave another fne exhibition. Critics throughout the West declare that Mack has a coming star in Knowlson, who has pitched three or four excellent games. "The Phillies are to recall Joe Oeschger from Providence in September. Charley Doqln once told, us that ha considered Oeschger one of the finest pitching prospects thai he had ever seen, and Dooln certainly knows a twlrler when he sees him." Walter Trumbull In the New York World. Ad Swlgler, star pitcher for the Atlantic Refining Company, Is not only a rnowndsman of ability, hut a alugger of the Walter Johnson type. In' his game Saturday against the fast VJotrlx team, Swlgler not only held his opponents safe, but won the game with a home run drive. Two emall-oallbre singles were all that the strong Amexjean. Pulley Com pany team were able te get off Downs, plteher for the B. Q. Btidd Manufac turing Company. TJ Pulley en did net even threaten seriously to score. "THE CAST-OFF" The Rise of.G. Audubon Spencer, Alias Slug Hardy Something He Lacked His Encounter With Jaggs and the "Tin-can" Episode What the Fans at Home Thought. By CHARLES E. VAN LOAN The world's most famous writer of baseball fiction. He Is not playing baseball now; oc casionally the name of G. Audubon Spencer appears In magazines devoted to scientific pursuits, and he has been known to address women's clubs upon protective coloring as applied to lepldoptera. O. Audubon Spencer has a small but highly Interested following: Slug Hardy was frantically worshiped by a few hundred thousand perspiring gentlemen who wouldn't know what lepldoptera meant and wouldn't care very much, either. Yet U. Audubon and Slug are one and the same person. He called himself Hardy when ho de cided to become a professional baseball player, and ho became a professional baseball player because ho needed tho money. There was a time when he played the national game for love. Ho began as the star pitcher of a high-school nine, and when ho was 17 years of age he was whitewashing semlDro organizations and letting real leaguers down with two and three hits. Then ho went to a university, where he made baseball history, and was In a fair way to graduate with some let ters after his name when Spencer, Sr took It Into his head to die. He left a large family nnd a larger mortgage, and young U. Audubon packed his traps and disappeared, to tum up a .thousand miles away as Slug Hardy, the star pitcher of a professional team. He was a sensation for two seasons, partly because he could wrap, a ball around a batter's neck and partly because he could hit at a .310 clip from one end. of the season to the other, and walloping pitchers are rare birds. At 20, Hardy was a veteran pitcher and beginning to feel the effect of too much work. He would have been an exploded phenomenon at 21 but for his foresight. He knew that there comes a time to every pitcher when the strongeet wing weakens and the former star Is left out on the hill w(th nothing but a clove and a prayer, so he prepared himself for a new position, Day after day "Dusty" Moles, his chum, put In his spare time hitting up "fun goes" to the outneld, and Hardy gal loped after tbem. When Slug was ready to stop pitching he was a seasoned out fielder, and It was as an outfielder that he Joined the Blue Sox and entered the big league. There was only one thing the matter with Slug. He was born without a sense of humor. On the other hand, John Hen ry Patrick Callahan, "Jaggs" Callahan of blessed memory, had too much humor. That was where the trouble started. Jaggs was not the worst fellow In the world, and not the best, either. His humor, largely of the slapstick variety, often palled upon his teammates, but they endured him because he could pitch a baseball In seven different languages. His best Joke was the one he saved up for whiskered yokels at country stations. When the train stopped Jaggs would spy out a bucolic loafer with lonK whisk ers and beckon him to approach, engag ing him In close conversation about the town and the price of real estate. Etlll talking when the train began to move, Jaggs would learr far out of the window, entangle his Iron lingers In the rustic's beard and hold on for dear life. The eight of the outraged citizen raelng along and screaming with pain and rage was one whloh never failed to nil Jaggs with pleasure. Sometimes the plteher lost his grip. Sometimes the yokel lost his lace curtains, but whatever happened It was a very fine Joke. The first encounter between Jaggs and Hardy shows what a small thing may put a ball player "In wrong" with his asso ciates. When a player begins by getting "In bad" he nearly always gets out worse. Hardy got out worse. Jaggs selected the big, red-faced, whltc eyebrowed stranger as the softest thing among tho recruits, and scraped an ac quaintance with him. One evening on the hotel porch at the training camp Jaggs told his famous story' of the goat and the tin can. Hardy, silent and thoughtful by nature, overlooked the Improbability of tho incident, and concerned himself solely with the baseball problem Involved. "Y'seo. It was like this," said Jaggs. "I was playin' right field that day, an' this blame' goat kept edgln' In an' edgln' In you know how them country fair ball He's not playing baseball ttoiu. grounds are; no fences or nothln' and he got In my way. I chased him, an he picked up the can he was nibblln' at and started to run toward the diamond. Just then Maglnnlss hits a line drive right down over first, an' the ball hit square In the can an stuck! Maglnnlss tried to make s. home run, but I got him." "Ball rolled out?" suggested Hardy. "Nppe." said Jaggs. "Had to git It out with a can opener afterward. Just picked up Mister Goat, run-to the home plate an' touched the gbatfs. foot to the rubber, zing! The umpa allows as how Maglnnlss la out!" There was. a .deep silence, and then Hardy broke Into speech. "Why, the rule says " That settled It. The new man was a farmer or worse. Hardy was amazed when he saw the papers from the horns town. The .war correspondents seized upon the Incident of the goat and tho tin can and made it good for anywhore from two sticks to a whole column, Hardy was angry. He reproved ono of the re porters. "But I didn't say all that stuff!" he persisted. "It makes me well, ridiculous. It Isn't fair!" Then that reporter told his fellow work ers that tho new outfielder was a rube who objected to press notices and had threatened to punch the head of any cor respondent who took his name lightly be tween tho bars of his typewriter. Hardy was already "In 'bad" with sev eral members of the team; he was now "In bad" with the press. "If he drops dead on the field we'll print 10 lines about him," said the press gentlemen. "Otherwise, nix I" So It happened that all the home fans knew about Hardy was the Incident of the goat and the tin can. It was not an auspicious introduction. The season opened on the homo grounds, and Hardy, playing a sun field to which he was unaccustomed, dropped a fly ball which he should havo "caught In his teeth," as Callahan reminded him, and the error lost the game. This was un fortunate, for a certain clique of leather lunged rooters on tho right-field bleachers decided that the new man would not do. If a dozen baseball fans select a fixed idea and their voices hold out they can do almost anything. By the end of the first game 200 "regulars" were after the iew right fielder, and It pleased them to see Hardy resented their efforts. Any ball player knows what It means to have enemies in the home town. He expects to get the worst of it on the road, but when he performs at home he ex pects loyal support and encouragement. One hundred hostile rooters In the home town can nouna a player out or, me ciud, and It has happened in almost every city in the league, and will happen again so long as performers Are susceptible to outside influence. The constant chorus of "Tin cant Tin can!" got on Hardy's nerves- and worried him. Every time the ball was hit In' his direction there went up a sarcastic chorus. The boy was unused to this sort of treatment. In the. town where he had previously played he had been somewhat of a local deity. A bad cigar had been named after htm, and small boys fol lowed him about the streets. He had never been a grand-stander, but It Is one thing to play ball before a friendly crowd and quite another to do one's best when that best brings only Jeers and abuse. Hardy began to make Inexcusable er rors. He mislaid his batting eye and Bwung wildly at "bad ones." Opposing pitchers quickly diagnosed his case. "The busher Is swinging at 'em," they said. Overanxious, and fretted until his nerves were raw, Hardy played like a school boy, lost his stride entirely and brought down upon himself the wrath of those stern Censors of the press who edit the most Interesting page Of the paper. The sporting writers began to howl for his release. Hardy wouldn't do, they said, and they said it In headlines.'" Wise old Ben Daly, manager of the dub and team oaptaln as welt, a great Jnfielder In spite of a dash of gray over his tem ples, tried to put oma heart Into the re cruit. "You've let the knockers get you go ing," he said,. "Didn't they chase Dillon out of Louisville years ago, and didn't he play three times, as 'well as soon as he struck a new town; There wasn't anything the matter with Dlllpn, only they got his goat, and they kept it There Isn't anything the matter wth you, either. You'U hit your stride one of these days and show these flannel mouths what a SIX POINTS SHOWING WHY PHILS ARE LEADING NATIONAL LblM . Morals Glub Has Strong Catching, League's Premier Pitcher ffi Excellent Assistants, Good Infield, Slugging Outfield and ' One of Jthe Best Managers, m Baseball. By GRANTLAND RICE Tho .Game nntl tho Piper (Re-entered as a warning to those who see only the gleam and glamour of It nil.) This it your Oame, old pal tho Oame that you loved so well; That crowned iotl Kino of tho Field through the sweep of a golden spell; That put the world at your feet in the border of dreamt'Como-true. But here at the end of the trait icett, what hat It done for yout It gave you fame in a path, And rank at a tender age,' The thrill of the headlong clath, A Name on the Printed Page. Then jeers for the cheers of old It gave with a tnarl of glee; It took your job In the fold And you were but thirty:lhree. At tho age when mott men start On the wide trail's upward sweep, It broke your grip and'your heart In the rut where Ilasbcens creep. Aoolalmed in the Dig Corral, Loud cheered In the Ruling Puth Say, how doet It feel, old. pal. To be bawled out in the Dutht .In the Bush with a teornout wing Loud cursed on a tattfc-foum lot The Oame yet, If made you king Has it made you pay or not! This Is your Oame, old pal Ihe Oamo that you loved so Well; , That crowned you King of the Field through the sweep of a golden spell; You'vo saved from the grip of Time, from the laurel that crowned your brow, 'A dream and a wornout glove well, what Is tho austoer nolo1 Tho Phllly Outlook Thoso who flguro tho Phillies a bad ball club, with no chanco to maintain their clip, might absorb theso few details of dopo: X In Klllefer they havo the second best catcher In .the league. 2. In Alexander they havo tho game's greatest pitcher; In Mayor a young Btar, and In Al Domarco, a former sthr, who Is romping back to his own, with more stuff than ho has shown slnco 1913, when ho won 16 out of 19 starts. 4. They have a fair Infield not a great one, but a steady one, bolstered up by tho addition of 'Bancroft at ahnr .!.,., outranking tho work of Mickey Doolsffli 5. With Cravath, Whltted and Beei '""', '?.., A-m Vf,."Vr'f: "a.M S U, ,..... -.....,. ... ,.,,. Bny rlV41jj 6. And in Pat Moran they have a Itisl who Inspires friendship nnd respect iff who will bo able to keoD dm, 'jb nt full fire on through to the finish Uliwu jlUJVt i.vu wvcm-wu, ' n I ISA el Bhii nfrAtt nil ' Tho World's Greatest Ball Club NO. 3.-PlhST BASE. VIC SAIER Chicago Nationals-. in announcing 11113 selection wetland braced for tho loud roar emanating from various townships Brooklyn, with Dsts. bcrtj Now York, with Morkle; Phlladeft phla, with Mclnnla; Boston, with Bchmiay Daubert Is undoubtedly a grand bam player a flno batsman and a corking flrjtj ................ ..- .. .... HUIU IWO Of tho main requirements of greatness. Fred Merklo, batting well over ,800, ll nlso playing brilliantly and dcservnn A tended praise for his swift comeback after! two seasons of poor batting. Murku .j1 Daubert 'aro both Btars and eo Is Stuffy! has been something moro this season.1 Whllo both Daubert nnd Merkln ha3 led him a fow points at bat, tho Cub por-J former leads his league In runs score-til runs driven across, extra baso walloDs-1 total bases and Is P at tho front In stoltnTf bases. & A ball playor who excels In so rainy nuo uuu viiu jeu.ua ms entire league so many sniiis or ononsivo play aiso ji nara, loyal worker-must tho credit ho has earned. Hcncejti'i Salor selection. d$& ' It j Last Chance inr Whlto Sox and Tigers havo ono forlwnV chance loft of smashing tho Red Sox-jrlpll upon first place and this can only corns! in a victorious march through tho EatWj Carrlgan'a club fought Its way to thtji top upon tho Western highway, and'W turning homo so well fixed In the perSl centago way Is now tho easy Hag choice?! With Wood, Leonard, Shore, Ruth, Foster and Collins In shape thoro doesn't sctral' to be a Tiger or a Whlto Sox chanceJ; As baseball dopo travels, which Is ofleoli In n zigzag direction, tho Red Sox havs' only to make a normal showing at home to close out tho race. , "l so raanyi league tt v-who;,jj bo slrcac regular outfielder looks like. Buok up, kid!" Hardy shook his head. "I don't know what's tho matter with me. I go up there to hit and I can't see a ball any moro." "You only think so," soothed Daly. "Don't you think I know a sweet hitter when I see one7 Why, I never saw a man show up better In spring training! You're Just worried, that's all that alls you. Forget Itl You'll get started one of these days." "Another Rank Counterfeit!" tho morn ing papers howled a few days later. "These follows don'twant me In this, town." said Hardy to the manager, "They never did want me. They've been knock ing me from the start. If It hadn't been for that tin-can thing " .and Hardy broke off miserably, "Tell me the truth," he said. "Aro theso fellows right about me? Am I too slow for this company?" Daly swore heartily. "You've slumped, that's all. If you could only got going once you wouldn't have any trouble. Quit reading tho papers, put some cotton In your ears when you get out there and play some baseball." Hardy tried to follow the directions, but met with flat failure. At the end of his first month he was hitting below .110. and the Are had been turned on Daly. Day after day he was hammered for carrying a counterfeit on tho payroll. 'The manager stood It for .two weeks moro and then he did something which he expected to regret. (CONTINUED TOMORROW,) BRITTON AND DUNDEE TO B0XJ Clash Will Bo Fcaturo Fight in Ne5 York This Week. NEW YORK. July M.Tack Brltton in Johnny Dundee will bo tho headllners'oal tho pugilistic calendar this week, moetiix .at Madison Squaro Garden on Thursday! mgiu. t It will be the first meeting of this pair.' a match between them hanging fire fori many months. A victory over Brltton1 will eventually lead to a championship match, with Welsh, who has dodged thai fnf Ttnltnn alnca iti,.!,. m.aMMc In M.wl Orleans a year ago. Young Ahenrn Beats Rodel NEW YORK. July 28. Young Ahearn. Brooklyn, defeated Qeorco Itodel. the Ilocr. their 10-round bout at the Brighton Beach race track Saturday night. In every round but tho ninth, when Itodel put in .several hard punches. Abeam outboxed and outfought him. Ahearn welshed ISO. llodol 182 pounds. d 'yA$'j. F hones TENTS to HIRE ALL SIZES Water Proofinj BERNARD McCURDY 110 NORTH NINTH STRECf BOXING TUESDAY NIGHT DOCaX.AS CLUn, llth Ss Spring Garden Sts. Knockout Ilrown ts. Etlcllo McAndretrs FOUR EXCELLENT PRELIMINARIES Prices 25o and SOc. Fhon Keystons. ncfeased Business Has Compelled Us to Double Our Telephone Equipment This necessitates a change in number. Now Call Dickinson 81 and you will receive the same attention and service that is in keeping with Atlantic methods and Atlantic products. THE ATLANTIC REFINING CO. 3 1 44 Passyunk Avenue EVENING LEDGER MOVIES-JUST TAKE IT AT THE FLQOD TIDE, PHILS, QW SCOUTS, AND 'TWILL BE ALL RIGHT " - -j f f v Zs v ;pjj rQtMksJ Y 2 y Eco(vesTlDg!y vyTfJwft11 ti g4 I""1'"1' '' iT'twrwK-lT--! t i f ,.,, ,.,t,.f 1 i " I J . r--') 'J ...ZLJLJ iMsWBWlBssWisssH jsj . i ma,,,, in , ihmubiih minni n in mi -' - ---..-- -- .- .. ,.L,. . -.....-,.-.,,-,-- ..---. -..-,..., . i , ;ii
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers