Show MERKLE AND STAHL PLAYING BEST BALL OF THEIR CAREERS The First Basemen BY HUGH S. S FULLERTON Concerning the rival outfields that are to meet neet In the worlds world's series th there e eIs i Is Is only slight difference of opinion among experts an and the players themselves themselves them them- selves but the argument starts the moment mo mo- ment meat the Infield Is reached In Boston you will be bo informed that Jake lake Garland Stahl wil the big University of or Illinois lad who manages the Red Sox is one ot of the greatest first basemen basemen basemen base base- men in the tho world In New New York the they will silt wil inform you OU that Fred Merkle Isone Isone is isone one of ot the tlc wonders of the tho world greater great great- or er than any first baseman in the countr coun coun- tr try Called Second Rate Basemen The truth is that the they are two second second sec see ond rate rato basemen neither up to the standard of oC first base play set by sueh men as Daubert Konetchy or Chase and no BO 10 matter how much they are arc admired admired ad admired ad- ad mired the admiration and and cheers of or the fans will wIl not Improve e their playing playIng Both have had remarkably successful successful success success- ful tul seasons and Stahl has played better better better bet bet- ter ball ban than ever before in his life has shown more moro hustle huste and ability and led his Ills team tear with more determination Merkle Merkie has Improved considerably Inthe in inthe inthe the year ear Yet both these men accordIng according according accord accord- ing to rival players lack in aggressiveness aggressive aggressive- ness and many charge that they are aro what is called in baseball yellow elow lisa 11 Shade on On the showing of ot this season considered considered con con- only mechanically Merkle has hasa a shado the advantage of ot Stahl as a 3 player although Stahl Stal Stahl being being manager and the infield leader of the Red Sox must be given a shade the advantage advantage in calculating the relative values alues of or orthe the men to their teams On the basis of or 10 points being p perfection per per- r- r in every department of ot tho the game I shall rate Stahl at CC GG anti and MerIde Merkle Mer Mer- er- er kle Ide at 64 only two points lower and andIn andIn andin In several ways was Merkle Merkie has shown his superiority a as an individual pla player er Undoubtedly the standing of ot the these e eto two to men in previous years must be bo omitted and to reach their values Inthe in inthe the tho coming coining series we must consider only what the they have have- done season tenson except to stud study the characteristics of or tho men as shown in previous years oars with a view of ot seeing whether or not it is likely to affect aCed their work Stahl Dod Dodges Dodger All AU Trouble Stahl Stall is a giant a big bli cas easy going good natured fellow kindly in disposition disposition dispo dispo- and averse to trouble This nasIn nas nits nasIn In the past pat caused rival riyal players to accuse accuse accuse ac ac- ac- ac cuse him bin of lacking courage I have ha known leown the time big follow ever eer uince as aR a. a a raw youngster oun ster ho caught for the University of ot Illinois and played on the tIme football team He was accused even en there df cit lacking hacking nerve but I never believed ed bele it True he gave ga e ground and lacked ag aggressiveness but that he was lacking incIting in courage I refused refused re refused re- re fused to believe beleve The he same charge was carried against him into professional ball bal Stahl never was aggressive e or much of ot a hustler huster in but la ho he retired previous years ears last t year from baseball to his banking ng business In Chicago He was persuaded to re return return re- re turn this year car with wih a promise of oC the time mana managers manager's era berth and a piece of stock In the tho club and this change chango of o conditIo condition condi concH tIo tion ton seems to me mo to have ha e changed him grea greatly t Turn Tr Out to Be TIter Either he has aged and broadened out or the responsibility of or the Job nas put new spirit Into him He has lias been hustling husting fighting squarely and ant working working work work- ing desperately for tho success of ot his team lie fie Ie is slower than ho was two tWo years cars ago but still sUl has sufficient speed pee in hi his big long striding way to got around In fielding he Is much better beter and more finished in his work around around the time base than Is although he does docs not handle handlo himself as rapidly nor m make Slays pla plays 8 around tho the other bases as well wel lie He e makes fewer mistakes of the thc head and uses better beter Judgment One point in fielding In which Stahl has a big advantage is that he stretches s star far tar to meet throws throw and helps his Infield infield in- in field in many cases He Ho saves many manya a close decision b by his ability to reach Besides ho goes into tho path after throws close to runners better than beter Merkle doe does To me Merkle always has seemed a freak first baseman in that he lie takes many throws behind the bag bag instead of or reaching out to meet them and ho does not shift shir his feet well wel around the bag He is better beter than he vas was last season eason in this respect and indeed has shown considerable e Improvement Get Goat of Merkle I Two years rears ago Merkle seemed so 50 badly demoralized and lacking In confidence confidence confidence con con- that it seemed a shame for McGraw McGraw McGraw Mc- Mc Graw to keep him on the base I remember one day the Cubs had been after Merkle all al through th ta game and had so upset him that he went ent all al I to pieces Every man who wont down downto to first rushed at him and swerved Just in time to avoid a collision after which they told him things about ut his awkwardness That evening Chance remarked to me that ho he pitied Merkle and and that it was wasa a shame for McGraw to keep bin play play- ing lug He steadied however howe fought foucht out his own fight and held the Job which of or itself Usel shows a lot of courage A player who is timid and has faults and overcomes them it seems to me deserves credit credi for gameness rather than a charge of ot Merkle Lend Lends on the I fth On the time bases Mericle MerIce is in tie tic lead head Stahl never has been a leading leading base- base runner al although thou h he runs hard and and slides sItes harder He has slowed tp ap a bit biton biton biton on the paths it appears to me rue and he has done comparatively little stealing this season Merkle O on the other hand has de developed do- do eloped into a fair tall speed speet merchant and ne negotiates otates the paths regularly He makes a lot of bad blunders Jut but ut gets ets away with wih a large number of ot steals I watched him in New Yore Yot trying to run against Archer and h he did lid not get et awa away well and was made to look foolish Whether Carrigan can an stop stor him or not I is another problem Thi Tr Boston pitchers are arc holding up wen u this sea season on and helping Carrigan out a alot alot lot and undoubtedly they will wf bo be strongly coach coached d to prevent the Giants from stealing in order to kill Ill kl off of McGraw's McGraws McGraws McGraw's Mc- Mc Graw's most effective style of ot attack atack Against Woods Wood's balk bale motion I scarcely scarce scarce- ly h think that will wl get get et away from Iron first many mam times sd Collins Colins ou ought ht to be able to hoI holf him close This Tills little weakness In Parting darting may equalize the base ability of the tho two men Doth Both Men Ien hitters Haters Jiter Stahl and are hitters hit but Merkle a shade the better boter of ot 1 it t in the averages era es this season although I do not not consider him bins quite quie tIme the equal of or Indeed I believe belo o Merkle Merile Is weak oa oi fast fat curves and on spit t balls 15 pi pitched fast Ho did not shw wel well ell against the Athletic fall tal and a stud study of ot the score bo boots boes s of or the last worlds world's series shows shown ho took his swings swing swing I at at fast fart fas curves curvos outside and nd low tow and swung back at fast tast balls bals Some of the tIme National league pitchers Inform me that Merkle erkle Is far above his true gait as a a hitter hiter and that he has been pounding pounding the suckers hard and not hitting the good pitchers well wel at all al I fail tal to discover cr this fact tact as ho lie hohas has been hitting steadily all al season and against all al sorts of pitching The pitching pitching pitch pitch- pich- pich ing In the National however is weak this year ear Stahl Jilts HUM hail Hard nard Stahl and Merkie hit hit a good deal alike swinging and lunging and tho tile advantage In long driving is with the big leader of the Red ned Sox He hits a abail abal ball bail bal with terrific force and two of or the three throe hits his which are calculated as being th the longest ever made are credited to him Tho one pitcher picher of t the Giants Giant that ought to trouble Stahl is la Tesreau with his speed and isis Ills Stahl always has been easy for tor Ed Ed Walsh and he ho does docs not hit well wel especially with speed mixed up I have watched him for tor man many seaSons seasons sea SQ- i sons and ho he seldom even lands square squarely on a ball bal pitched b by Walsh When hen ho he does does well well nothing short of the fence stops the ball bal Ho He hits left lef handers hard and Is Ukel likely to tear a leg off ot a third baseman an any time a left lef handor bander faces him Ho He ought not to hit Matty Ial hard har at all al Figuring on tho the basis of ot Mathewson Matho pitching two games and and Marquard working in turn with the Giants' Giants wise veteran Stahl's average average in the worlds world's series is likely to be bo considerably lower than his his- league leage mark of or about I do not expect Merkle to figure much in irs the tho batting bating of ot the series even though I expect some Bomo terrific clouting on both sides before it II I Is over OBrien O'Brien and Wood will wil gIve him more trouble than he lie has faced In a long time if i the they are aro right and Ray Collins ought to hold him level Weak eak Hitters Hiter Look Strong Strong When hen one comes to figure from the style stylo of ot pitchers that are likely to work some of or the small smal averaged a batters batters batters bat bat- on both teams look stronger than the fellows who have havo been battering the tho fences all al season in their own leagues and of all al the teams I think the slugging first basemen will wil be handicapped most by the pitching the they will wil have to face tace Both are of ot the tho natural swinging style of or batter bater and Just the kind that find It I difficult to hit such pitching as Tesreau Wood OBrien O'Brien and Ames use U most os t Figures Ames Amen Are May lf Pitch You Tou ma may be surprised that I have hae been tI figuring Ames in these tons I have a sort of or sneaking suspicion sus that McGraw will wIl spring Are Ames Ameson on Boston and If 1 Leon gets owa away hell he'll hel do more damage to tho Boston club and to the than almost an any one He Ire has shown a lot lately in a quiet Quiet wa way and when Ames Is right McGraw knows that he ho can i keep nil all al his Tes- Tes on tho the bench However that Is aside Comparing Stahl and Merkle we find a younger faster taster and more sensational player pitted against a n veteran armed with authority ty and confidence It I ma may work the other wa way The Tho re responsibility responsibility ro- ro ma may affect Stahl but I think not Ho has ripened and im Im- Im ant proved Either Dither man Is of ot the style of slugger likely to break up a contest at an any time with a long drive and ant In such a n sorl series S a smash to the thc fence frequently fre Ire offsets half halt a dozen strikeouts There Isn't a great deal to choose be between between be be- tween them in the sum total |