Show TINKER IS BATTING HOODOO manager of cincinnati rede reds cause causes christy mathewson star of giant giants much annoyance aby 18 MATHEWSON veteran of new now tork staff joo joe tinker manager of the cincinnati reds has bas given me more trouble than any other batsman I 1 ever have faced during more than twelve years of 0 service in tho the N national a t I 1 a n a I 1 league in fact I 1 long ago came to regard him as my batting hoodoo because joo joe aiwas has been a leading factor in the defeats handed me b by y t the h 0 chicago club the season of 1908 was a groat one tor for tinker both before and after that memorable pennant fight which wont went right up tip to tho the last ditch joe and I 1 havo have been having some lively brushes with each trying to outguess tho other probably the most bitter pill ever given me by tinker linker woe was administered on the old polo grounds new york ono one aft ernson lato late in the season of 1908 now york chicago and pittsburgh fighting it out in seesaw see saw fashion for tho the pennant and drown brown an old rival was pitching against me the eyes of all over the country centered about the result of the race which had narrowed down to the real crisis neither side had pushed a run over the plate in seven innings and naturally the great crowd gathered about the yord yard was wrought up to a high state of nervousness in the midst of one of these general brainstorms tinker laid hold of the ball drilling a liner high and far away to left center the ball crashing against the cor ner of the fence cap in hand band the cub shortstop whizzed around the pathway digging at top speed for a homer that run ruh was the only one scored in the battle and incidentals all the beating this accorded me practically blasted every prospect vc e had bad or winning the national league championship pion ship tinker had a weah ness against low cune cure balls cutting the outside corn corner erlof of the plate but it take him long to remedy this fault one afternoon after he had bad A joe tinker panned three limes times joe took a sole solemn mn brath hed never let it happen again he yet bet about to cultivate a new stylo style t f batting against that particular sort f pitching if boull pay strict atten ion jon to joo joe in his batting poise lays note that he stands con distance from tho the plate ho he ilso 1 is said bald to hold a unique record in that ho he never has been hit by a pitched ball during hie his long service in the national league when I 1 first knew joe he wielded a long bat and aud snaked choked it as ho he stood close up to the plate now ho fie swings with alth one of the shortest sticks in the big leagues one at f the best beat things joe does against my pitching is lit to comb extra base drives hence he lie Is duly qualified to hold the title of my afy batting hoodoo liht 1911 1912 |