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Show JACK COOMBS LEFT EXCELLENT RECORD Former Athletic Pitcher Has Made Mark in Big Leagues. Jack Coombs, one time pitching mainstay for the Philadelphia Athletics, Ath-letics, left organized baseball in 1916 but has remained identified with the game through his work as coach of the Williams college team. "Silent Jack," as he was called for his refusal to argue on the ball field, was considered In his halcyon days to be as cool as Grover Alexander, as precise as Walter Johnson, and as brainy as Christy Mathewson. Coombs once beat Christy In a world's series game, another indication that Jack could pitch. Ooombs started pitching at Colty college and went to the Athletics back In 1906. It was not until 1910, however, how-ever, that he blossomed Into greatness, and in that season and the succeeding was almost invincible. In 1910 Coombs struck out 224 batters in the 45 games he pitched. Coombs won 31, lost 9, and participated in 5 others that year. In 1911 Coombs worked in two more games than he did in the previous pre-vious campaign. He won 28, lost 12, and forced 184 batters to expire on strikes. The American league pennant in both of those years went to Philadelphia Phila-delphia and also the title of world's champions went to the Athletics that year. Coombs pitched and won three games in the world's series with the Cubs In 1910 and won the same number num-ber against the Giants the following season. In one of the games with New York, he gained the decision over Christy Mathewson. During the 1910 season, the now Williams coach pitched 13 shutouts and earned the name of "Iron Man" for pitching in 45 contests. After the 1911 season, Coombs tried vaudeville with Chief Bender and their act went over big. They were assisted by two recruits from the vaudeville circuit, the Pearl sisters. Between the sisters and the ball players, play-ers, the act was good enough to make the various audiences like it. |