Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 100, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 April 1914 — PITCHERS CAUSE OF WORRY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PITCHERS CAUSE OF WORRY

Connie Mack Gives Much Thought to His Twirling Staff—Graves Is Latest Acquisition.

Connie Mack is giving a good deal of thought to his pitching staff. On paper, everything looks rosy for the world’s champions. Bender and Plank are still with him and Coombs prom-

ises to come back to form this season. Shawkey and Bush have the advantage of a season’s experience. He has in reserve Carroll Brown, Houck, Pennock, Wyckoff and Joe Graves. But Connie Mack always faces the

possibility that Bender and Plank may go back on him. With the exception of a brief interval of Coombs, Bender and Plank are all Connie has had. He won his first pennant in 1905 with these two mainstays. He took his latest, in 1913, with the same pair. Coombs is still a doubtful quantity. He has been seriously ill, badly injured. Connie does not Intend to be caught with only Bush and Shawkey to depend on, and so will give his best talents to bringing out his young quartet. The main trouble with all four is a most amazing wildness. Houck was the wildest man in the league last year, with 122 passes in 175 2-3 innings. Except for Gregg, Brown was next He walked 91. Wyckoff was barely used. All three had a tendency to blow in a pinch, so much so that Connie never considered using them in the world series, but sent in Bush, a much less successful pitcher. Manager Mack secured Graves from Brainerd, Minn., last year, and the youngster gives promise of making as big a sensation in big league company as Plank and Bush. The two last named also hail from Brainerd. •

Pitcher Joe Graves.