Thanks to Val for remembering the past Zahniser activity on Net54. Very interesting.
The oldest team in the league in terms of age of personnel had bested the franchise's 1924 record by 5 1/2 games. Here was a team which inspired confidence as it headed into a second consecutive World Series. Granted, this year's National League champions, the Pittsburgh Pirates, were a tremendous offensive team; during the regular season, only one man, second baseman Eddie Moore, hit below .300 (.298).
Pittsburgh regulars Max Carey, Pie Traynor, and Kiki Cuyler were on a journey toward the Hall of Fame and were all bonafide superstars at this stage of their careers. Glenn Wright, Clyde Barnhart, and George Grantham were other deadly hitters. Until June 1925, these Pirates had gone 150 games without being shut out, a record which would remain unbroken until 1993. Like the Senators, the Pirates had finished 8 1/2 games ahead of the pack in their league.
On the Washington side, it was felt that the team's experienced pitching staff might be able to effectively neutralize the Pittsburgh attack. Pittsburgh had no one of the stature of a Coveleski or a Johnson. Coveleski, however, had a sore back going into the Series. Roger Peckinpaugh was also among the walking wounded, which was reminiscent of his crippled state during the previous October's classic. Peck had rebounded magnificently this season, hitting .294 and fielding well enough to earn his MVP award.
Hurting the most was second baseman-manager Harris, slowly recovering from a bad spike wound. Harris proclaimed that he would play, and that Walter Johnson would get the call as starter of the first game in Pittsburgh. Among pitchers in the major leagues at this time, only the Pirates' Babe Adams, the Series hero back in 1909, was older than Johnson (by 5 1/2 years at that). The only other player in the big leagues older than Johnson was Ty Cobb. Bucky Harris also announced that he planned to go with his namesake, Moon Harris, who'd hit .323 in 100 games, in the outfield, rather than with Earl McNeely, who'd hit .286 with much less power than Harris.
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1684489574
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1684489578