The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-09-13

fell OIL April - When Hemphlu was out
of the game Friel went to right, but his
work in that garden was not up 10 the
players. Silent joe Martin was then
tried out, but his work was little If any
better than Fders.
SECOND BASE WEAK.
At second base the Browns have been
without a regular player practically all
season. as the result of an injury to Pad
den's thumb. sustained before the OPEN
ing Of the season- Frfel. Mccormick and
Martin were tried out at the middle cush-
ion, but their playing, while fair. was not
of the quality THAI helps a team to first
honors in a major lea Anderson has
been a consistent performer and barring.
perhaps. ten games, has been In the fray
all season.
Wallace has had a bad season. sickness
and an injured foot bothered him for at
least two months of the campaign.
Nor was McAleer's pitching staff in
game Red Donahue decided to get a
sore arm, and this cost the Browns at
least five games. Powell was I'll for nearly
IN hard luck SudhOff has been the only
Brownie" bOXman TO pitch a consistent
article throughout the campaign With
be praised for making "a showing in the
race
Had Collins, Connie Mack. Clark Grit
fifth or any Of the other American League
managers bsen confronted with the prob
lens that McAleer has been forced 10
meet all season, they would not now be
reaping plauditS as great
Had the Browns hit a little better dur
Ing the season, they would not be so far
down in the list But the teams failure 20
hit cannot be aecribed to McAleer's mis-
management He sent them out daily 10
practice, and early in the spring the play
ers admitted themselves that their condi-
ton was all that could be desired.
Nor has Donovan's path been Il bed of
roses In the spring he had what looked
Ia be a hustling band of ball players. but
before the season was a month old their
class began 10 show. Sti!l Donovan, by
diplomatic measures and carefully jolly
ing made a show of fight during the
greater part of the season.
First Donovan's pitching department ex-
ploded. Milton, Yerkes, Wicker. Rhoades,
Currie and other reputed phenoms. de-
parted. At short, Williams lost game after
game. but Donovan, believing in givng,
every player q thorough trial, allowed the
st. Louis boy TO work about half the sea
sou.
TEAM TAKES BRACE.
As soon as Williams was benched the
team took a brace. but in time discomfort
cropped out in the ranks. Players whom
Donovan had befrlended had shown Il dis
position to sulk. and when they were given
a call they enlisted otners TO swell the
rank Of malcOntents. Donovan. always "A
friend OF the ball player, refused to take
harsh measures until the dissatisfied play
ers openly showed Indifference In their
work.
To these players and not to Donovan
can he laid the failure of the Cardinals
10 rank higher in the race. This condition
VIII probably be remedied next season. At
least two Of these players Will be made
to repent for their misconduct. With the
present peace pact the Cardinal manage
mont viii be n Il position to dictate to its
players. and 1t IS no more than fair to
presume that players will be rewarded
and punished, according 10 their acts Of
last season.
In direct contrast to the Indifference of
the players in question has been the work
OF Jack O'Neill and Jimmy Burke. Al
though the latter had at least the show of
a grievance against Donovan, he buried
the hatchet and proved a willing worker
throughout the campaign. O'Neill also
worked hard, and had the rest o. the
players been imbued with the same en-
thusiasm as this pair. the Cardinals might
Re IN the first division now instead Of
trying to ward off tail-end honors.
SEASON NEARING CLOSE.
But a few days more than two weeks
remain Of the present baseball season, but
interest IS still kept alive by the ex-
cellent article of the national game
played in both leagues.
SO far as first place is concerned, Bos-
ton has the pennant CinChed in the Amer
lean, while Pittsburg will capture the
bunting IN the parent body.
In the National there is a pretty fight
for place on between the Giants and the
Colts with the chances favoring the
latter, as they will be al home from
now until the close of the season.
while the Giants" will be on the road.
The advantage Chicago will have In this
respect Will probably give them possess
sion of second place.
In the American League. New York is
making a bold bid. and while they will
hardly be able to land second position,
they have more than an even chance to
land third place. Thus. in both leagues
interest still centers in the game from
the fact that the fight for position is still
keen.
Both st. Louis arrangements intend to
strengthen up for the 1894 campaign. AL