The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-10-11
.players and manager of the Cardinals,

NPlayers and manager OF the CaTuliais'
WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
The open rebellion in the ranks Of the
Cardinals n the charge Of treason on
the part of three OF his players made Os
their commander in chief. Patrick ). Don
oyan. were the topic Of conversation IN
baseball circles last week.
That the charge has harmed Donovan
is admitted in all quarters. Even Dono-
van himself has Sorely regretted his er-
TOR in taking the public into the secrets
Of the clubhouse.
The admission on the part OF Dor5van
Of mis- failure TO control his players at a
time when baseball peace was general
has uut him in bad with the players and
public.
Had the matter dropped with Donovan's
statement accounting for the cams bad
showing. things might nave been all right
for P. J.. but the players were not salts
fed 10 appear in the role Of traitors
90 the st. Louis National League Club and
Is called Donovan in the clubhouse.
BURKES STATEMENT.
Jimmy Burke, one Of the players &C
cused Of melting discord in the ranks Of
the players. stated TO the writer that no
manager he has ever worked for in the
past has ever accused him OF being q
"malcOntent"
According to Burke. Donovan is solely
responsible for the low position Of the
Cardinals.
Not once during the campaign has
Donovan acted ike a manager" stated
Burke.
What caused the friction between Don
ovan and myself as much as anything else
was the fact that Donovan knew I was
on TO him
After his statement that 1 was a dis
organizer, 1 asked him to cite an instance
when l had done any knocking on a
fellow-player, and he refused the issue.
Donovan could not manage the bats Of
q first-class ball team.
Not once since he entered the big
league has he proved a winner. Had Don
,Ovan the management Of the Pirates he
Acould not land in the first division, and he
P1rsues q false policy not only TO players.
but to the management
To cite an example Of DOnOVan's meth
DDS, an incident that occurred shortly after
I Joined the team will suffice.
DONOVAN KNOCKED PLAYERS.
Directly after the teams return from
Dallas he told me that Johnnie FarrelTs
work was not satisfactory and he thought
I would be a big improvement.
Il told him at the time that I did not
want to take Farrel's job. but would
rather play third base Finally I consented
10 play second, and I mad hardly played IN
a series when Donovan told Farrell that
] was punk and he Intended to set me on
Before this he knocked me to Dave
Brain. This piece OF knocking was done
at Dallas He told Brain at that time that
] was a rotten ball player and he did not
intend TO play me at third Later he told
me the same about Brain"
Both Brain and Farrell s~ubstantiated
Burkes Statement.
The outcome OF the friction will hurt
the Cardinals.
Had the skeleton not been dragged from
the closet by Donovan. matters might
have been patched up before next season.
but the chance for a harmonious settle
ment OF differences between the players
and management is now remote.
5 MAKES COSTLY ERROR.
II Donovan manages the team next sea
son he will have to get rid OF Brain. Bar
clay and Burke. or else have the same dis
co d IN the club which he claims is re-
81 lsible for the teams showing.
is Will mean that three new and bet
q zen Will have to be.secuTed to fill their
p At the present market price OF
( ass talent this will cost the RObi-
least a postage stamp. At that. 1t
; tful II three first-class ball play
be had at any price.
Donovan started by wedding out
$ -ie of the supsrfiuous material early in
ie campaign. the present friction would
have been avoided.
The Cardinals were overstocked with
players nearly all season. With fourteen
pitchers good results could hardly be eX-
pected. Had Donovan started the cam
paign with five willing pitchers. instead
OF a string Of minor league reputation
players" the Cardinals would probably
have finished higher.
DOnOvan's claim that he could have fin
iShed better than last with a bunch Of
willing amateurs Is extraordinary in Cv-
cry respect.
Granting Donovan's personal powers and
a charu-S as a gentleman, II IS still reason
able to doubt this statement. No manager
in either league can make a ball team
finish much higher in the race than their
ability warrants. The Cardinals. when the
truth is said, have finished about as high
as their playing ability entitled them.
Not another club in the league has been