Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-03
PLAYING MANAGERS
LEADING THIS SEASON
Jones and Chance Show Value
of Being in Thick
of Fray.
By J. G. Morse.

was a great era for the non-playing man
ager. The advantages of a player-manager
as against a non-playing manager
have been discussed for years and years
and will continue so to be. This year the
| boot Is on the other foot. The playing
managers have it. The two clubs that
have been most in the limelight this sea-
son-the Chicago White Sox of the Amer
| lean League and the Chicago team of the
National League-both have player-man-
ayers. Fielder Jones, it will be remem-
bered, succeeded Jimmy" Callahan and
achieved success where Callahan did not
and the latter had the same opportunities
| that did his successor
Frank Chance is entirely new to the
| task Of handling bah club. Seiee Is not
now In the game, but Hanlon Is. He has
had the same opportunities to make good
| that he had In the days that he handled
has not had as good a team as in the old
days. On the other hand, when Selee left
the game he had as good team as he
ever had Perhaps the Chicago team
would have performed as well under him
as 1t has under Chance.
| At any rate. Chance deserves a world of
credit for playing his cards well. 1t Is
not everybody who can play the cards
well. even il he has them TO run a ball
club we'll even with the manager In the
game is not such herculean task when
one has the proper kind Of man. In
both clubs the heads of the clubs-Comis-
key and Murphy~-give their managers full
rein, never interfere and help along his
game In every possible way. Murphy and
Comiskey both are equal to the task of
picking up talent.
Both Are Hustlers.
Both Jones and Chance are hustlers and
workers. They set an example to their
p.en well worth following They are not
that their men cannot but follow.
Earlier in the season there was a lot Of
talk about the lack Of harmony In the
White Sox camp, but IL there was any
truth to that yarn all the more credit IS
due to Manager Jones for having a team
that could win twenty successive games.
Some critics said he was successful because
| he had luck with him. Jiggs Donohue had
1t about right when he said it was the
hustling. winning qualities Of the team
that brought luck with 1t. The White
Sox have undeniably played winning ball
this year. Their pitchers have done better
work than ever before. 1t is true they are
now what Is called a hard-hitting team,
but it is acknowledged that they make the
| most of their hits. They play to the limit
they run their hits out-they make an
| extra base when they can-they are not
glued to their bases. Both teams are es-
sentially one-catcher club-Sullivan does
about all the catching for the American
team. King for the Nationals.
| 1t is the general expectation that the Ma
tfonal team will do the other aggrega-
| ton when they meet in the fall, but there
| is no telling. There was a big surprise
afforded last season when the Athletics
met with such a signal setback at the
! hands of the New York Nationals.
The White Sox will have to hustle al
| most to the very end to maintain their ad-
vantage, while the Chicago Nationals have
! the game in their own hands. There is no
| doubt at all that the battle Is a harder
| one in the American League That organi-
| zation has no team so weak as the Boston
Nationals the Cincinnatis or the ST. Louis.
year and are really not yet of major league
/ caliber. The Boston Nationals have the
| nucleus Of a really great team. With few
! additions they could make matters warm
| for any club in the country. They are
| none too strong with their men all in good
| shape. but with a crippled team they are
! absolutely helpless. Game after game has
been thrown away Of late owing to the
| fact the club did not have q first-cIass
| utility inf1elder.
| How Do They Do ItP
It is a. wonder. indeed, that some major
league managers manage to hold their
jobs. They have no qualifications for their
position. they seemingly take no interest
| and their clubs are worse OF for their
presence on them. A manager who cannot
| hustle, get out ON the lines, show that he
| knows 1t is time to effect a change of
pitchers, who can tnsttll aggressiveness
| and ambition into his men. Is worthless.
/ In some cases new blood Is wanted In
| managers as well as it Is in ball players.
Some of the minor league managers would
be a decided Improvement upon some of
| those in the major league and another sea-
| son may see some changes. Hugh Jennings
| Of Baltimore Is booked to go to Ameri-
can League club and w. J. Murray, the
Duffy in Philadelphia. Duffy has found it
| rough going this s.ason and 1t Is diff
cult matter to explain why it Is that his
| path has been SO thorny The Phillies did
| 80 well last season that almost everybody
| expected they would be in the thick Of the
| battle this year. But they slumped badly
and have no possible chance for one of the
three first positions.
! than one fan wanted to see him at the
head Of the American League club Of this
| city. The failure of some Of the best bats
men on the team to hit seems to have
been the reason for the failure of the club
| to be in the thick of the battle this year.
| Connie Mack has not found the running
| as good as he would like 1t, although he has
| had very successful season. He has not
| found a successor to the veteran Lave
| Cross. The latter has proved a great adj
junct to the Washington club. What a
| great man Cross would have made for the
| Boston club. No player who comes here Is
| more popular. and with such a man in the
| team its record would have been far differ
| emit than 1t has been. The chances look
/
| this season. This and record Of twenty
consecutive defeats will make the season
| of 1908 not to be forgotten for long time.
| Stah1 Has Done Well
Jake" StahI has done mighty well with
his team. He held his own very well in
deed during the last visit Of the western
teams Any hope that Boston would over
take Washington has been dashed to the
ground There is no chance Of 1t. for
Washington will make a better showing
than the locals. Washington Is not so far
behind Detroit and the latter club was also
booked to be one OF the pennant possfbiH-
ties Another year and Washington will
| doubtless make a better showing than It
did for this year. As for Boston. unless
there is q change in dynasty look for
another fiasco as big as that OF 1906
| An extensive change In the team would
not hurt matters. One OF the veterans OF
| the team said the ither day he thought
| that this would be a good thing. feel
for one that have been here long enough,
| said he 'and il I thought could get my
release at the close Of the season would
ask for 1t. I could then go where would
| be far better satisfied It is a mistake, to
| my way of thinking, to keep players too
/ long In one city. You do not have the am