The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-26

The 1908 National League race shouldn't
be anything like as lop-sided as its two
predecessors. Three managers, Fred Clarke,
BILLY" Murray and Johnny McGraw. are
confident that they will head off the Cubs.
Each manager unquestionably has streng-
thened his forces.
The Cubs, while having a snap in this
years scramble, didn't bent out the field
by as wide a margin as they did in 1906
Last year they finished 131 points ahead
of the Giants. This year they excelled the
Pirates, the runner III, by 113 points.
That's a little slieing.
Chance. naturally, Is going to stand pat.
Though he has picked up a few youngsters,
mostly battery men, not forgetting Iim-
norman, an infielder from Wilkesbarre,
Who is reported to be a marvel, the
clnnces are his regulars will line up in the
same old fashion.
Clarke is Very Hopeful.
Fred Clarke declared recently that had
Clarence Beaumont been with him all sum-
mer, his Pirates would have won the
championship.
Clarke was really never satisfied with his
outfeld talent. He was changing it about
all the time. In 1906 Beaumont, in seventy
eight games, only hit $50 for Clarke. His
pliers totaled exactly one.
This year he got in 149 games for Boston
and wound up third to "Hans' Wagner
and Magee with the sterling average Of 1922.
He worked in twenty-five steals. Besides
"Ginger'' put up a swell game on the
defense.
Aside from the dropping of Joe Nealon
and the additions of Maddox, who deliv-
cred the goods in this years wind up, ana
perhaps another young pitcher, Clarke VIII
have his same old line up in effect.
McGraw is Getting "Chesty."
Johnny McGraw has done pretty nearly
Sas much housekeeping as Jimmy Nc
Aleer, and, just like the boss of, the
Browns, is confident he is going to be
very much in the 1908 race
They won't look like the same old
Giants. Browne has been let out and Don
lin has been added. That means that
shannon, Seymour and Donlin will man
the teams outield.
BridwelI, of Boston, a natty fielde and
as good a sticker as Dahlen at his date,
though that isn't saying much, will be
at short. King Arthur Devlin, of course,
will stick on third. There looks to be a
good chance of Shay being McGraw's
second-sacker.
McGraw has always been sweet on the
ex-Cardinal. That's because he loves a
scrappy, speedy player, and Danny Is all
that, if nothing more. Fred Tenney will
be on duty on first.
Bowerman is lost from the coaching
corps. Ferguson. a nonentity, is the only
pitcher thus far canned. But 1t looks as
If McGinnity is going to st. Louis.
Look Out for PhiIIies.
The Phillies closed like a row of burn
ing tenements in the past campaign. 1t
was Billy Murray's first year in command.
lie sure had a successful regime.
He is the owner of the very best corps
of young boxmen In the business. Doom
and Jacklitch give him two class A
catchers. The former is in Johnny Kings
class, and the latter is a steady old wagon.
Bransfield is probably through as the
teams first baseman.
Knabe, Grant and Doolin. three Q. X.
chaps, will stick on second, third and
short. Murray is so well off as to swell
outheld talent that it looks as If Roy
Thorlas is going to be let out.
Cincinnati, Brooklyn and Boston have
also been strengthened. The Cardinals
showed good form in the wind up Of this
years race, and as McCloskey stated last
spring that he was going TO sacrifice the
present for the future, all his merry little
army has to do is to age. But, of course,
there will be some new faces there in the
spring.