The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-09-15
A First Division Team was
what O'Day Promised.
PLAYERS ARE LEAVING
All will Have Departed with
in a Day or Two.
Manager o'Day had Much to Contend
with This Season He May Come
Back at the Head of New Tea m

AS a general rule Marion fandom
as satisfied with the third place Sc.
cured by the local team. When Man
ager ODay signed to lead the Dig
gers he was asked to deliver first
division team ANA this he has done.
No doubt many ians lind fault
with ODay because he did not win
pennamt. There are always some
who have a kick coming anyway.
There would have been some one
would nave kicked II Marion d.d
win the bunting. SO there YOU are.
ODay had to plan his team and
make arrangements Tor the season
largely ON guess work. lie had only
the statements of the local directors
MS to the ability OF the various play
ers reserved by Marion from the dis
astrous season OF 1907. The rever-
sals OF form shown by some of the
men illustrate how the manager lab
ored in the dark before coming here
and how some Of his best talent fell
down
ODay brought a Cumber OF play
ers here Elmer Brown, Lotshaw,
Wilson. Wetter were among the num-
ber. Every one made coed. Lotshaw
delivered as a bail player but his
conduct made him an impossibility.
O'Day used excellent judgment in
placing his team. He sent Farrel
TO center, where n played Won
derful game. Tate was hauled in
from left field and made good
first baseman. Other shifts were male
The manager used good Judgment
in derricking pitchers. He was
criticised several times for not talk
ing pitchers out but it will be re-
membered that was when the club
had but four and all of the double
headers were being played. Those
double attractions did more than
anything else 10 cause the downfall
OF the local pitching staff.
The manager wau.el to win a
pennant as much as anyone else. He
had much to contend with on the
road, having trouble in handling
players who behaved faultlessly and
played the lest kind OF baseball at
home.
Vet in spite OF all this he kept
considering the disastrous close last
year with a team about as good,
the fans should be happy.
O'Day may manage the Diggers
next year and he may not. That is
entirely up to the directors and the
manager. 1t may be settled before
he leaves the city. Many OF the di-
rectors are inclined to believe that
with a team OF his own building
and he has the nucleus for an eX-
ceilent one-o'Day VIII give that
pennant a mighty chase. Factions
and cliques would be less apt to
be prevalent and Harmony with a
big III" would reign supreme.
The local team did mot make any
money this year but considering
interest in the race at various times
the small deficit in the treasury has
not discouraged the men who have
made baseball possible here for
three years. They have had to ask
for donations and next year there
will be more asked for but the game
is worth it, Marion has lost nothing
of its reputation in the O-P league
that Of being the glmest town in
the circuit.
Today most of the players will
leave for their homes. Some will re-
main for a few days. We wish that
they could have given us pennant
but with six strong clubs to go
aIgainst they finished ahead OF three
and they leave with the best OF
good wishes. The local team did not
have. the luck that aid the winning
Lancaster aggregation. They went
through the season without a slump
and accidents were few and far be-
tween. Lima had plenty OF injuries
and numerous slumps but pulled TO-
gether strong during the last six
weeks OF the season. The Diggers
might have finished close 10 Ian
caster had not several Of tho pitch
ers gone wrong during the last six
weeks. But that is all history.
The race in the Ohio State league
this year has been most interesting
About every fan in Marion tried to
make guess on the outcome at he
start Just how bad baseball is base
ball dope is illustrated in the case al
a local store, where fans are wont
to gather Last May the proprietor
secured several hundred fans and
had each make n guess on the way
the six clubs in the league would
finish. But one OF the number