The Washington herald., 1908-08-09

1ans IS L1aI John J McClOskev has the
same fate in store for him that befeu
William Armour. formerly manager Of the
Detroit Americans
Armour managed the Detroits in 1906.
The Tigers finished below the Browns
that year. Hugh Jennings took charge OF
the club in 1877. and won the American
League pennant with the same team that
Armour landed in the ruck one year. pre-
vious.
Armour helped build up the Detroit
Champions. II was Armour that obtained
Ty Cobb for Detroit. and Cobb's mighty
work with the stick won the American
League pelnauJ FOR Detroit in 1907. Ar
mour Is q good baseball man. but De
could not prevent friction among the De
troit players
The Tigers were fighting among them
selves Ike cats and dogs while Armour
was a. the helm In fact the players
were SO industriously engaged in brawI-
ing among themselves that they had no
tine left IN which 20 frame up for oT,-
position clubs
Jennings inauEurated his administration
by eliminating all friction in the club. F.
and as soon as the team began 10 I
play together harmoniously the natural 1
strength OF the club landed il In front
Jennings achievement IN winning a |
penlant with the same team that fn- I
lsEed back in the ruck under Armour
has never been considered a reflection on 4
Armour's managerial ability. because. Ar /
rnour made gocd with the Toledo Mud |
hens one year later in the American As
socia-ion- some people argue that while 4
Armour may be a good minor league 4
leader he never viii succeed as a major I
league manager There may De something |
IN sh-sr but ne is getting results and the 4
money at Toledo, which IS consolation
enough for Bill
1IcCIOskey May Go.
Getting back 20 AcCloskey's case. Il
looks as though President Robson is
greasIng the -skids-- Tor the hustling
Louisville citizen who has been handling
the Cardinals sor three seasons. McCIos-
key has developed a bunch OF valuable
talent for lIr- Robson. but the latter Is
out for definite results. His team was
a tail-enGer when 1cCloskey took charge
and it's a tail-ender stlIL M Robson
thinks baseball manager should show
some results after three years trial
he declines 20 give out any information
as 10 his plans for next year. Mr.. Robi-I
son ackuowledges that AIcCloskey has
picked I'D some valuable talent for the
Cardinals; admits that John J. is "a good
scout; but argues that his manager has
shown lack Of ability 10 mold his men 7
together and polish Up the youngsters !
after he gets them This may De true but Z
II would be hard on 1IcCIoskey II he Is I
forced TO reiinquish the leadership Of the ,
Cardinals.
Good baseball experts appreciate the
fact thar there is an abundance OF Guel
"a 1-zr.
With one good catcher. a sLc-1stop. a1d s
another Eard-Eitting outleIder there siI
little question of che clubs ability 10 I'm
ish in the first division Of the National
League in 1s6e-
NcCIosIsey'E Fatal Mistake.
McClosEey made the big mistake Of his ;
managerial career when he failed 10 push 1.
through the Beebe-NIcGIyuu trade for :
Hans Lo5err- That deal would have put I
the Cardinals IN the first division this :
year 1ICCIOskcy engineered il and should
have showed IL through in face OF any 81
and all obstacles l.
The hole at short has cost the Cardinals D
at least twenty-five games this gear. d
O'Rourke was never entitled 20 a trial at 2
the job His record In the Connecticut O
State League last year was not creditabie v
enough 70 expect him % make good IN a /
fast major league o
Big Mac also made mistake I'm placing q
too much reliance -on Billy Gilbert this p
year Gilbert showed lameutabIe weak g
ness with the b8t at Trenton in lg5T- and =
If he couldn't hit in that company il ,
seemed absurd for NcCIoskey 90 expect g
him 20 lit in a big major league. =
Another AcCIoskey miscUe was his fall @
ure 70 strengthen the catching staT OF y
tne Cardinals last faT- Marshall and =
Noonan were plainly out OF It On their =,
1907 work Every club needs al least one u
good catcher. and 1IcCIosksy should have :
left no stone untUrned 10 land az least :
one competent backstop for 1905. 7.
Unearthed Good Pitchers. Ia-
Good pitchers can be gathered in the is
minor leagues AIcCIoskey has proven D.
this fact by going into the tau grass s
and picking Up twiriing wonders like y,
SaIlee. and Fromue but good M
satche-s and InGe1ders are not landed so d
EASILY. b.
While McClosSey has made some mis- III
-akes- his record on the whole has been p'
ar better than the showing OF the club e
As "A judge Of Young players =
BE- has few. If any equals He also knows ~
COW to create harmony in team. Ills -'
l5u play honestly for him. and If he had
he talent its cinch that De would ga+
satisfactory results McCl0skey Is a hus- in
ler- and many good baseball men are -,
onndeut rnar If AR Robson gives him "a
mother years trial he viii land the -5
Cardinals in the first division Of the Ma -
-onal League In 1913
Clarke Griffith Mentioned.
While speculating on 1IcCIoskey's fu-
ure- one naturally begins 10 look around
or his successor. provided a change *
made. some seem 10 think Mr.. Robson
gay sign Clarke Griffith 10 run his team.
iTitith is unquestIonabIy one Of the most
dvanced baseball men in the game. He
-as a tride unfortunate IN his trades
-hile handling the New York Americans
VI his record as a manager Of winning
cams is sufficient TO justify the assertion
lade above that he is thoroughly compe-
7nt 90 handle a team
4 little tough luck put Griffith out Of
be running and lost him his job in New
ork- The accident 20 ElberHeld robbed
ew York Of her best bah player and the
-aniiity Of Fred Glade 70 pitch ball cost
- club the services OF its best pitcher
Imagine where NcAleer's Browns would
ave been this year without the services
Wallace and Powell and then you must
ink more charitably OF Grifith's failure
New York.
VIII Griffith come TO St. Louis to take
large OF the Cardinals
Hardly GriT' IS a strong American
aague man, and the insiders predict that On