Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-09-03
IS NJ CLOSKEY TO co:
Rumored That st. Louis Nation
ais Are to Have New Manager.
CLARKE GRIFFITH MENTIONED

Former Manager of the New Yort
Americans Spoken of as the Mex,
Boss Of the als-Mc Closkey':
Fatal Mistake.
Who will manage the st. Louis Ma
tionalS next year?
The prevailing impression among
the fans is that John j. McClosicy has
the same fate in store for him that he.
fell Wiliam Armour, formerly man
aver of the Detroit Americans.
Armour managed the Detroits in
1906. The Tigers finished below the
st. Louis Browns that year. Hugh
Jennings took charge of the club in
1907 and won the American league
pennant with the same team that Ar
mour landed In the ruck one year pre-
vious.
Armour helped to build up the De
troIt champions. 1t was Armour that
secured Ty Cobb for Detroit, and
Cobb's mighty work with the stick won
the American league pennant for De
troit in 1907. Armour is good base
ball man. but he could not prevent fric-
ton among the Detroit players.
1t looks as though President Robi-
son is greasing the "skids' for Mae,
who has been handling the st. Louis
Nationals for three seasons. McClos-
key has developed Il bunch of val
liable talent for Mr.. Robson, but the
latter is out for definite results. His
team was tail ender when McClos-
key took charge, and it's Il tail endcr
still.
lie declines to give out any Informal
ton as to his plans for next year. Mr..
Robson acknowledges that McCloskcy
has picked up some valuable talent for
the Cardinals. admits that John j. is
good scout. but argues that his man
ager has shown lack Of ability to mold
his men together and polish up the
youngsters after he gets them. This
may be true, but 1t will be hard on
McCloskey if he is forced to relinquish
the leadership of the Cardinals.
The Cardinals own one of the best
pitching staffS in the National league.
First Baseman Konetchy and Outficld-
ers Murray and Dclchanty are all good
batters. Third Baseman Byrne has
not played his game ut the bat this
season, but his work at third has
shown improvement of late. Gilbert
has not made good at second. He can't
hit lick, and his fielding has not been
consistently good. Charles seems bet
ter qualified to handle the bag than
Gilbert. If McCloskey goes and a new
manager Is secured to replace him, he
will have to plug up two big holes in
the team. behind the bat and at short
also strengthen the clubs hitting by
securing q new center fielder and US
Ing Murray in right field.
McCloskey made the big mistake Of
his managerial career when he failed
to push through the Beebe- McGlynn
trade for Hans Lobert Of Cincinnati.
That deal would have put the Cardi-
nails in the first division this year.
McCloskey engineered it and should
have showed it through in face Of any
and all obstacles.
Mr.. Robson did advise against the
deal when Lobert wrote him that he
did not want to come here, but Nc
Closkey should have urged that the
trade be made in face Of this fact. Lo-
bert would have had to so to st.
Louis or quit the game, and everybody
knows that he is not going to desert
baseball.
The Cardinals started out last spring
with five catchers-Marshall, Ludwig.
Hostetter, Bliss and Boucher. Instead
Of standing pat on this bunch Of ex
periments, McCloskey should have
raked and scraped the big leagues last
fall and made some sort Of trade for
an experienced man. Bowerman or
from New York for Karger. McGraw
put both men on the market. Cincin-
natl dickered for Bresnahan, and Bos-
ton finally landed Bowerman.
While McCloskey has made some
mistakes, his record, on the whole has
been far better than the showing of
the club indicates. AS a judge OF
young players he has few if any
equals. He also knows how to create
harmony in team. His men play
honestly for him. and If he had the tai
ent it's cinch that he would get sat
isfactory results. McCloskey is a hus
tier, and many good baseball men are
confident that IL Mr.. Robson gives
him another years trial he will land
the Cardinals in the first division of
the National league in 1909.
While Specializing on McCloskey's
future one naturally begins to look
around for his successor, provided n
change is made Some seem to think
Mr. Robson may sign Clarke Griffith
to run his team. Griffith is unques-
tionably one of the most advanced
baseball men in the game. lie was Il
trlhe unfortunate in his trades while
handling the New York Americans,
but his record as manager Of win
ming teams IS sufficient to Justify the
assertion made above that he Is thor
oughly competent to handle team
a little tough luck put Griffith out
Of the running and lost him his job in
New York.
viii Griffith go to st. Louis to take
charge of the Cardinals?
N..Tf