Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-04
CHANCE SAYS CUBS AGAIN
Chicago Leader Thinks Team Will
Win Pennant in 1909.
STOPS IN OMAHA GOING WEST
says Spit Bali should Go-ExpIRins
story of cuba Offering 100000
for Mathewson of New
York.

"Oh, we ought to. I think"
This was the answer of Frank L. Chance.
manager Of the Chicago Cubs. to the ques-
ton Of the Cubs making 1t -four straight"
Chance, with his wife, passed through
Omaha Tuesday morning on the Overland
Limited for California. They arrived over
the Northwester from Chicago at 1923 and
left over the Union Pacific at $3.50. They
will go direct to San Francisco. remain
there for a week, then go down the val
ley to Fresno. Chances old home, for a
few weeks visit with his folks and then to
Los Angeles, where, at Ocean Park, they
will put in the winter resting.
mo, l shall not play any ball this win
ter" said the Peerless Leader OF the
thrice National league champions and
twice world heaters. II shall rest"
Chance looked the picture OF perfect
health, though the cares of maintaining
and operating the greatest base ball ma
chine ever produced are manifesting them
selves in little lines on his strong face.
They make him look a little more than 81
years Of age.
Orvill overall, the Cubs big pitcher, and
his wife were to have accompanied the
Chances to California, but Mrs. overall
took sick just as they we're about to leave
Chicago and they had to delay their going
Overall's home is at Visalia, Cal, about
forty miles from Fresno.
Overall One of the Best.
Chance thinks a lot of overall.
Tiles one of the greatest pitchers in the
world and is getting greater" said the
Cub manager Cincinnati didn't like him
couldn't see anything to him; that's the
only explanation Of his failure to do as
well there as he has done with us, 1t was
Cincinnati's fault, not overall's."
Chance is not a talker. on the contrary,
he is a nan of few words and many deeds.
Precisely the opposite of another Peerless
Leader" much in the public eye just at
present. But at that, he does not find the
subject OF his great team and it's marvellous
achievements an uninterosting one. He took
occasion to stamp as positively false the
story circulated by a sporting paper of
Philadelphia during the season to the effect
that the Cubs slump was due to internal
dissenslons.
There wasn't a particle of truth in it,
said Chance. ut seems that when we got
to losing there in the middle of the sea-
son some people thought they had to con-
trive a reason better than the apparent one,
that nearly our entire team was laid up
with injuries. 1t wasn't enough that only
two regulars were at work. We don't have
internal dissensions in our club; we won't
stand for it."
Would Give $4,000 for Matty.
Chance laughingly talked of the story
that the Cubs management had offered New
York., $4,000 for Mathewson. He said:
Some sports in New York were touting
Brush as a real sport one day and one Of
4 lkA.. - mr. IT,
Brush is. he will give you folks So, 900 for
Mordecia Brown Well said I, to show
You that Mr.. Murphy has a little sporting
blood in his, veins, I will say to you with.
authority that we will give $4,000 for
Mathewson.'
Now, that's as far as the deal got. There
was no deal, but we would give $4,000 for
Matty and, of course. New York would
sensibly rejected any such offer"
Chance does not see much show for the
Giants to win first place next year, unless
they add material strength to their pitching
department.
About that great game In New York, play
ing off the celebrated tie" Chance said:
I'VE went to New York fully confident
of victory. We were determined to win and
as results proved, 1t required more than
the tremendous odds which we fought to
break the spirit of our team that day"
Chance made inquiries about Jimmy
Austin, saying he had his eye on him dur
ing the season, but was advised he could
not bat. When told OF the remarkable
squirt he had made in batting since turning
l~eft-handed, he expressed some feeling of
interest.
1t is plain to be seen that Chances admir-
ations center on Mordecai Brown.
Brown was at the train to see us off
last night" he said. He had just come up
from his homo at Terra Haute, where they
had given him a big demonstration and a
life membership in the Elks. His certi-
ficate was engraved in gold and Brown
was mighty proud Of It,"
spit bali n bad Thing.
OF the spit ball and the prospects of
abolishing it, the Cub leader said:
oh, / don't know that they can get rid
OF IL. They ought to. It's a bad thing
1t knocks out pitchers, catchers. batters
and everybody else and yet It's going to
be a hard thing to uproot."
Asked what it was that curtailed Lun-
gren's effectiveness this season, Chance
laughed and said:
Rather funny thing; he came back at
the opening Of the season with an addi-
tional supply OF speed. Why, he just had
speed to burn. but in gaining his speed he
had lost his control. He couldn't get them
over. OF course, he will be all right and
probably more valuable than ever next
season."
"What is there to this yarn about Johnny
Killing leaving the Cubs and taking a part
ownership in the Kansas City team" was
asked.
wind" Chance promptly replied.
johnny will be behind the bat for the
Cubs In 1909. He still owns and runs his