The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-06-19
BY TOMMY CLARK.


>" HE biggest disappointment o
the 1909 baseball season hal
IA been the miserable showing
OF the Cleveland Americans
Before the present campaign begar
tho Maps wore I'm many sections tho
general favorites for the pcnnant. Ir
fact Manager LaJoie himself was SO
confident that he threatened TO quilt
the game II the team should fail. Last
fall the team made such remarkably
good showing In the race 1t was
figured that with u little strengthening
this season there was small doubt that
the Maps would come near making u
runaway race OF 1t. So far II has been
just the opposite. Tho team. with the
addition OF the now men. Is unqucs-
tionably stronger than 1. was last sea-
son, and IL Is O matter or record
that there has never been anything
materially wrong with the Maps
pitching staff. For years Cleveland
has had ono OF tho strongest aeams
In the league. but 1t has always
failed to land on top, though the wise
acres of the gamc have picked 1t to
win the flag year after year. The lack
OF spirit and ginger has been one
great fault with the Lajoie aggrega-
ton. The players copy their great
leader In that they try to be listless
Lajoie has a peculiar style which
would not create any enthusiasm for
any other player. but because of his
great ability he gets away with it.
Never since the days of tho old
Cleveland MIsfits has team proved
Qat-h Ice inrya 40, h. Co.
tho Maps of 1909. The great finish of
the Larrupers in 1908 put tho fans on
edge of expectancy for still greater
things this year. It's no wonder that
the fans dreamed OF their idols COM
fortably situated in first C. second
place when one takes into considera-
ton the amount OF money expended
to strengthen the team.
The owners OF the club gave up one
star pitcher and one other finger in
addition to large amount of cash for
Cy Young. They dug down deep into
their pockets for Outfelders Lord,
Raftery and Sullivan. They paid out
$4,000 for Falkenberg and Altizer
They did not spare expense in get
ting Land. Easterly. Wright and Sit
ton. Then. too. they hired Jim Nc
Guire (and Jim draws mighty good 6
salary) merely to coach tho batteries {
and oflciate on the coaching lines.
Aside from Terry Turner. the Maps I
Hhortstop. there is not cripple on the I
team, yet the Maps do not win 1t is q
easy to see why they don't win, In '
way. but the fans would like to know t
why 1t is the pitchers. who say they a
lrc In good condition, cannot be as ef- Y
'ective as their rivals: why the field o
,rs. who led tho league in 1908. can
not field as we'll as their advcrsnries: s
Why the batters cannot accumulate
moro than three or four hits to tho L
game. o
Nearly every member of tho team II
'lays dopily at times during the crit b
cal stages. There are exceptions. 1t a
must be admitted. but on tho whole ST
here is an absence Of the up and do Of
ng spirit. h
Without any doubt the Maps are too OF
anne. There arc too many handshak- cc
rs and not enough Of the scrappy va e'
iety In tho squad. The Maps can m
mile through a defeat carly in the
eason easier than any other team In til
he league. Already they seem to have a
orgotten how close they came to win Je