The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-02-17
(By II. NJ Walker.1

Los Angeles, Feb. 17.-ManageI
Frank Chance. of the Cubs, accompan
led by Mrs. Peerless Leader, is speed
ing on to Chicago to join his fellow
players and make arrangements for
the spring training trip. which he says
will put the men in shape to haul iu
another championship.
The recent unpleasautness between
Frank and Murphy was evidently the
last thing In the Cub leaders mind
as he boarded the train here, He
danced around the depot news stand
buying books and papers to read on
the three days journey Among the
books was one fittingly entitled. THE
Chance We Take" The book was not
dedicated to Muggsy McGraw.
A rumor has been current in Chicago
that a number of Cubs had banded to-
gether TO enforce the payment of that
$4,000 bonus the national commission
was willing TO allow Murphy TO give
his players. The manager knows of
no such plan.
Speaking OF pennant hopes and prob
able changes in the team, Chance said:
Il want to land the pcnnant and the
worlds championship again for Chi
cago, but ii is going to be hard fight
all along the line, Last year l figured
at the start that we had cinch. but
It's different now. Every team In
the league has strengthened up for
us and in every city that the 1909
Cubs visit we will find the knives all
sharpened up for us.
4
have practically the same lineup as
won for me last fall want a new
man in my outfield, though. Hoffman
Is one grand utility player and | don't
expect to spoil him in this connection
by anchoring him out in center for
the season.
The Cubs pitching department
ought TO land the blue ribbon in any
kind of company With the old stand
bys, Brown. Reulbach and Overall.
have Fraser, Oakley and two or three
promise III send these boys all TO
the Hot Springs about the first OF
March. figure to leave with the re-
mainder OF the men for Shreveport
eight days later The southern cli-
mate agrees with the boys. We work
ed in Vicksburg last spring and every
body rounded into playing form nice
ly."
Without divulging any names.
Chance this morning related little
inside history of the heart-breaking fin
ish OF the pennant race. He said;
"On that last eastern trip, when
we lost TO the Phillies. and the Giants
beat Pittsburg twice, putting us five
and half games from the top. heard
a bunch OF talk on the part OF two play
ers TO the effect that II was all over
and the rest Of the trip would be a
pleasure jaunt This seemed unfair
TO the other players. who still wore
hard against what really look
ed like desperate odds.
$50 | called the men together at
the hotel that night and warned them
that any player who eased up so long
as the club had the least possible
chance would be fired from the team
and put out of the game for life, II
possible. ] promised to lead the pleas
ure jaunt myself if we were put out
of the running.
Then followed our double victory
over the Phillles, with Coakley and
Kroh pitching for us. / was taking
a chance by saving our crippled staff
of regular pitchers for the following
series with the Giants, including the
double header,
When We arrived at New York, Nc
Graw said: You're mighty lucky. TO
get away with that at Philadelphia
but we simply had to take the chance
TO stay In the race. and 1t looked bet
ter TO do it in Philadelphia, than Goth
am. Afterward we heard nothing
more OF pleasure taunts, and the fin
ish is remembered by all. The boys
are a good. game bunch, trying all
Tho tir,o"