Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-17
LAVE CROSS STICKS
AS CLUB MANAGER
Takes Shamokin Club and
Wins Atlantic League
Pennant.

CLEVELAND, Ohio, January 16.-In
the resume of the base ball successes OF
1909 there probably is none which is
more glowing than that Of Lave Cross of
Cleveland, who managed and captained
the pennant-winning Shamokin PaD At
lantic League team. His success in the
metropolis of the coal region bore out the
fact that a ball team without an expe-
rienced head is no better than a wagon
without wheels.
Ex-Representative Monroe H. kulp and
his brother, G. Gilbert. were prominent
factors in launching fast team in
Shamokin and finally secured an Allan
tic League franchise. The team was
placed under the management of "Shamo-
kin Kelly at one time a National and
later an American League umpire. pete
Agnew. a former st. Louis Brown. was
captain and the team started off disas-
trously. The aggregation was en-
sconsed in the always unenviable last
place and the hackers and board of d-
rectors were wondering what steps to
take.
George NJ. Graham, sporting editor of
the Philadelphia North American. was
consulted and recommended that an ef-
fort be made to secure Lave Cross OF
Cleveland, former captain of the Phila-
Connie Mack's boys to two pennants.
Lave had been sent south by Washing
ton and contracted malaria and was
then recuperating at his home on Clark
avenue, this city. Dan McAllister, Sec
rotary Of the Shamokin team, proprietor
Of one of the leading cafes and genuine
lue-blooded sport. called the veteran
Cross by long distance phone and offered
Cross $3.50 month to manage and cap
tain the team.
Cross Takes Up Job.
Having been reared and trained in or
ganized ball Lave gave the matter his
consideration and found that the At
lantic League had in no way tempered
with players in organized ranks. and, be-
lieving that the mountain air of the an
thracite coal region would benefit his
health, finally wired his acceptance:
The arrival Of the famous leader of
the champion Athletics served as sort
of holiday among the miners and $500
fans attended the game in which Lave
made his initial appearance. He al
lowed the team TO proceed in its usua
manner for three or four days and then
began to make corrections and instill
real base ball into his aggregation of
youngsters. In less than a week the
team began to improve remarkably, be-
gan to win games and soon was on its
way up the ladder.
Lave who had always covered third
base while with Philadelphia and Wash
ington, gave way to Cuba" Covaleski
and took up quarters at second. He
played seventeen games without the
sernblance of an error. accepting on an
average of six or seven chances a game.
batted terri1ically, close to .4J0. and was
always found on the coaching lines.
Lands His Club on Top.
He was the dra wing card all over the
league circuit and enormous crowds
turned out to see the veteran and his
rejuvenated Shamokin team. The team
continued winning games and slowly
wendell its way to the top of the list.
During the season Cross paid particu-
lar attention to seasoning his young
players with the result that Van Dyke,
his star pitcher. goes to the Philadei-
phia Nationals; Strunk, center fielder. to
the Athletics: Baker, shortstop. and
Coutts, left field. to Altoona Tri-State
Foster. first baseman. to Lancaster. Be
sides these Joe Mccarthy, former St.
Louis catcher, has regained his throw
ing arm and will again be found in fast
company while it is more than likely
that Connie Mack will again take Cubs"
Cove south with the Athletics in the
spring.
In all probability Cross will again be
offered the management OF the Snamo-
kin team at an increased salary. How
ever, it is more than likely that he will
be found on the bench as manager, al
though he hit we'll and f1elded superbly
throughout tine season. Lave is now
past forty-three years of age and feels
that his playing days should come to an
end.