Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-27
BEST BASE BALL MANAGERS
Famous Team Handlers of the Past
Recalled.
MEN WHO COULD RUN A TEAM
wright, Anson, selee. HanIon Come
iskeS and MeGraw. Clarke.
Chance. Jennings and
Mack Compared.

Base ball managers IN leagues big and
little are about TO experience the usual
trials and tribulations. Thousands Of fans
all over the United States are ready to
praise or condemn them. as the case may
be. While in many instances managers are
not to blame for the poor work OF their
players on the diamond. It is customary
20 score them In the hour OF defeat or laud
them TO the skies when a championship
has been won. Players often make the man
ager a success or vice versa, yet IL Is gen
orally the rule that the men who win or
lose games rarely receive credit or censure
which belongs to them. Really first class
managers are. scarce. IL Is hard to find a
team leader directing the play either In
uniform or on the bench who IS consistently
successful year In and year out.
When the Giants won the pennant in
1904 and 1905 John McGraw was hailed as
the best manager In the business, He was
clearly entitled to the praise because Of
the skill displayed in whipping the New
York team into winning form. But It is a
fact that MoGraw had the good fortune to
get the Assistance OF such famous ball
players as Mathewson, Bresnahan, Devlin,
Donlin and others who outclassed men on
rival teams. McGraw is still a first class
NAA4hN AaN A1 AA9A = b@1A A1HN - EN
pennant for five years. so tina meanwhile
the managerial crown has been won in turn
by Frank Chance OF the Chicago Cubs and
Fred Clarke Of the champion Pirates, with
Hugh Jennings Of the Detroit Tigers shar-
ing the honors.
1t is freely admitted that these managers
possess sterling quality In developing
handling ball players. but old timers Will
insist that they have no greater skill than
that of numerous team leaders in days
gone by.
When professional base ball first began
to be a business Harry Wright was the
star manager. He had charge OF the old
Bostons. who won the national champion
ship in 1872, 1878. 1874. 1875. 1877 and 1878.
Wright played himself when the first three
pennants were won, covering center field
in fine style and swinging a mighty bat.
Under his management in the Hub we're
such diamond Experts as A. q. Spalding,
Cal MeVey, Ross Barnes, George Wright,
Andy Leonard, Jim White, Jim O'Rourke,
Jack Manning and others. and the team
played invincible ball up to the organiza-
tion of the National league in 1915 when
the Chlcagos carried off the honors.
Wright had to make over the Boston team
when spalding, McVey, White and Barnes
jumped to the Windy City. but he devel-
oped another champion team with such
players as Bond, Snyder, Morrill,, Burdock
and Sutton, who filled the vacant places
TO the queens taste. But that was
wflght's last pennant winner in spite Of
the fact that he was the manager Of the
Philadelphias for many years after.
Wright was not a taskmaster by any
means. He was a close student OF base
hall h,S Da,,or ionk III. A.-.-o- - At. -
of defeat. When he died about twelve
years ago he was mourned by hundreds
OF ball players and fans.
A.. G. Spalding managed ana pitched for
the champion Chlcagos in 1876. and George
Wright was the leader of the Providence
team when the pennant went to the Rhode
Island city. But succeeding Harry Wright
the next really great manager was Adrian
c. Arson. The Chicagos under Arson won
pennants in 1880, 1881, 1882, 1885 and 1886 and
they came near winning others in succeed
ing years. Arson has always received
credit for being a famous team leader, but
there are some veteran critics who stiIl
maintain that a part OF his success was
due to the wonderful players he handled,
for in those days Mike Kelly. Larry Cor
coran. Fred Goldsmith, Silver Flint, Joe
Quest, Ed Williamson, Dalrymple, Tom
Burns, Jimmy Ryan. John Clarkson, Jim
Mccormick and Billy Sunday were all that
any manage could ask for. Arson huns
onto the management Of the Chicagos until
1896, but bereft OF his former stars he could
not develop a winning team and was fin
ally replaced In response to the clamortng
of a new crop OF fans. Yet Arson was a
hero twenty years ago because OF his tre-
mendous batting, his imperial leadership
and his striking personality.
Although he won but a single pennant