The Washington times., 1912-12-25
REMARKABLE YEAR
FOR ALL LEAGUES
Big and Little Circuits Alike Make Financial Success of
Past Season-Litte Handicap on Account
of High Salaries.

The year 1872 was . remarkable one
for bssebsli, probably the greatest in
tho history Of the national pastime.
Even the taii.cnd teams In the big
leagues made money. ~ did the ma.
jortty Of the Class A circuits. Few OF
the leagues Of less Classification were
financial successes. but they can hopo
for better things In 1918. inasmuch a. =
national salary limit has been adopted.
The minors have followed their patrio-
tism for the game to get the better OF
their judgment. and their pocketbooks
have suffered. Clubs will be run on =
sancr basis next year and the game will
be benefited thereby.
Interesting races were responsible for
the success Of the larger leagues. Bos.
ton failed to cinch tho pcnnant In tho
American League until September while
the honors In the National. The pen.
nants in the international, American
Association and Pacific Coast Leagues
were in doubt UP to almost the last few
games.
Il also was q year Of record rd-breaking:
Rubo MarQuard, Walter johnson. and
Joe Wood acquired fame by winning
iSii, that Of batting better than 100.
The surprise Of the year. however. was
the showing OF the Washington team
under Clark Griffith. For. years. Grif-
Vision Vii n clubs. While the National: had
never finished above sixth place since
becoming a member Of the American
League. Tho combination OF losing
club and an unfortunate manager. how.
ton not only was a contender for the
championship all year. but finished In
second place ahead Of the Athletics.
twice worlds champions. Incidentally.
the Nationals set 2 new record for win.
ming games upon the road. failing to lose
Q contest on its first Western trip.
Griffith Not Alone.
Griffith was not the only veteran Of
the game to come into his own. James
McAieer. after many reverses. jumped
to Boston a. president Of the Red Sox
and emerged the chief executive Of .
worlds, championship outfit.
Tho Gripping of the New York Yam
KEGS. causing that team to finish last;
the failure Of Harry Davis to make
good a. a manager in Cleveland: the
rupture between Chance and Murphy.
OF the Cubs: the oustinE Of Horace Fo-
gel from the philadelphia Nationals.
and the death Of John T. Brush. owner
Of the Giants. were other notable events
Of the 1912 campaign in the big leagues
As usual. there were . large number
Of players who found the pace too
either either a. quit nV the game % or Try their luck
Il famous sSs Sa pitcher the th game % has s ss ever
known, retired for good while Mordecai
@ @sFST wsank s%' Other: s:'nsy q Rsss
years service slipped back.
Akh1.t;~. . Nissnunj.xr,>uk
The showing Of the Athletics was a
disappointment. Having vanQuished the
Giants so emphatically In the worlds
series Of 1911. 1t was expected Philadel-
phia would walk OF with third pen
nant But Pitcher Bender and outfield.
Pitcher Morgan lost his ability to pitch
big league ball. Coombs was out OF the
game for weeks because Of an injury,
and Captain Danny Murphy was out
as AZ y as nessr es psy saa S
Because Of these mishaps. the Athletics
may be complimented for finishing as
well as they did.
club SSSeSg0 st sa aSe Se season saxs bss goo ball
away with a rush and led the league,
condition and able to pitch practically
every day. Overwork told on him, how
pitching staff was unable to keep tho
team on top. The Sox. as they finished,
were stronger than they started tho
year, being weak only In the box, where
Walsh 10 the only man really to be
Detroit never was . contender. Jen-
nings' pitchers began to go back and
his infield lacked big league caliber.
Tho outlook for 1913 FOR tho Tigers Is
not much better. st. Louis has pros
poets. II Stovall In able to land COM
patent catcher, he will also bs the