Omaha daily bee., 1912-08-25
BIG SITUATION IS ANALYZED
Three National Leagues Have Had
Pennant All to Themselves.
CLARK IS VETERAN OF TRIO
Since 1901 His Club Has Never Fin
ished Below First Division and
I'm That Time Has Annexed
Four Flags.
CLARK IS VETERAN OF TRIO
BY w. j. MACBETH.

.tngs in general II cannot be denied ths
John ]. McGraw, Frank Chance and Ere,
Clarke are the three sturdy musketeer
of the National League. Ned Hanlo
may have been bear in his day. H
surely proved 1t in his pennant trust &C
tivities in Baltimore and Brooklyn. Bu
Ned has passed to the great beyond a.
an approved leader of modern baseball
machinery, and in his venerable decln
must doff his cap to the little brother
hood Of three who for the past twelv
years have had the national league pen
nant policy ''all to ourselves"
Fred Clarke Is the veteran Of the trio
and holds the record Of pennant achieve
ment. Since 1901, his club has never fin
ished below the first division and In tha,
time the Buccaneers have annexed fou,
flags and one worlds pennant. Pitts
burgh won three gonfalons in a row, be.
ginning in 1901. Then New York broke IN
for two successes in 1904 and 1906, respec.
lively. McGraw, a newcomer in ths
National irague, has begun to make his
presence felt. But his old team crumplet
up after their second straight victor,
in 1906. Then came Mr.. Chance, the
Peerless Leader and present thorn Ii
the side of Manager John J. McGraw Of
Gotham. He butted into the limelight II
1905 with record run of 11s victories fol
the season and though he took a very hu.
initiating trimming at the hands of his
neighbors, the White Sox, that fall. In
the worlds series tilt, he nevertheless
engineered such an array Of talent to.
Eether that the gathering Of three PEN
nants and two worlds championships the
following seasons was simply a matter OF
form. The Peerless Leader fell down on
the Job in 1903, losing to Pittsburgh, which
in turn cheated the Detroit Tigers out
of their third straight bid for a worlds
championship. the Cubs having turned
the trick in 1907 and 1908. McGraw. who
has always been thereabouts, was quite
peeved by this time. He had been knock
Ing about for team Of young blood.
Al made gallant bid in 1870 but was not
quite seasoned enough. and when the Pr
rates fell by the wayside in the stretch
run old "Husk" Chance and his Bear
Cats were found showing the way to the
field on a comfortable margin, a grim
satisfaction that had some OF It's
edge taken off @isAa thS Athletics wal
Hoped the wadding out of these same Cubs
IN the annual worlds series unpleasant
ness.
Youngsters Seasoned.
McGraw was ready last year, though.
His youngsters had just the proper sea-
soning and when the Cub pitcher went to
pieces and old Hans Wagner broke an
ankle. Little Johnny's Giants nosed out
Chicago and Pittsburgh for the fine PEN
nant raised at Coogan's Bluff few
brief days ago. That. ladies and gentle-
men, Is brief synopsis Of the lives and
Of the Three Little
Musketeers of the National league.
Who will win the pennant this year we
will leave to the future. II Is very true
that each of the important trio OF gem
erals is at the head Of very capable
army. At this writing In view Of his
lead and the fact that ne concludes the
series at home while his adversaries are
on the road, Mr.. MeGraw seems to have
a bit the better chance. Out Chicago
vay--or Pittsburgh way. for that matter
hey win tell YOU that Mr.. McGraw Is a
very lucky man. They will point out
With pride to the manner In which the
Cubs and Pirates halted the Giants after
New York threatened q walkover, and
prove by 100 different arguments that |
Gotham has not the best team. The best
I'M fsx all
ourgh according to whether 1t is Smoky
city or Windy City enthusiast talking.
They will show by 100 manners that New
York IL lucky to have gained such a
cad while the rest OF the field was slum- |
Dering, but any time the tortoise beats
The hare It has some credit due. New
York may have been better conditioned
70 start the season than any competitor
With the possible exception of Cincinnati |
still McGraw held no injunction restrain.
ng his rivals from getting into con-
lltion on the spring trip. And weather
conditions In Marlin were just about as
lxasperating as at any spot on the globe. |
ST Deserves Luck.
Anyhow, McGraw deserved some luck |
lfter the manner in which rude techni. |
'aIity tiwarted his pennant ambitions In
90S- There was pennant earned II ever
iaior deserved reward. But he didn't |
Jet it-no. not at all. Curses on you,
Inhpny Evers That regretful year, by
he way, proved one OF the most striking |
Illustrations Of the real class of the big |
Three" in the National league, It was a |
lip and tuck drive down the stretch I
Imong New York, Chicago and Pittsi
,urgh, with the prospect Of possible
riple tie. Had the New Yorks lost one
4 its games In the last series with Bos-
on and then beaten the Cubs In the ia.
aous playoff, the three clubs would have
ad identically the ssrne standing and a
hree-cornered playoff would have been
ecessary. with possibly no worlds series
hat year. When this possibility arose
rred Clarke had already disbanded his
lub. but he gamely issued call for his
orces to be in readiness to accept the
ssue II 1t became necessary.
Old Scores.
That 1905 episode is responsible for all
be rancor that has characterized the at
|tude Of New York and Chicago and
ice versa this campaign. Chance and
fcGraw are sworn enemies. Clarke Is i
Iyal Of each-a fearful. yet respected
IvaI. With both McGraw and Chance
Is relations are friendly. yet he will
ght either or both at the drop Of the
al. There is no such thing as favorit-
i'm in his makeup. If he cannot win the
ennant himself he viii do everything in
Is power TO have the best club win.
larke is a general without any alibis
Le accepts fate as 1t comes without =
lurmur. But for a lot OF tough luck he
'ould haXs won several more pennants
st few years that fell to
'..''. 4. svs'as III W Chicago. He always has