The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-25
MACBETH WRITES OF THREE
SPLENDID MAJOR MANAGERS
by w. J. MACBETH

New York. August -(special)-What-
ever their personal prejudiees, hates and
shortcomings III general II cannot be de-
MED that John j MeGraw. Frank Chance
and fred Clarke are the three sturdy
r:uslseteers of the National league. Ned
Hanlon may have been a bear III his day.
He surely proved it in his pennsnt trust
activities in Baltimore and brooklyn. But
Md has passed to me greo1 beyond as
an approved leader of modern baseball
machinery and in his venerable decline
must doff his cap to the little brother
mood CT three who for the past y years
have had the National league pennant
policy all to ourselves.
Fred Clarke is the veteran of the trio
and holds the record Of pennaat achieve
ment. Since 1901 his club has never fin
shed below the first division. and in that
time the Buccaneers have annexed our
flags and one worlds pennant. Pittsburg
won three gonfalons in a row. beginning
in 1901 Then New York broke in for
two successes i'm 1904 and 1905 respectively.
McGraw. a newcomer In the National
league, had begun to make his presence
ielt. But his old team crumpled up after
their second straight victory in 1905
Then came Mr.. Chance, the peerless
leader, and present thorn in the Side of
Manager John j. McGraw of Gotham. He
butted into the lmelight in 1906 with a
record run OF 116 victories for the season
and though he took a very humiliating
trimming at the hands of his neighbors,
the White SoN, that fall in the worlds
series tilt. he nevertheless engineered
such ar array of talent together that
the gathering of three pennanrs and two
worlds championships the following sea-
sons was simply a matter Of form.
Chance Starts Well
The peerless leader fell down on the
job in 1909 losing to sPittsburg, which in
turn cheated the Detroit Tigers out of
their third straight bid for q world S
championship. the Cubs having turned the
trick in 1907 and 1905 McGraw who has
always been there or thereabouts. was
quite peeved by this time. He had been
knocking about for team of Young blood.
| 1t made a gallant bid in 1910. but was
not quite seasoned enough. and when
| the Iirates fell by the wayslde 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 its
edge taken off when the Athletics wal
Hoped the wadding out these same Cubs
in the annual worlds series unpleasant
ness
McGrdw 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 Johnnys Giants nosed out
Chicago and Pittsburg for the fine PEN
liant raised at Coogans bluff n few brief
days ago That, ladies and gentlemen, Is
a brief synopsis of the lives and accom-
pllshinents of the Three Little AIusketeers
Of the Nationa, league.
who will win the pennant this year we
will leave to the future. It 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 he concludes tho
series at home while his adversaries are
on the road, MI. McGraw seems to have
q bit the better chance. out Chicago way
or Plttsburg way, for that matter-they
will tell you that Mr.. McGraw is a very
lucky young man.
They will point with pride to the man
ner In which the Cubs and Pirates
halted the Giants after New York
threatened a walk-over, and prove by c.
hundred different arguments that Gotham
has not the best team The best team
| resides In either Chicago o. Pttsburg.
according to whether IL Is smoky city
or Windy City enthusiast talking. They
will show by a hundred manners that
New York is lucky TO have gained such a