The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-07
FRANK CHANCE FACES
HIS GREATEST TEST
Peerless Leader Will Find Him
self at Head of Tail-End
Aggregation.
By. w. J. MACBETH.

New York. April 6.-Frank Chance
faces one of the most trying tests of
his brilliant major league career.
Thursday next the curtain Will be runy
up on the American League race. The
peerless leader will md himself at
the head OF tail-end aggregation In
strange and unknown company bid
ding for patronage against local
championship rival.
Chance has been accustomed to lead
championship teams. and naturally
VIII bond every energy toward re-
modelling his trailers into q pcnnant
possibility. This will require patience
on the part of himself and his sup
porters. In this age OF advanced base
ball 1t fs not possible to devotion "A
winner overnight. But Chance is bound
to be successful in the end. He may
not be In tho thick OF tho fight all
season. but 1t is n pretty sure thing
that he VIII have contender and
much respected ono before his three
year contract expires.
FRANK Chance has performed won
ders with club that looked like "a
huge joke at the close OF the past
season He has the players working
In harmony, and to the very best OF
their ability. Ho has but to maintain
this happy condition throughout the
season to gain recognition as one OF
the real managerial wizards OF the
game.
In the old Chicago Cubs Frank
Chance had one OF the greatest base
ball machines ever assembled under
ono banner 1t may be true that he
was unusually blessed with talented
material: but he showed results with
tho club which proved him capable
OF getting every possible ounce OF
energy out of his men He hooked
| them up and made them play for team
results, and not for individual aver
ages.
Chance is doing just that same thing
with New York. He Is tho big mas
tor. He thinks and plans for his men
and insistG upon having his. instruc-
| tons obcyed to the letter. lie accepts
| full responsibility for the game One
has but to spend a few days IN his
| camp 20 realize why Chance Is so sue
cessful He is big man. That Is tho
| true secret.
Chance Dinciplinurinn.
| First Of all Frank Chance is "a dis
ciplinarian. He took charge of n bad
| ~ disorganized club which had not
! the faintest smnttcring OF what dis
ciplino meant In his new cnvirons IL
was absolutely necessary to control the
| players aud to teach them respect for
| the master. For this reason Chance
Instituted number OF set rules thai
would not have been necessary pcr-
| haps. had his players been used to
conscientious training. Ono rule forced
every one to be In the hotel bcfor.
1880 Mt night. The alternative Was
stlm fine. And II n player. no mat
! ter who he might be, was late by SO
much "a minute the fine was levied
| Chance plays favorites. The raw
recruit meets with as much respect
and consideration an the greatest star
| lie Is subjected to tho same discipline
Chance has tho faculty or express
J Ing himself clearly In no mistakahlc
| Ia 81
| with tho habits and associations al
! every one OF his men. CAREFUL,
dropped hint here and there does more
! for him than carpet lecture would
| n less stern man. What Chance has
/ TO say carries weight, because he looks
! tho part. and stands ready TO go 10
| the mat In any way with one who dis
/ obcys him.
! The charm of his personality can
! not be denied. He has never asked
! player 10 Go what he would not
! chcerfully do himself. He submits
/ himself to all the rigid training rules
/ He courts obedience by setting
proper example For instance. Chance
! has never been away from the hotcI
as late as 1880. Generally he IL IN
! he'd long before that hour. He has
! torn himself away from any number
OF social engagements. SO that he
| would not infringe upon the rules his
! players were forced 10 respect.
| The Peerless Leader has no use for
! espionage. He will not tolerate tale
| bearing. He depends upon himself
| for all information Yet the players
/ have FOUND out that they can put
| nothing over on him. On several oc-
casions. when = man had just about
begun TO congratulate himself Over
having sneaked in late he would be
approached In this fashion by the L
! l.: Better have that watch OF yours
attended TO. It's running late. And.
by the way, you're fined for not beat
ing the flag last night
/ Nothing escapes Chance on the ball
field. The players have learned this
and hustle accordingly. THEY respect
! him for his cleverness. ability and
earnestncss. They have hustled all
! spring, and they viii hustle all sum
I mer. Wherever the club may hnish
ii is a moral certainty that 1t will do
the very best that Chances abiIfeS as
a general. combined with earnest
loyalty OF his following can assure
He may not be in the flag tight this
year. but ne will give n good account
! of himself nevertheless. HIS team
| should finish In the first division, or
| very close TO 1t.