Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-01
OFFICIALS Of
CRACKER CLUB
SORE At TEAM
Bv Percy II. Whiting.

INC4AE 4 AAA-N1 - 6oliAB " DC uouc
about the Cracker ball club
something revolutionary, torrid.
tempestuous! Just what It is will de-
velop later. For the present there
will be more pitchers bought Pitts
burg Is offering a good man, subject
to the securing OF waivers. II he
comes through it will be moderately
helpful
Maybe there will be bigger things
happening.
The directors Of the Atlanta Base
ball Association held an indignatio
meeting Monday II was an execu-
tive session and none Of the direc-
tors would talk after It was over.
What they decided TO do they will
not say. But they were warm enough
under the collar to do most anything
THE local directors are sore. good
and sore. and getting worse every
minute. They can't make up their
minds whom they are sore at. but
they are thinking II over
They feel that they have spent
enough money to buy a good team
They believe they HAVE a good team.
II II would only play ball They don't
know why ii isn't playing good ball
but they are earnestly trying TO find
out
One source Of irritation is Pitcher
Dent. They gave up not less than
$4,000 OF real money for this man.
Griffith, it is understood, wanted
$4,000 for him. but reluctantly com
promised on $4,000.
That 1t would have been a poor
buy at $500 is the present opinion
OF the directors. They figure they
were stung and they have sus-
picion that Griffith engineered IT,
How it's all going to end isn't for
mere baseball writer to pre-
dict. The directors themselves prob
ably are pretty much at sea. They
know only that they are desperate
~ tired OF making explanations. Of
inventing alibis and OF spending big |
money and getting small returns
1T would not do to have the d.
rectors nor the public expect too |
much OF the Crackers this year.
We told the directors that at the |
hrst OF the season, explaining that |
a two-year tail-ender was glued TO |
the bottom and could hardly be run |
up 20 a pennant in one year.
But they wouldn't see it-said IL |
was bosh and that with a new team |
easy.
II looked for awhile as though they |
were going TO come clean with II |
too. But now the team is in a sIump !
II the club finished one two-threc |
everybody ought TO be delighted. II |
they finish worse. II viii be diap-
pointing of course.
To tell what is the matter with the
bunch would take an expert |
diagnostician.
Here are a few Of them:
Weak pitching all the season.
Only passably good catching.
Failure 70 take the thing seriously.
Weak utility man.
Lack Of "eondition"-pIayers over
weight.
Occasional bursts of poor fielding.
Lack Of pepper
Lack Of teamwork in COVERING
bases, taking" pop flies and the like.
Lack OF Sab" and noise.
Poor base running.
THIS is not intended for a knock,
either
The Crackers look like pennant
winners But they aren't aimed for
any pennant II is an interesting
question TO ponder why they aren't
couple more good pitchers would
help. Councilman seems Ike a corker.
despite his bad showing the last out
The rest Of them are good sometimes
and sometimes they are not.
With the pitching stan strength
ened. Catcher Chapman going right.
little more pep" a little harder
work by the players to get themselves
down 10 condition. a little more
earnest effort to steal bases ought to
help some
But Heaven forbid that I should try
TO tell anybody how TO run the bail
CLUB. NeWspaper CORES pondenCe
courses along that line have never
been successful.
II Is up to the manager.
Now is the time for Bill Smith to
rise TO the occasion and MAKE his |
team finish -two-three