New-York tribune., 1913-11-23
MANAGERS Shine
in PENNANT RACES
Stallings and Birmingham
a Pair That Did Wonders
with Material.
MAKE FINE SHOWING
FIRST SEASON OIJT
Braves and Maps May Be Factors
Next Year-Chance Laid Good
Foundation for Success.

Standing in the foremost ranks Of n.
successful baseball managers OF tbs
season just closed are George Stallinss
of the Boston Braves. and Joe Birmins.
ham, Of the Cleveland Maps.
Although John McGraw and Conr,a
Mack ran away with the laurels in ths
two big leagues. they did Just about
what was expected OF them, while Stall.
ings and Birmingham, intrusted with
brand new commissions, performed won.
ders with the material in hand. IT,,
Maps were in the fight from the begin.
ming to the end, while the Braves ro,.
from last place, which they had occu.
pied for years. TO the top of the second
division.
Six teams began the race with new
managers, but only two appeared 10
benefit. Evers did little TO change IN.
fortunes of the Cubs, while Tinker, with
the Cincinnati Reds, and Higgins with
the st. Louis Cardinals. earned no DIS.
tinction Frank Chance, of the Yankees
the only new leader in the American
League aside from Birmingham. man.
aged to lift his team out Of last place
by a hair. and that was all
y Two pilots who began the race bravely
fell by the wayside-Stahl. OF the Bos.
ton Red Sox. and Stovall, Of the ST.
Louis Browns. Both were supplanted
in mid-season. Dahlen. Doom and
Clarke in the National league. and Cal.
lahap, Jennings and Griffith in the
American League, merely marked time.
showing little or no improvement over
the year before
The record OF Stallings with the Boston
Braves was the most brilliant in the big
leagues, not excepting that OF McGraw
and Mack. The situation that confronted
him at the beginning OF the season was
as hopeless as anything could be. HI.
tesm had been in last place FOR so many
years that II had become reconciled to il
fate, and the material al his disposal wa:
of less promise than that which any other
manager had TO work with. BY securing
the country for youngsters. spending
money with a liberal hand and trading
freely. he soon had a big league min,
worthy of the name TO put on the field.
Using veterans Ike DevlIn. Titus ant
Lord to fill the gaps, he bolstered up tht
team until he had developed new and
faster men. Although handicapped by In
juries to some OF his best men during N,
final month OF the season, Stallings had
sot together such a reliable pitching staff
that he was able to keep his grip on NTH
place. the goal he had set.
1t would not be surprising to see the
Braves in the forefront of the fight in an
other year. 1t was Stallings who took the
Yankees and lifted them from seventh to
second place in one season, and his record
with the Braves so far stamps him as q
manager of unquestioned ability.
Joe Birmingham, who succeeded Harry
Davis In the leadership Of the Cleveland
Maps, made remarkable record, when
all is considered, in his first year at the
helm. He was about the only manager In
the American League to dispute the sway
Of Connie Mack. For n time, when the
pitchers OF the Athletics were going bad
ly, 1t looked as though the Maps might
win the pennant.
Whenever the situation became critical
however. the great Philadelphia machine
rose in its might and turned back the
foe. Birmingham's twlrling stsff suffered
the same fate that every other set OF
pitchers has met when It attempted 10
stop the sluggers Of Connie Mack.
Twice during the middle Of the cam
paign the Maps. by winning three out o.
four games In n series with the Athletics
could have made the .'ace nip and tuck
affair, but each time the terrific batting
strength OF the Philadelphia team turner
the tide. The Cleveland pitchers could nos
hold up their end. even though backed
by considerable hitting strength, as exem'
pliaed in Jackson apf Lajoie. However
Birmingham deserves great credit !"
what he accomplished.
lake Stahl was unable TO put the ne'
Sex in the fight, even though they VO''
the title OF worlds champions. Frcto"
which developed at the time Of the sens'
a year ago, cropped out during the cam
palSn ana the BOSTON team was 49,
a contender for the flag at any tHhe
Handicapped by injuries 10 Joe Nood' INV
mainstay in the box the year before un'
team struggled along I'm the second d''r
sion most of the season, and u WASH
until Stahl was removed ana Caiiea
the catcher. put I'm charge that the heO
Sox managed to squeeze into the ni''
division in the final few weeks OF INV
campaign.
Clark Griffith, whose brilliant record '"'
year before in bringing the Wasnihs'ON
Senators from seventh 10 second pls''
led many to expect great things oil nl'.
this season, was unable TO make muen y
an impression. Although Walter JohnS.-
the keystone OF the team, establsheu W
best record of his career, there was
one to help in the work and the pat''a.
strength of the team was too weak !"
of much use without the big S~eue !"
the box to prevent the opposing side i'V"
scoring.
Boehlng fourished for time, oul We
unable to hold the pace. The Ath's"
had little difficulty with the sehaU
whenever II came TO show oV"
Griffith managed to nose into secohd p'
after the race for the pennant was