The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-03
PERHAPS CHANCE
KNOWS SOMETHING
At Any Rate, He Seems Able to
Check Further Murphy
Comment

New York. February when Frank
Chance sent a telegram 10 tharies
Webb Murphy the other day threaten
ing to shut him up If he continued ms
personal remarks, the owner or the
Cubs said he was through and that
he did not care for a further con-
troversy. Now fans are asking: What
has Chance got that makes Murphy
run to the tall and uncutY Perhaps
the answer lies in q statement tnat
Chance. If he cares TO. can prove that
Murphy's knowledge of baseball is linz
tied In fact. it is said that Chahce
can furnish facts that will convict
Murphy of blunders and mismanage-
menl that would have wrecked the
Cubs long ago If Chance and such
PLAYERS as Tinker and Evers had not
saved him.
Murph talks and writes as If he
knew the game from A to n, but there
are others equally gifted whose actual
Judgment is of little value. 1t is SAID
of one such person that between the
hours of p. NJ. and =. NJ. the next
day he is the greatest baseball man
ager in the world
Murphy was a humorous writer on
Cincinnati paper dozen years ago
when he was aked to report baseball
games He regarded his new job as
source of merriment, and never treat
ed il seriously He admitted TO his
fellow reporters that he knew nothing
about the rudiments OF the sport
When he got hold of the Chicago club
persons who knew Murphy intimately
threw up their hands in establishment
They didn't believe that he knew
enough 10 score a game correctly. But
Murphy was sufficiently wise TO know
that he had bought "A strong ball team,
managed by the late Frank L. Selee,
one of the best that ever lived. Selee
built up the Cub machine, without the
slightest interference, while Murphy
counted the money and sold the
When Selee was forced TO give up the
management because Of quick con-
sumption Frank Chance stepped into
his shoes. Chance. well scholed by
Selee. followed with similar winning
methods and Murphy kept on counting
money.
The clash between Chance and Muir
ply last fall was the result Of many
instances of baseball ignorance on the
part OF the Cubs owner. In Chicago
to-day the impression is gaining
ground that Murphys lack Of base
ball knowledge has been shown by the
releasing of Frank Chance and Joe
Tinker. the men who have practically
ruled the Cubs for ten years. Murphy s
appointment of Evers. a high-strung.
extremely nervous man. who has found
il difficult to control himself on the
field as manager OF the Cubs instead
of Tinker is another big error. Chances
friends assert
Murphy's engagement OF Roger
Bresnahan at $4,000 a year and his
refusal to pay the same salary TO
Jimmy Archer is believed to be an
other mistake. Bresnahan. IL is be-
lieved, will not stand for Evers's rule
any great length OF time. and finally
will demand the management or his
release.
Murphy, in a three-column signed
statement insists that he is one Of
the few wise men in baseball. and
that he will soon convince the Chicago
baseball critics and fans that he alone
knows what is best for the Cubs
Murphy never has experienced the sen
sation of owning a losing ball team.
but Chance. in Offering TO shut Murphy
up, probably can tell why, In his opin-
ion, the owner Of the Cubs is due
TO experience many strange happen
ings before the snow flies next fall.