Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-27
OLD LEAGUE IS
BADLY IN NEED
Of NEW BLOOD
Refusal Of Managers to SuppIant
Veterans Forces National
Below American.
By Frank G.. Menke.

ATEW YORK, March 27.-Because
" they persist in hanging on to
their veterans long after their
real usefulness is gone-that's the
reason why the National League, once
the classiest organization in baseball,
has had to yield first place to the
American League.
There has been no denying of the
fact that for the past four years the
American League teams have had it
con" their National rivals. The
American Leaguers have been trium-
plant in the last four world series
combats, and in the majority Of post
season games between the American
and Nationals the teams of the
younger organization have been tri-
umphant. In 1918 the American
Leaguers were winners In every Sc
ries ii1Swhich they engaged with the
Nationals.
A glance through the baseball rec
ords shows the reason. The Ameri-
can League keeps star player as
long as he performs in major league
style--but not one day longer. They
cut him adrift when he starts to skid
and supplant him with new blood
bring to the fore some youngsters
who soon shine just as brightly as did
the stars Of old.
WITH the National League it is
w different. Sentiment seems to
cause them to keep in the regular
lineup many old stars long after they
81 offaN adddd
years has robbed them Of their for
mer prowess and made them inferior
to the youngsters who are camping
on the benches waiting to break in.
Looking over the 1904 records of the
American League, and comparing the
rosters of those days with that OF
1914, shows that only five men of the
400 odd then in that league are still
in American League harness. Those
men are I.ajoie and Turner, of the
Maps; Crawford, Of the Tigers, and
Bender and Plank, of the Athletics.
Stovall, who Joined the Maps back
in 1904, was with the St. Louis
: Browns until last fall and now is with
the Federals. Harry Davis, star In
1904, is still on the Athletic payroll,
but he plays no longer. Jimmy Gala
han, now manager Of the White Sox;
n 49,
Senators and Nick Altrock, coaelIer,
are the only players who played in
1904 who still are drawing salaries
from the American League.
DUT it's a bit different on the Ma
~ tional League, which carried--and
played regularly in 1913 nearly twen-
ty-five men who were in the game
in 1904. and even earlier than that
date. Included in this list are Wag-
ncr, Bresnahan, Mathewson, Ames,
Camnitz, Higgins, Evers, Tinker. Nc
Cormick, Brown, Wiltse, Needham,
Doom, King and Mclean.
CHANGING over the 1903 rosters OF
the American and National Leagues,
and comparing them WITH the present
ones. shows that the NAflonais sun
have nearly seventy menAY their line
ms who were there in 1852, while the
Americans have only about forty.
This means that the American
I,eaguers have weeded out the slip
ming stars of the other days and that
the National Leaguers have hung
on to them-and lost considerable
prestige thereby.
THE result Of these conflicting poll
cies has been shown in the inter-
league clashes in the past few years.
The American League outfits, COM
posed mostly Of kids. have been able
to sweep everything before them; the
National League, with its heavy
membership of slipping veterans, have
slowed up and have had to yield De-
fore the onslaught Of the younger or
ganization.
II seems to be up to the National
Leaguers to weed out the veterans
and let the bench warming kids ooze
ont into the spotlight If they want
10 save themselves from slipping to
a minor league status when COM
pared with the speed boys of the
American League. The new organi-
zation has forged ahead so rapidly IN
the past few years, has so. clearly
outclassed the Nationals, that many
skeptical fans are declaring that the
Nationals to-day, despite their galaxy
~ stars. do not rank superior to those
Of the first division teams In the Class
AA minor leagues.