The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-08-09
FRANCE FROM LAST
TOFOURTHPOS|T|ON
One Month Is Enough for Ma
tionaI League Outfit to Go
From Joke to Contender.
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.


They are George Stallings. of Had
dock, Ga; Walter Maranville, o.
Springfield, Mass, and john!
Evers, of Troy, ". Y. oh, yes, Dicl
Rudolph, Bill James, and George Ty
Ter have pitched wonderful ball, once
they got into their swing, but the
fans around John x. Tener's circuit
agree generally that the triumviratt
of Stallings, Maranville. and Ever:
is to be credited with putting the
Braves in the race for the old gon'
Talon.
No matter what New York writers
may say about it, George Stallings
is fully as clever Il manager of big
league teams as "Mucgsy" McGraw
His record is one of the best in base.
ball. He knows ball player when
he sees him, and he knows how to
get the best work out of the medi-
OGRE material. Indeed, he can keep
an ordinary player on his toes SO
we'll that he begins to look like a
star.
Stallings' pennant proclIvities have yet
to be shown in a major league circuit,
though he managed teams in Philadel-
phia, Detroit and New York before TN
dertaking to put the Braves on the
D,,Ff
best manager ever in the game because
he brought many championship to That
city. Though unsuccessful with the
New York Highlanders, there were ex-
tenuating circumstances that made a
pennant impossible. At that, he did
well with that team until driven from
the American League for alleged
crooked tactics" He was charged with
rigging a signal tipping system and Ban
Johnson ended his career in this league.
In 1912 Bill Sweeney led the Braves
into the cellar with a percentage OF
$40 for the season. Stallings was OBJ
taineS by Jim Gaffney. one of the gam
est men in the big leagues, and told TO
20 ahead and do what he could. Bos-
ton wanted nothing to do with tall
ender. remembering those other days OF
remnants galore. Harry Wright had
champions in Boston in 1871 and $50
and since that time. John Morren ana
Frank Selee brought many others. stall
Iings realized his tough job and set
right in to work his head off.
Building around the veteran Sweeney
Bill Rariden. Tyler, Hess and Peroue'
ne soon had a strenuous aggregation
he brought out Walter Maranville. VINO
was credited with being one OF the pest
,hortstops in the league last season
He made Joe Connolly, given him Dy
lark Griffith, a valuable outhelder.
Ru lanes and Dick Rudolph developed
nto air-tight pitchers, with Bert w hal-
ng a catcher from the Paclflc Coast
me of the steadiest in the league; mat
.eam after making great i'sht on
season, finished fifth with 9 perceNtase
II .457.
c.,tirc, away TO a bad start this year
III hope seemed lost. But Stalllnes kept
IN plugging away. knowing that IN
and Johnny Evers. former
tar second baseman of the CUBS, ne
lad the markings of first-class liillelu.
-harlie Deal. a Detroit cast-on, was
,layiny fine ball at third, while charlie
he international League. was holulhs
lis own at first. though frequently out
With injuries.
The Quilted seemed the weak place.
;tallings experimental with many play
RS in the garden, but without hlliltE
Ipon the right combination. On July
he Braves were absolutely last, having
ron but twenty-six games to forty de-
eats for n percentage OF .:'gI. men
Hub Pcrduc was traded to St Louis
md Gather, q good hitting outnclder.
md Whitfield, a fair infielder. were edd-
ID to the roster. Jack Martin won't
o the Pnillies for Josh Devorc. The
after proved to be the man long wanted
n that outficld.
Then came the second trip West of
he bedraggled Braves. Boston had for
,otten all about the team until the
'ubs dropped three out of four TO
;tallings' crew. Then the fans perked
~ and began to take notice. Inc
"a rdinals. just then going good. man
Ged TO break cven-two and two-out
he Reds dropped all three played with
he Braves. Pittsburgh was next In
AIDED. and four shut-outs were hung up
" the Braves against a lone defeat |
he Braves came home in triumph.
Right off the reel came the Cubs. only
hree and n half games behind the
I1dnk ~ lJdA lIOul'- VII 'i'
irst game-that's all. The Braves we're
If to a winning streak. The Cubs
IrOpped the last two, and alorg came
he Cardinals to drop four straight and
'low up AS possible contenders for
honors
Fred Clarke's downhearted Pittsburgh |
pirates next stopped on in the Hub and
we're whitewashed three straight before
hey even managed to score run. One
ictory in FIVE starts was all the Pirates
'ould get from the Braves. who won
line straight before dropping the last
o the Buccaneers. In slightly more
han month the Braves leaped from
Eighth place to fourth. from 100 to !
hot to a TO / gamble, from the laugh
ng stock Of the circuit to dreaded
oe of the Giants. those proud and |
naughty champions.
Throughout this streak Of victory |
-fter victory, StalllnGs, Maranville. and
tvers have been prominent. But so |
ave others. The alright twirling OF !
George Tyler. the southpaw from |
Dwell. Mass: Bill James. from the |
'Oast. and Dick Rudolph. Baltimore |
10Y. brought home the bacon MANY |
lay. while the vicious. timely hitting |
y NaranVille Evers. Connolly and |
iank Gowdy counted for tsllies in the
aSht placeA Today the Braves ks