Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-26
Pennant- Winners of Past
in International League

Bill Donovan's providence Grays
are the 1914 champions of the Interna-
tional League. They had the title
practically cllnched Thursday, but it
was not until yesterdays returns
came tricllling over the wires that the
last vestige of doubt was swept away.
Buffalo had 1-to100 chance of nosing
out the Grays and the Herd lost that
by dropping game at Montreal
Even had the Bisons won they would
have been eliminated, for Providence
won its game putting the flag out OF
the Bisons' reach.
The season Of 1914 will go down into
baseball history as the worst finan-
cially and artlstically the league has
ever had. The playing standard OF
the clubs deteriorated greatly because
of Federal inyasions, because OF sales
| to. major league clubs of star players
! by some Of the owners, and because
of foreign ownership. which in the
case of Newark deprived the Tigers
of the cream Of their players.
Grays Deserve Title.
| Providence is undoubtedly the best
team in the league and has been the
most evenly balanced combination
since Baltimore was ransacked by the
majors, who poured gold into Dunn's
palm when the Oriole fans deserted
their team and Dunn faced starvation
and bankruptcy. Dunn might have
been able to hold his players and sell
them at the end of the season, but
he had high-priced club and his
salary list was so large that the play
ers' stipends would have offset his
profits. He got together a team of re-
cruits, which was probably the cheap
est outfit in the league.
In midseason John Camel predicted
that Providence would be the team
he would have to beat but he ex-
pected to turn the trick. The Hustlers
were good combination of ball play
ers, but they lacked the youth, fire
and ambition Of the Grays, who were
composed chiefly OF young and ambi-
tious ball-players who have major
league futures and are full of the old
ambition that makes ii possible for a
team to spill pepper all over the field
and give lively exhibitions of real
baseball.
In spite of the fact that Buffalo ane
Rochester had a chance for the flag
almost to the last minute, these teams
were not money makers, according Il
reports. Recently the Hustlers wor
ten games In six days and the gate
receipts Just about paid the guaran-
tees and running expenses in Roches.
ter. The attendance at Buffalo wat
split with the Feds until late In the
season, and even then the fans failed
to exhibit the right interest IN the
race. The Bisons had lots OF speed
but they were lacking In stamina and
always lacked the punch when most
was at stake.
First Time Since 1905.
Providence has not won a pennani
since 1906 and the squirt started by
the Grays aroused a new interest In
baseball to such an extent that base
ball has been placed on flourishine
basis again in Little Rhody's repre-
sentative town. The Providence clut
alone will clean up some money
Newspaper men estimate it's profits al
about ten thousand. The Newark
club claimed margin of $4,000 as its
earnings last year, when it won the
pennant.
Joseph ], Lannin, a newcomer In
baseball, who purchased the Red Sox
fell in quite softly when he got the
Grays away from Frank NaVin, the
Detroit owner, in the middle of July
/, At that time the Grays were not YET
In the running and Providence fans
had very little interest in the team
because OF the lack of attention showr
by the foreign owners" Lannin il
situated in Boston, only a short way
from Providence, and the change wa,
magical.
Compliments for Donovan.
Bill Donovan received many con
CALCULATIONS from his friends through
out the country for plotting a team t.
the goal his second year out. He has
succeeded where a score of other man.
ayers failed in Providence. Bill is o
good disclplinarian and is one of the
few pitchers who have made good ae
managers. He was always a sterI
leader when on the bench and mos
was at stake. At other times he wa
jovial and mingled with his players
as he had done with his Detroit com
rades when he pitched regularly.
The Providence team was a goot
: hitting combination last year, but wa.
| erratic in the field. These rough srot'
; were smoothed out, and the acquisition
, of some clever young pitchers and O
, catching staff equaled by none in the
league rounded out a combination
, that was we'll worthy the title of In
ternational champions for 1914.
!