The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-09
.STALLINGS "THREATENS" TO
PUNCH CONNIE MACK'S NOSE
Threat" of Ticket-Scandal Probe
and Threat" of Rain Add
to Warlike Reports.
BATTLE SPIRIT Is RAMPANT
Players on Edge for Initial Conflict
Between Athletics and Braves
This Afternoon.

worlds series Of 1914 apparently will
be fought without the spirit Of broth :
erly love for which the Quaker Is not
ed. The struggle for the premier base
ball honors was preceded to-day by a
fusillade OF threats that read like bull
letins from the European war zone.
Manager George Stallings, OF the
Boston Nationals. has threatened to
punch Connie Mack, of the worlds
champions Athletics, on the nose; Di-
rector Porter, OF the Department of
Public Safety, threatens to Investigate
reports of ticket graft scandal the ma
tlonal commission. received an alleged
shortage of tickets, and aside from all
this, the weather man threatens rain
for tomorrow, the day upon which the
American and National League pennant
winners are scheduled to open the Sc
ries here at ShibePark.
Not since the memorable struggle be-
tween the Philadelphia Americans and
the New York Nationals In 1911, has
this city been SO stirred by baseball
conflict. Both players and follower
! appear to take the coming contests
with unusual seriousness.
The spirit of battle and the lack
OF accommodation were noticeable
throughout Philadelphia tonight Ey-
cry hotel was crowded with baseball
ilayers and spectators. but the conges-
tion was negligible compared with that
In the Offices whore seats for the series
were being handled.
DEMAND SURPRISES
ANYTHING HERETOFORE
The demand for admission coupons
10 Slibe Park surpasses anything of a
similar character ever encountered In
the past worlds series in which the
Athletics have been participants
Thousands of fans have been unable
to purchase tickets through the ordi-
| r,NHo al 4 e.,
laugmented by special delegations from
Boston. New York, Baltimore I ant
| Washington. Both hotel Sproprietors
and baseball magnates arc at their
| wits ends trying to accommodate the
| gathering clans.
Baseball and it's ramifcations is the
sole topic discussed here. Statements
and denials Issued from the camps OF
the rival clubs help to keep interes,
keyed up TO an unusual pitch. This Is
especially true of the controversy be.
tween the two club managers regard
7, 6 the use Of Shibe Park for practice
to-day.
Stailings accused Mack of unsports-
maniike conduct, and during tele-
phone conversation late to-day, threat
ened to punch him on the nose at the
first opportunity. The trouble arose
over Stallings's request for the use OF
Shibe Park for practice. He made the
request to Mack in person. and the
Athletics manager assured him he was
welcome to use the park at any hour
except between and 3 o'clock this
afternoon. when the local club was ex-
pected to practice.
BITTER Feelings
BsTWEEN THE PLAYERS
According to Mack. the Boston man
| ager was satisfied, but when Macl;
asked Stallings to-day IL he had ac-
cused the Philadelphia club of refus-
inc fn
champions to use the park, the argu-
ment soon became both bitter and per-
sonal, and the hard feeling spread rap
idly among the players. magnates ant
partisans OF the two leagues.
In discussing the affair. Mack said
II cannot understand how the trouble
| arose. Stallings asked me for the use
of the park to-day during a conversa-
tion on Wednesday. told him that
| Boston could have 1t at. any hour eX-
cept between and O'clock, when
had ordered the Athletics to report for
| p final workout. He made no protest
and early to-day ] learned he had
charged me with unsportsmanlike tac-
tics. called him up on the telephone
and explained that could not reach
all my players In order to notify them
to report at some other hour and ask ed
/ Stallirgs If he would not be satisfied tc
| practice at Shibe Park either before
or after . l.. VI. Stallings accused both
| the Philadelphia club and myself OF
double dealing. and one word led tc
another, until we both said things we
should not have said. ]
Yes. he threatened to punch me
when we meet. but am sure he did not
| mean IT. don't see why he was SC
| anxious to practice at Shibe Park al
exactly 2 o'clock. McGraw, of tho
Giants, never made such a request, and
we never practiced at either the New
York Chir0pn RI IN
worlds series OF 1911 and 1910. Still,
| was perfectly willing that the Boston
/ players should use our park if they
wanted to, and cannot see why Stall
lings should have become angry when
| ] could not rearrange my plans at the
| eleventh hour to his liking"
BRAVES DO NOT GO
TO SHIBE PARK
Because of the trouble. the Boston
players did not so to Shibc Park at all
and confined their practice to the Ma
tional League grounds. five blocks
away. The Braves spent more than an
hour in batting and fielding, while the
Athletics were having n similar work
out Both managers reported their
| players were on edge, but would no:
give batting orders or the names OF
pitchers who will work In the initial
contest. The general opinion is that
Rudolph and Bender will be selected
for tho opening contest.
With the exception of Deal, at third
base. in place Of "Red" Smith, who
broke his leg In Brooklyn on Tuesday
I3oston probably will take the field I'm
the order In which 1t played during the
closing weeks Of the National League
| season.
Some doubt was expressed early IN
the week regarding the ability of Nc
Innis to play first for. the Athletics
owing to bruised hand. but to-day he