Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-13

braves were worlds champions and had
tho long end Of the money award.
DO you suppose that the Phillies ever
give a thought to the statements that the
national League lacks the class" this
year? Get that idea out Of your head.
II we can win the flag, It will be re-
corded In the baseball histories that the
Philadelphia National League club won
its frst pennant in 1915 And 10 years
from this year nobody will even mention
the class" of the league Instead. It
viii be put down in the books as a tight
race between well-balanced CLUBS.
You knoN, Chicago Ncw York and
Pittsburgh got the pennant habit. The
three cities believed they had a cham
pionship trust and the fight invariably
narrowed down to a question of which
one of the three would represent the
National League I'm the worlds series
Then last year George Stalings came
along and got a pennant for his Boston
club. This season, two other clubs rated
last winter as second-division calibre by
the cities of the championship trust, Chal-
ienged Bostons right to capture two pen
nants in a row.
And now they say the National League
has gone back! Wonder If that would
be said If Chicago, New York or Pitts
burgh were "up there?
| will not compare our infield with the
quartets that represent Boston and
Brooklyn. I will not stand them up
alongside those of the Chicago Cubs Of
1908 and the Athletics of 1914 The fans
and experts may make the comparisons
but our iniield is doing all that Manager
Moran asks Of it and is helping to win
ball games for the Phillies. That is all
we want.
FAN VS.. THE PLAYER.
Baseball always has appealed to me as
a funny game, because the players do not
look upon it the same as do the specta-
tors. ! could name a half dozen bats
men vita great regulations who always
cause fans to bite heir hngernails when
these sluggers com up in pinch. But l
would rather pitch against some of them
than players who are figured as outs be-
fore they swing a bat. 1t may seem
funny to you, bat it is quite true.
II is an easy thing FOR big winner
to get a reputation. That is true of any
game, and Of teams and individuals. Once
club or a man gets a rep things
come their way fast. Didn't somebody
say that Nothing succeeds like success?"
That fits baseball.
II happened that this season the only
club in our league with n reputation was
the Braves They had won a worlds title
and were picked TO repeat But, at the
same time, they had been rated as some
what below normal championship strength
| because 'the league did not possess the
class in 19lf'-to quote from the eX-
perts.
Therefore no club started the 1915 cam
paign believing that it were hopelessly
out of It. Every one said We've got
chance" and that is the kind OF base
ball they played. The consequence was
that the eight clubs kept plugging
| away and did not allow the Braves nor
any other "favorite' to get away to a
long lead
You may bring up 100 arguments to try
to prove to me that the National League
! leaders of 1915 are not equal,to the Cubs
| Giants and Pirates that were. But
| I'll say to you that you can't prove It
| And because it has been a fight from start
! to finish the pennant winner is going to
feel more highly honored than some teams
that found it virtually a walkaway in
! years gone by.