The Washington times., 1915-10-06

since DreaR1ng into Dabepal ndNe
been on clubs that lacked harmony.
Nearly every player has. As soon as
there begins to be a split In team its
efficiency Is gone. This nearly cost us
the worlds championship In 1917 after
We had the Giants three games to one.
There was a dispute on our club as to
which pitcher should be worked. 1t
made trouble. In those days Stahl
would ask me for advice about his
pitchers frequently. Ever since I have
been In the game have always been
a player to study conditions and think
over the possibilities Of the next days
contest the night before. I have al
ways delighted to room with young
ster and talk to him about the finer
points of baseball.
Even back in 1872. Wagner and I
games and players with Stahl Wagner
was q grand ball player before his arm
went back on him. and he Is as smart
as any In the league. although he does
ing the 1912 series stahl said Just be-
fore the nth game:
who would you work today"
You know your pitchers better than
I do. jake" ! told him. I'm series
like this pick your own man. I don't
want the responsibility"
But there were others on the club who
were dissatisfied. and we nearly lost
the worlds championship through some
trouble during the series. Lack Of har-
mony killed the Red Sox's chances to
take the flag in the American League
the following season. although | still
believe we had the greatest team Of all
that next year.
But in this race the whole club has
worked together as machine. There
hS:nt been hitch It trh has srir, been the the
won the pennant. we were like a big
family. and we will 20 into the series
that way. During the past week. I
held hsSn ha tho
go after the Phillies hard. for we are
not foolish enough to think that we
will have a cinch. But | will run the
team on the ed and pix my ptGheTs 1Gr
winning, the championship. ! am not
emergency has arisen they have met
II and they will DO tn. the SAM same r,.na In the
series ball club ever. faced was tho
final one OF our schedule with the De-
troit Tigers. Jennings and his bunch
had been trying to scare us out Of the
pretty tough for my club the last time
we went to Detroit. l told the boys
before we went into this series that
we nad 10 win II we were 10 taRe tnc
championship: They had not been play
ing very good ball Just before It. The
club steadied up. and. after losing the
opening battle. played tho Tigers to
death.
regretted very much the incident In
connection with Ty Cobb when the
crowd gathered around him on the feld
after the first game. but don't con-
slider he was in any danger. 1t was was
a little by excitement. which swarmed
down on the field. Cobb was wrong in
his open assertions that my pitchers
were "pegging" at batters None OF
when they are up there at the plate.
OF course. any speed ball pitcher IL
liable to cut loose with one that "dusts
a man on once in awhile. especially
II he crowds the pan as Ty is inclinrd
to do. but there Is no reason for life
insurance companies demanding IN
creased premiums on the players when
they are hitting AGAINST my STAFF,
My knowledge Of the Philadelphia
club In confined to seeing the team
play twice in Boston recently and to
gossip breezed to me by friends who
claim to know something OF Moran's
OUTFIT. / have not sent out any spies
to watch them play for. two reasons.
One is that the Phillies naturally
eased Off after they took that frst
one of the series from the Braves and
cinched the pennant When l watched
them. The second Is l don't depend
much on information furnished mo
through the eyes OF some one else.
I suppose every one wants to know
what | think of Alexander as II pitch
err. Any twirler looks great when he
holds a team to one hit over stretch
Of nine innings. as he did the Braves
the day ] watched him. There ia no
question about that He is going to
meet team OF hitters when he faces
the Red SoX. though. THE club bat
ting averages show the Braves have
been batting badly all summer. SO
"Alcc's' performance against Stall
tnGs' team does not worry me. If
Moran had one other pitcher to back
up Alexander and give him a chance
to draw his breath, he would be dan
gcrous.
Alexander used that side arm mo-
tion which wears on a pitcher. We
Will make him work all the way. for
we know he is tho man on the club !
We mast beat. Ito is likely to tire. |
and he may run into some extra in
ming games. for all will be decided
hv close scores when he works. There
viii be lot "f pitching in thOs"
battles
The rest OF the Philadelphia club DOES
aot worry me unless It should catch