The Washington herald., 1915-09-27
|PHILLIES after
WORLDS SERIES
Same Gameness That Has
Kept Them Up Front All
Season Will Help.
Its UP TO ALEXANDER

Philadelphia. Pa. Sept. 26.-By win
ming twelve of the first sixteen
games on the present swing around the
Western circuit the Phillies have con-
WINGED the baseball world that Pat Moran
has the best team in the race and that
the next National League pennant will
fly in Philadelphia. The gameness and
steadiness displayed by the players all
season. during which the men have con-
tinually set the pace without ever being
able to get great enough lead to enable
them to even think about slowing up
long ago convinced the faithful that this
was to be Philadelphias year to win, but
only the most ardent 'rooters" dared
look for such a cleanup at this time as
the one that ends today. Three out Of
four both at Pittsburgh and st. Louis
two out of three at Cincinnati and four
Of the first five at Chicago shows that
the boys have their eyes on the prize
money and are going to take no chances
of losing what Is so nearly within their
grasp. After today's game with the Cubs
the Phils will come East for the final
battle with Brooklyn and Boston, playing
at Brooklyn on Tuesday. at Boston
Wednesday. Thursday. Friday and Sat
urday of this week. and in this city with
Brooklyn on Monday. Tuesday and
Thursday Of next week. That winds up
the schedule. Then comes the worlds s
championship series. and once more Phil
adelphia and Boston will be fighting for
the honors. At least that is the way 1t
looks now and nothing but a terrible
slump can prevent such an encounter. II
it does take place there will be no throw
down such as Philadelphia received at
the hands Of somebody last season. when
the best team apparently never had a
look-in.
All Want to Win.
Pat Moran wants to win the pennant
and also the worlds championship. So
does Capt Luderus and every member
of his team. The championship bug
started buzzing during spring training in
the South and has never quit. Moran's
methods prohibited championship talk,
but he could not stop the buzzing. He
didn't want to stop it, but he never let
up drilling his one pet theory: win
today's game and never mind the others.
No need to work over games lost or to
figure ahead on the number needed to
keep the team up front. Forget every
thing except that we are first and need
today's game" Any business conducted
along these lines will prosper, since it
merely means doing well what you have
in hand. Every player was made to feel
the Importance of his particular effort,
anu any ohc WIN cNiuSco lhc iCoSG Si6h
of a let-down was benched. Bancroft's
speed has put new life into the infeld.
and nowhere was the change more
marked than at first base. Responsibility
and the thrilling example made a new
man of Luderus, who today leads the
National League hitters. Last season
he was painfully slow and did not hit
well. Niehoff in one season has developed
into one Of the really good second base
men, while Stock, who got his chance
when Byrne broke his hand. is proving
himself a star at third. The outfield.
which was slowest rounding to form, is
now playing great ball. and most sur
prising Of all, Eddie Burns is making
some people revise their opinion on KILL
fer being the best catcher in the league.
It's Up to Alexander.
Conceding then that the Phillies will
win the National pennant and that the
Red Sox will be first in the American
League, the problem which presents it.
self is: Which Of these teams will win
the worlds championship" There Is an
if in the answer. Sust as a saving
clause is still necessary in speaking Of
the result of the race that is now draw
ing to a close. and in each case it hinges
on Alexander. Possibly the Phillies
might win enough Of the few remaining
games to cinch the flag without the as
sistance of this star pitcher. but they GER
tainly would not have a chance in the big
series without Alexander's aid. This
great pitcher Is likely to win two or three
more games in the regular schedule.
bringing his total for the season up to 32
or 80 Ct now stands at 3O and he will be
expected to win at least two games in the
worlds series. Should the first game of
the big show be played on Friday and the
Phillies fail to clean up four In a row.
Alexander may even attempt to pitch
three games against the Red Sox. pro-
viding' he Is successful in his first two.
Friday, Monday and Wednesday would
give him a days rest between games.
and that is all the big fellow asks when
he is feeling right. II the first match Is
played on Saturday two games will be his
limit. unless inclement weather causes
postponements. Should Alexander fail to
prove effective against the Bostohs. Phila-
delphia's chances of flying the 1915 worlds
championship flag at Broad and Hunt