Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-25

am convinced that our ball club 90
far has had the punch and the confidence
W their own ability. Whether they have
~ 10 greater degree than the other clubs
tnat we must beat remains to be seen.
ne Phillies have a strong pitching
stan Even our opponents admit that
much. We look stronger in the hinuinF
uepartmeht today than we have at any
time this year. Mayer, Demaree. Chal-
mers, RiXey and yours truly are ali I'm
splendid shape, and Manager Moran has
handled his stan as nearly perfectly as
possible. Not man Of us has felt the
strain and we always have had a good
rest between workdays.
The National League race is what ia
known as an open one-that is, at least
SIX clubs arc said to have n sood chanco
Tor the flag. Therefore, I'm the closing
weeks OF the campaign the MANAGER who
mas the best pitching is the man who
should lead his club into the worlds
series.
Good pitching, on the other hand Is
wasted unless the twiIlers have the
team back of them. Not only must the
detense hold up in the tight games for
one error frequently loses a nin.and'tncL
battle; put the players also must do
some batting. Our club has passed
through one serious hitting slump and II
nad US worried, I'll admit. However, we
telt that men like Cravath, Luderus
Byrne, Paskert and other veterans, who
nave been through the fire before. would
come across with the bingles when they
returned to the home lot to meet tho
western CLUBS. So far the batsmen have
uellVered as well as could be expected.
1t has been said that IL anything ham
pened to make II imperative, | would
work evory second day i'm the last few
weeks OF the season. That is paying me
quite a compliment, and is not so COM
plimentafy to others of our twirlers who
are winning the majority of their games.
l don't have any idea that the four men
who are At to take their turns on the
mound with me will all crack In Septem-
Der.
However, / will say this, and | have
told Manager Moran as much: IT, to-
ward the latter end of the campaign. we
are up around the top and it is the opin-
ion Of Pat and the boys that I am the
one to do the bulk of the work, I'll be
delighted to work every second day
and I'll do II, too. / am satisfied that |
can pitch for several weeks with only
day or two of rest between starts, for
YOU sec there are bound to be some rainy
days, and Sunday will give me an occa-
eional vacation.
It does seem that the players give me
splendid support whenever 1 work, and
| that has been a great help to me. Chal-
mers, for example, has twirled some won
| derful games, but the Phillies either fall
! ed 10 hit or made costly misplays and he
was defeated Because of the way the
fellows play behind me. I would consider
| 1t an honor and a duty to pitch just as
| often as Manager Moran would permit 1t
If 1 could thereby help to win the flag.
READY FOR HOT FINISH.
II has been my good fortune to escape
| injury or illness this year. l am as
| strong and hearty as 1t is possible for a
| young man to be. have not worked
cut of my turn more than a couple OF
times this season, and then had at least
three days rest between games. Certain
| ly II would not hurt me to go to the hill
| every second day for several weeks. With
long winter to rest-I will not play any
exhibition ball after the regular season
ends-I will be just as At physically and
have equally as powerful an arm next
spring as / own today.
The other day heard a baseball expert
remark: "The club that beats the Braves
will win the pennant." If that is the
case, l am pulling hard for our club tc
beat the Braves.
But l prefer to say: "The club that
beats the Phillies will win the pennant
And that is the way feel about 1t, too
The one thing that would put us out
would be an injury to one or more OF
our regular players.
Philadelphians may rest assured, how
ever. that no matter what team is on tor
OIL October 6, the Quaker City was rep
resented in the 1915 National League race
by one of the gamest, most determined
and sportsmanlike clubs that 1t has evel
been my good fortune to be connected
with. If they don't win the pennant, Il
won't be because they didn't give every
ounce of baseball that was In them tC
Manager Moran and the fans of this city