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

L..4eaesecs----- ana WOu tue BNlihoihN
Ai.ENANDER have said all that need
a be said about the uncertainty vi tue
r.tlonal pastime.
n.ev y, n,onld give me great pleasure to say
!, friends "Yes, the Philhes will win
. ny "s.nrsnt" But would 1 believe II
w ~, said Il? That's for you to find
W Certainly, my saying that we wouiu
~ ,he National League champions
wouldnt make II so. .-,o,,
,s with another club in our league,
w Ne said: 1--WE insisted the Phillies
~ s.nr,a drop into the second division by
,,sv 1. then we gave you limit OF May
.nsy,h~rn nsy,h ~ we said June 10. July 4, July 10,
n,..,,st IL; and on the latter date you
Ars l.',, were nrst. We're beginning to think
,nu viii refuse TO quit the top perch ana
mi be there on Octoper D. -,
Wiz wrsars is no question but that we have
,.a,.d the baseball world. They had
.rad ms as A second division club before
rr.soson opened and they were unwill-
w w - a6mit that we had the class neces-
~. ~ IN he in the fight for the flag. In
81 fans throughout the country TO-DAY
- saving, well, it's about time for the
pbnIIes to hit a slump and drop back
rhsrs they belong" They can't forget
W, NO led our league in the early part of
n, 1911 and 1918 seasons and then fell
ssct when we came into the home
apt YOU will agree with me that 1915 is
,nother year and we have a reconstructed
ball club this season.
Manager Moran has discouraged pen
,snt talk on our club. He wisely says
shat he wants us to go out on the ball
aeid deterIained to win every game we
NAV and pay no attention TO the other
clubs Then, he says, If we are in first
Mace or within easy reaching distance of
ihe ton on September ! he will be the
first 10 begin to talk pennant. Pat thinks
that many ball clubs have been hurt by
taking championship and worlds series
before they had passed the critical stage
Of the race. So we are playing ball as
hard as we know how and trying not to
worry about the flag.
WHAT MAKES A WINNER?
But I often have wondered what does
make pennant- winning club. True, the
team which finishes in front in any league
must have at least four or five first-class
pitchers in good condition; they must
have some batting strength; they must
have big-league f1elders; they must have
manager who has baseball brains, tact
and the ability to handle men. But does
the club with all that necessarily win the
bunting? Emphatically. no! -s
foW opinion or whattconStttutes irst-
class baseball club mag differ from mine.
That is, I might say that the best club
did not win the pennant in 1914, and you
night agree with me. But when we begin
TO figure out which was the best club
yon might mention the Giants, and
might select the Cubs Understand, / say
MIGHTY.
As matter of fact, though, the BEST
CLUB did win the pennant. Boston was
the best club because the Braves had the
nerve, the punch, the 81 won't be licked
spirit And that, to my way OF thinking
makes the pennant- winning team.
am firm believer in the psychology
Of the game. The mental attitude of the
players IS half the battle. You may take
your pick of the men in all the leagues in
the country and form an all-star aggrega.
ton. But that will not insure you a win.
her. There may be men on the club who
| are only playing because the pay checks
come around on the LIST and 18th. Others
may be more anxious TO have $50 bat
ting average than to win games.
Another man will get together a team
Of medium ability, but with nerve and
determination, and the latter bunch will
come out on top after long season.