The Washington herald., 1915-10-03
Success or Failure of Clubs
Depends a Great Deal
on Pilot.
OTHER SERIES GOSSIP

New York. Oct. 2--Success-and failure
in world-series clash depends very
largely upon the manager-upon the
strategy. the alertness. the coolness and
the courage of the leader in critical mo-
ments.
When the Red Sox meet the Phillies
next week in the classic battles of the
1915 baseball year they will be led by
Irishmcn: by two of the Samest, bruini-
est men that ever handled the steering
wheel of a baseball machine. Both are
wonderful leaders, yet in the final analy-
sis Pat Moran. of the Phillies, must be
conceded an edge over Bill Carrigan,
of the Red SoX.
Moran throughout the year has made
but few tactical blunders. He seems to
possess the uncanny ability TO do the
right thing at the right time. a dozen
times during the year he let his pitchers
remain in the box when it seemed that
the opposition would belt him all over
the lot. On other occasions he has der
ricked twirlcrs when it seemed foolhardy
to do it. Yet in practically every in
stance his judgment resulted IN victory.
Mor2n has put in pinch hitters when It
seemed foolish to the fans. and he has
permitted supposedly weak hitters to 60
10 bat in regular turn in critical mo-
ments. Ii looked like baseball suicide.
Yet Moran. playing his lunches, has
won. No manager in modern baseball
has handled n team with such delicate
wonderful Judgment as Moran has
handled the Philles. And the Phillies
have won.
Carrigan. on the other hand has not
had as much to contend with. His team
is a team of sluggers: his pitching staff
is an all-star cast. He was rarely called
upon to face a real crisis because when
the Sox actually got under way there
wasn't much left to do but to speculate
on how many runs they would win by.
In occasional pinches Carrigan has
shown exceptional judgment-but ne has
not been tested as often as Moran.
But world series battle is one in which
crises are frequent. 1t is one IN whlcn
a call is made on all the strateSica!
powers of the leaders involved. and be-
cause Moran has been tested day after
day throughout the year. and because he
has stood practically every test, 1t seems
to us that in managerial skill. if in moth
ing else, the Phillies have a slight bulge
Oh their American League rivals.
Moran's accomplishment-;hat of pilot
ing a misfit collection Of ball players to
the championship of the National League
stands out as the most wonderful IN
the history of the game. CarriSan's feat
that of winning the American League
pennant with tine classiest team in ex-
istence-is deserving of praise. yet In no
way Is it as remarkable as that of
Moran's.
Moran has secured 100 per cent eff
cheney from men considered iEcapable OF
more than 30 per cent; he manipulated
a Joke" outfit of ball players in such
way that it won a pennant despite the
fiercest kind of opposition. He accom-
plished what seemed to be the impossible
in the springtime of the year.
Placed in a position similar to Morans,
Carrigan might have won a pennant, too
yet he might not. But it isn't what
Carrigan might have done-its what
Moran did.
Moran instilled the fighting ''never-say-
die spirit in his men. He petted and
humored them and kidded them into be-
leving that they were the best ball play
ers in the National League. In short, he
almost hypnotized them. and while under
that spell they played better baseball day
after day and month after month than
any team in the Tener circuit
And the spell has not been broken.
Moran, having kidded his men into vim
ming a pennant, now has got them to be-
lieving that it will be just as easy for
them to win worlds series. He has
aroused his men to the highest pitch of
enthusiasm: filled them full of pep"
and confidence. and will send them into
battle with the Red SoX aggregation
without fear and without trembling, de-
spite their inferiority in real class to the
Red SoX.
And the Phillies, barring accidents, will
have a beautiful chance to win.