The Washington herald., 1915-02-21
BY WILLIAM PEET.

Joe Lannin. owner of the Boston
ready won such a warm spot in the heart
of every Hub fan that writer's through
out the circuit have dubbed him a sec
ond Charley Comiskey.'-
Say one word detrimental to Charley
Comiskey on the South Side of Chicago
and there's a job In sight for a good live
undertaken. "'Commy' is loved by the
fans for the reason that he caters to
their comfort. refuses to raise his prices
at big games and never overlooks d
chance to confer little favors.
Joe Lannin last summer introduced a
novel feature at his ball park in Boston
when he installed drinking fountains in
the sun-dried bleachers. The fans who
can afford to sit in the grand stand can
afford to buy soft drinks-those chaps
out in the bleachers get just as thirsty,
and they are entitled to some considera-
ton That's why I had drinking foun
tains installed" was the way Mr.. Lannin
put it to the writer one day in Boston
last summer.
1t will also be remembered that Mr.
Lannin came to the front for the Boston
Braves, a rival big league ball club last
summer. and offered them the use of his
park for their games. as the old National
League grounds were Inadequate TO ac-
commodate the big crowds. A dozen or
more contests were played by the Ma
tiOnal Leaguers, not cent being charged
by Lannin for rental. The worlds series
games i'm Boston were also staged in the
Fenway enclosure.
Personally Joe Lannin is a courteous
gentleman. He is ever ready to grant an
interview and answers questions in a re-
freshingly frank manner.
rt,..t -; tall lrf,,
ing fountains in his Fenway Park bleach
ers last summer won him hundreds of
friends. and inspired Representative Mon
ahan. of Massachusetts. to father bill
compelling al public places of amuse
ment to install drinking fountains.
a recent letter to Mr.. Monahan follows:
February L. 1915
Dear Mr.. Morahan: Just heard If YOUR in
tention to :Ltr"iuce Till before the House to
cumTcI all rublic places Of amusement install
drinking water fountains
| strongly indorse this Recommendation. amuse
mont install drinking water fountains at
Fcaway Park. which much appreciated by
our PATRONS. | have received many favorable
comments drinking water fountains at
the park. and if you get through your proposed
hill. the will Ire greatly appre-
.. ~ the IsIh".
lou should have difficulty putin:
through this hill '. y sin, errly.
JOSEPH J. LANNIN. President.
When the Nationals played in Boston
last spring Mr.. Lannin invited the Bos-
ton Newsbovs' dSSoc.au with a MEM
hership OF more than Ice" to witness the
morning game Of the Decoration Day
double bill his guests.
There is no doubt but that in the space
of another year or 81 Joe Lannin will
he Just as popular among the baseball
fans of Boston as is Charley Comis-
key among the South side crowd out in
Chicago.
Interviewed the other day about the
chances for III" Red Sox to win the
1915 pennant in the American League. Mr..
l.annin said:
II was confident my team would win
the 1915 American League pennant until
the sport writing crowd began to share
il. now I'm afraid that I've been iinXeo.
The newspaper boys didn't know they
were linking me, but I've got little
feeling that they have. You know they
unintentiOnally jinxed the Giants in 1911
they linked the Athletics in 1872 and
they've jinxed a lot of other teams by
picking them as sure winners.
Lannin is of the opinion that feeling
of overconfidence may prevail among the
Red Sox because so many sporting per-
sons are picking them to grab the Amer
lean League bunting this summer.
Il think I've got the talent that is
necessary for a pennatn winner said Mr..
Lannin. land if the boys will go out and
fight all the way there seems to he a
good chance OF their landing on top. But
they must fight. I don't want my boys
to get the idea that they have an easy
task. If they do. the pennant chances
are gone. and SO I want to keep my men
from becoming afflicted with overcoI.-
fdence-a feeling that might come to
them from reading all the nice things the
newspaper boys have to say about my
1915 team.
Although released outright by the Cubs.
Tommy Leach is likely to remain in the
National League. Manager Charley Her
zog. of the Reds. has invited Tommy to
a conference in view of making him an
offer to play in Cincinnati. but it is
rather unlikely that Tommy will find any
big league manager who is willing to tie
Tommy up to a three-year contract as
he sought to pry out of Roger Bresna-
han.
1t was also believed that Schuyler
Britton would find a place for Leach IN
his Cardinal outfeld, but Sky says that