Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-19
SIX CLUBS FIGHT
FOR TITLE HONOR
National League Race Is the
Closest in Its Whole
History.
MORAN DESERVES CREDIT
FOR WORK OF PHILLIES
Splendid Pitching of Mamaux Has
Kept Pirates in Race-Cubs
Contenders.


least six of the eight clubs having a
| look-in for the pennant and the two
other teams being strong enough to be
considered a factor in deciding where
the championship flag will be raised.
! the old National League is putting up
race that is a hummer. Any one who
can look the field over today and pick
winner is wizard, for base ball
dope" is tricky and nothing is more
uncertain than the great national pas
time.
Just at the present stage the Brook
lyn Dodgers are about the only club in
the league claiming the pennant. In
the city opposite the Island of Man
haitian Charley Ebbets and his cohorts
have the race all settled and have been
selecting designs for the pennant. but
that is New York habit. 1t is a long
time between now and October and
there there can be many a slip before the
final bell rings.
| stu, Brooklyn must be considered as
pennant contender, for no club in the
league has been travelling at faster
cap than the Dodgers since they shook
| on their batting slump two weeks ago
ana started on a hike that has landed
them IN third place, only few points
behind the Phillies, who are leading the
CUBS by the small margin of three
! points. 1t was only through dropping
three in row to the Phillies and a
double-header to New York Saturday
that the st. Louis Cardinals were given
setback in the race, but Higgins
team is still very much in the running
, and will bear watching.
! chicago has been picked as the most
| likely winner almost from the start but
| this was before Pat Moran got his team
going at speed that surprised the base
hslll nr1d xl,Ak L.
| that was thrown together so hurriedly
| last fall could be even considered seri-
! ously as a factor in this years race,
J but Moran got his charges off to a fly
| ing start. and while they were in front
| he shaped them up, evolved a smooth
com bination. and with the aid of the
| best pitching in the league he has kept
| his team in the fight continuously and
| in front most of the time since the sea-
son opened.
Moran Deserves Great Credit.
| Moran must not only be given credit
| for the way he has handled his men,
instilled the winning spirit into them
| and preserved harmony. but he deserves
commentator for the policy adopted in
making his race. Moran is not boast
| full. He has been in base ball long
enough to know that you cannot win a
| d
| month. He has been a member of a
! championship team and knows what 1t
means to go through the battle. 1t
cannot be said that Sir Patrick has no
hopes for the Phillies a pennant win
ner. He has. and very bright ones. too;
but Moran Is not foolish enough to
claim the pennant in the middle of the
season.
Moran has just about the same ideas
concerning championship race as
l. to
| than any other manager in the game.
Connie never claimed he had cham
pionship won until the deciding game
had been played, and he was never
| called upon to make excuses and fur
nish alibis when his team failed to
| come through. Moran works along the
same lines. He appreciates all the
good work done by the Phillies, and
nothing in the world would please him
more than to land the first pennant
Philadelphia has ever had in the Ma
tional League.
But the Phillies' leader is not looking
SO far ahead. He is figuring on every
days game and adding his best efforts
to those of the team in winning each
contest. Every game is stepping
stone with Moran. He does not expect
his team to win every day, no more
| than he expected Alexander to go right
Alexander won nine games and tied
| one before the Cubs checked him Satur-
day. This was only the fourth defeat
| marked against the leagues greatest
pitcher since the season opened. but
| "Aleck" must go in again many times
| before the season is over, and he can
not be expected to return a victory on
every start.
Confidence Rules Phillies.
The spirit of confidence runs high in
| the camp of the Phillies. They know