The Washington times., 1916-09-10
Braves Boss Says He Likes
Fighting Team and He Has
No Apologies to Make.
By GEORGE STALLINGS,
Manager Of the Boston Braves.

~SAsSAI
Manager Of the Boston Braves.
I said earlier in the season that I
would have to beat the 0iants-or bet
ter. that my little club would have to
do soto win this years pennant.
wasn't 20 very sure that i could beat
the Giants till everything went topsy-
turvy with Mcoraw's club.
The failure Of the New York entry IL
no greater surprise to me than the fact
that the Phillies are up now nghting the
daylights out Of Us. One 10 as great -
mystery to me a. the other. can't for
the life Of me understand why McGraw
- down. can't for the life of me un-
derstand how the Quakers are up.
| We'll, Ill take part of that lasts back.
| There must be reason for everything.
ana the great reason for Pat Moran
Grover Cleveland Alexander. IL did not
require his record Of fourteen shutouts
to prove the clasS Of that bird. He's
Just a about az good as any pitcher that
getting Ed Walsh. who did 30 much for
the White Sox of bygone years. Yes.
Alexander In the answer.
never really feared the Dodgers.
There was only one chance for them to
Robinson is q nne fellow and a good
baseball manager. but you can't put
blood In q stone. His team hasn't got
Brooklyn would DO most dangerous.
even now. II II had half the spirit of
the Braves. or even the Phillies for that
| matter.
Phillies Are Game.
You cannot take II away from the
Phillies. They are game. They play for
all that IL In them all Of the time. A
team with less heart would have quit
two weeks ago. II looked then as II
they were on the toboggan. The fact
that they came back so spiritedly
stamps them a foe worthy of the most
serious consideration.
1 am more confident than ! have ever
been before this season that my scrappy
] never doubted It, once the Giants fold
90. Tor ] tell you candidly New York
was the only club I ever feared. You
should have seen and heard the Braves
among themselve. after the second La
DOT Day game that put them in the
lead. Why. nobody can stop a club that
feels a. mine does.
Every one OF Us realizes that It 10
going to be bitter struggle right to the
end. We know We are not going to get
any favor or sympathy. We are going
TO have to beat a hostile league. A
most unjust reputation for rowdyism
nss fns s been hammered onto my players by
the hostile press OF certain rival cities
admt II 10 not q hand-shaking club.
Wouldn't give cents for a team that
thought more Of cultivating the favor
OF rival players than Of winning base
ball games. But I resent the imput ton
that the Braves are rowdy in any sense
OF the word.
They are the victims OF unjust perse-
cution from certain quarters. They
have never asked for quarter, and ex-
pect none. They are determined to
wade through blood knee deep. II neces-
airy. to accomplish their goal. They
know that seven rival clubs would
sooner see any other club win the pen
one OF those seven wishes to see the
issue fought sauarely on its merits.
Has Only Two Pitchers.
Under ordinary circumstances might
be q trihe more uneasy at the recent
spurt OF the Phillies. But know what
II has cost Moran to make the drive.
He has had to depend on two pitchers
for his recent prosress-Alexander and
Rixey. He Is working those two as
close to rotation as any two pitchers
ever have been worked. His is the case
Of the stake horse lengths behind that
turn to get up with the pacemakers.
Such q sprint over a long Journey Is in
evttably disastrous.
II It were q month later / might be
ternate for q week without disastrous
: results. But two pitchers cannot carry
club through nve weeks Of heavy
driving. ! am convinced that Moran 8
: forced drive came too soon.
Brooklyn, i think. is quite unlikely to
recover its equilibrium. though there 10
great natural strength iD- Robinson 8
, club. I wish had his hitting power In
, my team. The field would never have
seen us for dust this season.
Braves Better Equipped.
I'm better equipped for a bitter fght
, than either Philadelphia or Brooklyn
have the greatest money pitcher in
/. the world in Dick Rudolph. ia stack
plantation on him. II the stake OF the
game was a worlds series pool. Rn-
sHph viii RTovs as d, valuable tn bic to tn:
from here to the end. 90 bet your last
And my pitching stan doesn't stop
with Rudolph and Tyler, the best left
handler in the league. It Just starts
%sA aSs RsaSasn anss can tax.
Ming with any Of them. These pitch,
3 ers have been groomed carefully all
, season for Just such a situation as con-
delphia will have to beat real pitching
!, in their remaining games with us.
! think the schedule favors Boston
, for we are at home continually save
for the last two series OF the season a,
T New York and Philadelphia, respective.
ly. believe we will have the pennan,
won by the time we reach Quaker
? Town. used TO smile to myself wher
; read Of the wonderful pitching stan
, OF the Dodgers. II was touted as the
o greatest in baseball. II never began tc
size up to my pitching stan. Otherwise
: why should our club, so weak with the
stick in comparison to Brooklyn be W
9 with them now?
y Pitching Wins Pennants.
Pitching is going to win this pennant
. That is why am so sure can beat ou
the Phillies and Didgers. Moran ha
o Just about three-quarters of wonder
o ful pitching stanO in Alexander ant
Q Rixey. One more performer Of Rixey'
a caliber would give him such big thre,
n as Rudolph. James, and Tyler that wor
n for me In 1914. But Pat cannot posi-
{ bly, hold up with only two consisten
a winners, Robinson's pitching Is no
v what II was q month ago. or even TIVE