The Washington times., 1916-07-22
Judges Injury Bothers Grifnen;;
Stallings Has Faith in His Team
Braves Manager Thinks He
Now Has Better Outfit Than
That of Last Year.
BY GEORGE T. STALLINGS,
Manager Of the Boston Braves.


Pennant predictions In July don't get
you very far. never got into the habit
OF predicting--except to myself. man
sger who doesn't continue to predict a
pennant for himself, In his secret heart,
till the last mathematical chance Is
gone will not get any ball club very
far. Once predicted. and predicted
publicly. That was on the eve Of the
worlds sepics with the Athletics In
1914. I was sore at Connie Mack at the
time. and predicted--rather' promised
sound thrashing for his team. They
got it-four straight games.
sfsye sMsssraK hsys SSsn great .ba rsia n aapees
them to have much faith in me. think
my club will win the National League
pennant by q fair margin. have
thought SO since the opening OF the
season. But since the opening OF the
season I have realized that It. will be
no cinch 20 win. I have tried to i'm
press on my players that nothing hut
hustiing and playink the very best
game they know every minute OF the
time will land tho prize.
| I have better club than had last
year. 1 have a better team than the
one which started its wonderful pen
nant sprint two years ago this month =
! q sprint that did not end until the sup
posedly invincible Athletics we're robbed
Of their worlds championship crown IN
four games. Ny club today stands IN
far more favorable position than, II
stood at this stage Of the race either
In 1914 or 1915. In 1914 we won the
highest honors OF baseball. Last year
we finished bangup second.
I need a better ball club than I had
son. in spite Of the more favorabl,
standing of the Braves after the hall
way mark has been passed. Compared
to this seasons the National 1cagu,
fields Of 1914 and 1915 were cheap In
Guiding my own. has been improved
over the winter. possibly excepting
st. Louis and Cincinnati. The rest o
the field has built up above the Red
and Cardinals rather than that the,
4 ness.
Feared McGraw's Giants.
From tho first time I clapped eye
on his team last spring figured Nc
Graw would prove the man to give m
end Of the first week of next October
McGraw had me and lot Of my con
temporaries worried stiff when h
reeled off seventeen straight victories
1t looked as II he WAS was bent on . suel !;
, 1906. But fortunately for the rest Of u
his team got in the dumps during,
long stand at the Polo grounds. 1t ha
not yet recovered It's wallop.
I want to tell you this Chicago pal
club is no lemon. It's a mighty toug
one to beat. especially on It's hom
grounds. where the right field wall
National League park. Tinker has
smuggling outfield and two wonderfu
inficid wings in the sluggers. Vic Sale
and Heine Zimmerman. His pitcheI
are seasoned veterans capable OF stand
ing a drive. He has Jimmy Archer I
catch them.
Dodgers Cling to Lead.
The Brooklyns have clung to tn
lead much longer than Brooklyn club
usually stick. Their case is somewha
similar to that Of the Phiilies OF las
year. Their work hasn't been SO strik
profited By the shortcomings Of thei
closet rivals. Brooklyn. ! am incline
TO think, will slump of in the drive tina
is soon to begin. Wilbert Robinson
team is not overly bic blessed e,,n WIN GsSe y,
. poor base-running team for the spec
il carries. Robbie's boys are prett
Q fair hitters, but they squander hits 10
o mentally. The crying weakness OF TN
4 club II at short field. Nor Is third pas
n any 100 WeH
g Phillies Were Lucky.
Philadelphia was lucky to win tn
= championship last year and that tear
Q hasn't improved much since. TIL
y pitching hasn't been SO good as It wa
a year ago. Cravath has slowed III
r Catcher Bill Killifer 10 not so good q
i he was. Like Pittsburgh; this club
a to slow to keep up with the procession
a think
d Now in conclusion. Just a word ,
l. two about my own little club. i hay
q the best pitchers in the game both
fine catcher. most capable unde
study for Hank Gowdy. Ed Konotcf
= fits Into our outfield as we'll as Butte
Schmidt. n indeed not better and l 9
ways considered Schmidt one OF u
when our inneid was lost any TN
Johnny E.vers was absent, Johnny III
= been out a great deal th,s year, al a,
rs of filling the Trojan shoes as well
IS anyone can fill them. ! apprecia
81 what Johnny's presence means 70 y
s Boston club. There Is no sTar The 10 no,mt re'
II make Is that row he is not indispe
~ - sable as ne once was. A..
% NV outfield is fair. It's better TN
It has been In two years win shp
grass PLAYING poston the TSs Hes' BfaWes sa are ar
strong defcnsively rs any ! meet IA, ~
my little club carries a puncn, Wh
more does any manager desireE 4,
I'm not predicting penntant sborc bor u
the next worlds series spoil. III re y
most chagrined manager that ever wo
ried through to the end OF basen'
season. -,
copyright. 1916. by John N.