The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-22
.CLEvELAND'S FINE
 WORK DUE TO LEE FOIL AND SPEAKER

New York, May 22-The American League managers, who pointed with an amused smile to the spirited dash of the Cleveland Indians, now view with alarm the persistency with which the tribe of Fohl clings to first place. The long expected blow-off has not come, despite the fact that the Red Sox and Yankees hurled in their most effective pitchers against them. No. not even Walter Johonson was up to Isthe task of stopping the Forest City team, and the fans are beginning to wonder if. the march of the Boston Braves in 1914 will be paralle1ed by the Indians in 1916.
 The proud position of the Cleveland team is not the result of any flash in the pan. Inspired to no end by the deeds of Iris Speaker, guided care fully and coached, along by the cum ming hand of Lee Fohl, the Indians are out there, fighting like wild men to win. They are winning, and with fewer men than any other club in the his team down to twenty men, and is contemplating 8 further reduction, in- asmuch as he has requested waivers on Bill Mitchell, a pitcher.
 Iris Speaker is wonderful aid to the Indians. He is playing in his old time form. and he has been of great value in inspiring his men to action. The players have caught the Speak CT spirit and believe in themselves. When. Iris first came to the team he found the men down in spirit. They believed that they could not win. So l Iris read them a little lecture on golf. 'You fellows are suffering from a mental hazard. Just as in golf, if a man thinks he cannot clear a water hazard, it's dollars to doughnuts that he'll top his shot into the lake Now, you think that you can't win, but you can. Yoh are with a new team this year, and will do wonders. Just keep thinking that.H
 When the last word of the physical effectiveness of the Hndians has been lines will see the handiworkN of Lee F'ohI, the man who came up from the bush leagues to shine as a, manager in the big show. Lee Foh1, who came up from a, little tank town team to re- place Joe Birmingham, is the man really responsible for the wonderful ] success of his team. His minor league record is little short of wonderful. Remnants have flown wherever he managed, and who shall say that a pennant will not fly in Cleveland this season for the first time in the his toroy of major league baseball in that city?
 Last season Foh1 sat on the bench and studied his team, and the others. He noted every batter, his peculiart-
 
 where he hit them. He watched the opposing pitchers, their moves toward first base and any motions they might make to betray the ball they were pitching. Also he watched the combi- nation play of the opposing teams and what they did under certain conditions. That knowledge is the guiding power of the Indians, and Fohl, who now stands on the third base coaching line, is the director.
 Fohl is not claiming the pennant. He has been in baseball too long to forget that the season will not close until October, anad he knows full well what may happen in that time. In juries and sickness, / both, may wreck his craft the reef of Root er's Woe. He knows, too, that there are some pretty smooth working teams in the American League, and it will take a lot of beating to keep them out of the money.