Omaha daily bee., 1917-05-06
SCRIBES BEGIN TO
PAN BRAVES AGAIN
Charges Of Rowdyism Indicate
Stallings' Men Are Hot in
the Race.
PUG THROWS COIN AWAY
Bv JACK yEIOCK.

New York, May 5.--When the Bos-
ton Braves won the National league
gonfalion in 1914 they came In for a
world of panning around their circuit.
Many Of the seribes said they were
bunch Of rowdies, from Manager
Stalings down, and because they ar.
gued and wrangled with the umpires
over every close decision the scribes
probably felt justified.
Last year and the year before the
Braves did not win a pennant and
their rawlings were not given so much
notice. This year some Of the scribes
outside of that staid old town Of Bos-
ton are beginning another campaign
Of panning against the Braves, which
is sign that Stallings has his club
keyed up and on Its toes for a hard
race.
The Braves stand out as the strong
est opponents Of the Giants. And
they are without doubt huge STUN.
bling block in the path Of the Phillies,
Cubs and Dodgers. Because Of this
it is only natural for some Of the
writers to land on the Braves through
their columns and perhaps the Braves
deserve some criticism for their wran-
Cling tactics.
But the real question seems to lie
with the fans.
The average base ball fan doesn't
like rowdysm. He doesn't champion
rowdy player. He does not want
to see the game hurt morally. But he
does like to see peppery ball club
in action and a verbal tilt now and
then between players and umpires
helps to amuse him. The use Of pro-
family within hearing OF the stands Is
bad, yet profanity doesn't always fig
ure. The ball club that hasn't little
spitfre in its system is short on the
ginger that helps to make base ball
thrilling pastine.
All Get in Chorus.
As compared to other clubs, the
Braves have one distinction when it
comes to an argument. They all want
to get into it if they can. They don't
leave the verbal bombardment to
George Stallngs alone. Evers, Ko-
netchy, Maranville and Gowdy have
quick tongues and plenty OF lung
power. They seem to think ten voices
better than one and they all get into
the chorus.
With the Giants, for instance, it 10
bit different, for, aside from Zim-
norman and Herzog, the players will
often let McGraw do the protesting
when things don't seem to break right.
But even the Giants cut loose in uni.
son at times and when they do Bos-
tons heaviest verbal shells have moth
ing on them.
During the winter President Tcner
expressed the belief that the rulings
of his umpires would be treated with
greater respect this season. He fix.
ured that the smashing OF the Play
ers' fraternity, following the last gasp
OF the Federal league, would tone
down some Of the temperament.
Fines Fail to Check.
But Il takes a heavier pressure
than an umpire or league president
can produce to keep a peppery ball
club from bowling over adverse de-
cisions, for even a string OF fines
won't keep some of the players still
when they think they are losing out
on. the close ones.
In the case OF the Braves. the pre-
cedent set three seasons ago, when
the scribeS PANIED them right and
left, is partly responsible for the early
paintings they have been handed in
the east this season.
And, as an old time base bali man
said recently:
"The more they pan EN- the better
attraction they'll be. The fans like
to go out to see a scrappy ball club.
ladylike kind"