The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-19
NV R. i. Rocene.l

ers Of the National league, to perform
the heavy mound work, it is believed
that Pat Morans team stands good
chance OF winning the pennant. How
ever, the lack of reliable pitchers TO
take the mound burden when Grover
Cleveland and Eppa Rixey are resting
may work against the phiilies
chances, even if the team has num-
Der of singers who can be depended
upon for their quota of scores. Prac-
tically the same team that won the
1915 pennant finished in second place
last year and practically the same
team will go on the field this year
Some of the veteran pitchers have
been weedei out and Il host of young
sters signed in their places: otherwise
changes are few. It will be killlfer
and Burns behind the bat, Luderus,
Niehoff. stock and Bancroft in the in
field: Whitfield. Paskert, Good and
Cravath in the outfield. with Alex
ander, Rixey, Mayer, Lavender and
couple minor leaguers in the box.
Moran Early Winner
Pat Moran, the Phillie manager won
a pennant in his first year as leader
of q major league team, in fact, in his
first year as manager of any team.
Pat was second string catcher on
Frank Chances famous Cub machine,
when that team won a flock of pen
nants in row, and was sold to the
Philfies about the time the Chance
regime at Chicago ended. Another
catcher, Charlie Doom, managed the
Phillies before the Fitchburg, Mass,
veteran took hold, and failed to ac-
complish anything with the classy ma
terial that was available Moran's
managerial record, one first and one
second, in two years, is ineed one that
he can be proud of.
The Catching Staff.
The catchers of the Phllie team are
"Reindeer killfer, Eddie Burns and
Jack Adams. Kilifer is the best
throwing catcher in the National
league, and can hit with the rest Of
them. He was somewhat Handicapped
by a sore arm during the early part of
the 1916 season. Eddie Burns, the
sturdy second string backstop. is
nearly as good a catcher as Killifer,
and, as he is younger, has an even
more brilliant career before him.
Burns came to the Phillies from the
Pacific coast while Killifer had pre-
vious major league experience, play
ing in the American league before
joining the Philadelphia team. Jack
Adams is the other member of the
staff. Jack is a clever youngster who
has had little opportunity to work dur
ing the time he has been with the
Phillies as killifer and Burns have
done all the catching.
Alexander Mainstay.
Grover Alexander, known as Alex
ander the Great, will be the mainstay
of the pitching corps. Grover won 81
games and lost y last year, and
achieved the remarkable number of
16 shutouts. Whether his arm was in
jurcd in the final month of the race
when he pitched every other day, an(
sometimes twice in one day. remains
to be seen. Eppa Rixey, star south
paw, won % and lost 10 last year
E,ppa is an annual inland outer, pitch
ing good ball one year and rotten the
following season. Erskine Mayer who
did wonders in 1915, failed last year
winning only seven of the II games
that he pitched. Jim Lavender, OBJ
tanned from the Cubs in a trade ny
which Al Demaree became a Chicago
player won 10 and lost IA with tn,
Tinkertcs in 1916. Oeschger ant
Baumgartner, who acted as relic
pitchers last year. will be back an,
may get regular assignments in 1917
The most promising recruits arc Pau
T'ittcry. who Won % and lost 10 will
Salt Lake last year; linn, who wor
II and lost six with Waco in the TeXa:
league; Fortune. who won 10 and los
seven in the Eastern association, an,
Rhoades, who worked we'll for tn,
Richmond team in the 1nternationa
league, winning 10 and losing Is
Other recruit pitchers are Carmcha ell
Craig, Lutz and Haggcrty, none o
whom is expected to stick long enough
to pitch in u major league game.
Old infied Back
The IN ire 1916 irficd will be back
though 4 youngSter from the coast h.
the mann Of NcGafft@an may beat gu
Dave Bancroft in the shortfield DO
sitiOn. Ray Gonzales. n genuine i'm
ported Cuban, viii work out at frs
base, hut has little chance to TAX
Captain Ludorus' place. Bert Niehof
will play second base. with Osca
Dugey as utility man. Milton STOCK
sterling slu@ger, and crack Fielder wi
most likely be tn" choice of the thir
base position over lobby Ryrne, a
Byrne's major l"agu" days are noarl
over. Dave Bancroft who Was one {
the chief cogs in the 1915 pennar
winning machine. fen down badly Las
year, and may lose out to Marty Nc
Gaffigan, a yOungStCr from the Pa
cific coast, who hit .24h with Nerno
in 1916.
Outfield Candidates.
The outfield candidates are PasScr
Whtted, Good, Cooper ard Cravat