Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-10
CARDINALS UPON PAPER
APPEAR SECOND-RATERS
uuIIins Hcnlizcs Tint Tenn Lacked
Punch Last season. md VIII Make
ENOrt 10 ImprNNc.

NEW YORK. March a.-Thc 81,
Louis Cardinals viii open the season
rated Is selling platcrs" by most Of
the critics. They viii be long odds
for q t-division finish 20 any Of
the sportivc ones who want to back
them. for on paper they arc one OF
the weaker clubs in the senior league.
But tho status of any bail club on
papc and the capers il may cut in a
championship race are often two VI stly
different things. The Braves or 1914
furnished = vivid example.
Miller ~tuggIns and his athletes have
2 long. hard row TO hoe in lettering
ihcir position in National League COM
pany. They finished the season of 1918
ucd with tho Reds for tho subccilar
berth. They simplS did no, have the
punch after the first few weeks Of the
season. and their prospects for 1915
arc none too brilliant.
During the winter Manage Hucgins
wore cut more shoe leather than any
Hthcr National LeaEuc pilot IN hunting
Tor players But Higgins was unstlc-
cessful in pulling off amy really big
deals, for rival managers would talk
nothing but trades in which iIucgins's
hest bets figured. and Hug" could no;
&C himself parting With his Staud-Lys.
Much talk OF new ownership for the
1hfas mas been another Drawback To
= = ~. a'iu all III All. the StTa DDN
iittlc leader of tho Mound city outfit
mas had 10 stand some discouragins
bumps from all directions. But Hug
ems IS "a tighter, and he is going out
'hiS year TO make a valiant attempt
81 installing real lighting spirit into
his players.
II appears tina the morale Of tho
.ardlhals is in need of a thorough
house-clcaninE. The club lack cd gin
scr last season. Eut If Huggins sue
cecds III developing several Of his re-
ctuits and getting away 10 a good
start. IA the coming race. who knows
but what the downtrodden Cardinals
may mud themselves: True. they arc
scarcely Il strong enough combination
!" he c~ontenders for the penmamt. but
mat they will make a hard nght TO
get ont OF the ruck is certain. for a
laSt-p!ace club has every incentive 10
better itself. and a few good breaks
may put heart int the Cards.
h'il Doak, Lee Meadows ~ Leon
.\mcs form tho backbone Of ~liuGsins's
pitching staff, and all three are highly
respected by National League batsmen.
~ some of the other twirlcrs will come
through Tor Higgins. the team will be
ablc I" start tho season with Il fairly
balanced s~harpshooting corps.
With Roger Ilornsby, Bethel and
Miller cf last years inield. as a M
'i'u'' 'iSsihS mas a healthy nerd Of
recruits who Will fight il out for the
shortstoppinS lob. while Ecschcr. Long.
wilson ana Smith will make up the
ontticld squad.
~ i~lusginS is Givcn !rcc rein 1"
run his club this season. the chanccs
Tor uplifting the Cards will !e greatly
enhanced. Tho crapp card pilot has:
been held down for several ycars and
ilcfc arc a good many baseball critics
VINO hrmiN believe tina what he needs
most OF all to assist in building M a
winner IS = clean path ahead. Hug
sihs mas been a conscientious II
lhrd- orkin manager. and hc de-
serves better fortunes than he has had
for several years past.
y E.a tosS-up now a. 10 what tho
'afds VIII accomplish ncNt summer.
'ln although they don't look like FIRST
ulNisioh prospects now, it viii I've poor
Judgment Ia pick them for i lasi-piacc
finish.