The sun., 1918-12-05
SPEAKER TOLEAD
CLEVELAND CLUB
Story From Reliable American
League Source Forecasts
Deposition Of Fohly
nv FREDERICK q. LIEB.


iris Speaker, Cleveiand's famous bat
.rr star. il slated to succeed Lee Fohl
az manager Of the Indians. The an
-ouncement Of Speakers promotion to
,hs cleveland management may be ex-
,n,,ea at tho annual meeting of the
.lr.rlcan League In Chicago next week.
Tohl will bc given the option of remain
,nr as a coach OF pitchers. the position
Va held before his elevation to the
nanagership.
regardless of when President Dunn
.hooses to make his announcement,
Sneaker will be in charge of'the Cleve-
innd team when II leaves for its train
,ng camp at New Orleans next spring.
After the end of the 1918 season
Sneaker enlisted In the Naval Aviation
Service and with Waiter Pipp of the
Yankees was taking course at Mas
saohusetts Tech when the war came to
an end. Speaker and Pipp were dis
charged from service a fortnight ago.
The story that Speaker will succeed
Foil, coming from an unquestionable
American League source, will cause
cutie n surprise In baseball circles, as
Tohl had made good in Cleveland where
many had failed. Despite the fact that
he lost many stars to the service last
season Foil piloted his team into second
place.
c1eveland's manager in midseason of
1918 after the Indians had been last
for two seasons. The team began TO
mace as soon as Fohl took II in hand,
and beginning with 1915 Cleveland be-
came strong American League con-
tender.
Finished Second In 1918.
In 1917 Fohl finished a good third
and last season wound up in second
place. Speaker Joined the Cleveland
club In the spring Of 1915 and unaues-
,lcnably much of Fohrs success was
due 10 his big batting star
However, Foil has not completely
,atlshed his employers and is blamed
for the loss of the 1918 pennant. In
1915, 1917 and 1913 Fohl's Indians led
of at the close.
Poor handling of pitchers In a crucial
series with Boston last July. which lost
Cleveland the league lead. Is one of the
reasons given for Fohl's disfavor with
The Cleveland owners. In one of these
games Counfbe was taken out with the
score 4 to 2 in Cieveland's favor and
the succeeding pitcher was pounded all
over the grounds. Boston won the game
and Cleveland lost the lead, which II
never regained.
Fohl also Is accused of not showing
enough aggressiveness. something which
Speaker is expected to supply. Then II
il Is said that Fohl did not maintain
discipline on the club. and that constant
gambling. which the manager made nc
attempt to stop. occupied the thoughts
CT the PLAYERS more than baseball. The
game OF hearts was the big attraction.
II also Ia felt by the Cleveland owners
that Speaker will give more dash and
color to the team.
Lajoie Was Promoted Too.
Cleveland already has had one great
hatSnan for its manager. Napoleon La
.oe. who ran the club from 1904 to 1909
Despite the fact that Cleveland under
lajo'e's management missed winning the
1908 pennant by two points big Larry
was a failure as big league manager
He was not harmonizer, could not
maintain discipline and continually wa
forced to work against a faction.
There is, however, plenty Of precedent
FOR great outheld stars developing into
great playing managers. Fred Clark
won four pcnnants with the Pirate:
while directing the team from left field
while Fielder Jones played centre field
on his famous hitless wonder White Sol
worlds champion aggregation of 1908
Neither Clarke nor Jones met with any
success later on trying to manage team!
from the bench.
Cleveland also will make change IL
its business management. Walter Nc
Nichols Of Chicago will succeed the pop
ular Bill BlackwoOd as the secretary o.
the Cleveland club. After the baseball
races were closed by the work or figh
order last season Blackwood procured &
better position in Cleveland and he in
tendI TO hold IL