The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-11
His Refusal to Invest Money in New Players Has Handicapped His Pilots and Kept Team Down.
yx1 collapse of the Phinies?

WHO Is really responsible Tor the
 That is a question which Is today tho main topic of discussion among the local sporting fraternity. was lack Coor1bs failure as manager or was President William F. Baker of the Philadelphia National League baseball club responsible for the poor showing made by the Phillies In thls years pennant race?
 A baseball team with & fair pitching sca6f. a fairly good fielding team ana with two players, Cactus Cravath ana Tred Williams hitting over 300 rest ing in last place and from present epxaaranres but nttlep respect Of vacot4ns the cellar position. Some one .s certainly to blame.
 J,psk Coornhs was selected by Pres i6ent Baker to pilot the Phils after Isut nroaan had been deposed as man. axer. Coornbs Ia recognized as one of the best major league pitchers In tho last 15 years; he was ono of Con- nir Nracsx's chief advisors while a member of the Athletics, the best baseball team that ever took the field since the days of the Wright Broth er-' Cincinnati Red Stockings. He yves likewise a member of Wilbert 1Sobtusorr,s board of strategy when the Robins arose from the second di- vision and won the National League bunting in 1917.
 When cSpornbs was appointed as lsadur- of the Phils early this past er,rtns President Baker publicly an nounced that great wonders might b, sxpeoted of the Phiis this season. Tte went further and said that in his opinion Jack Coombs would make one of the best managers in either ienzun; that he had great confidence In tho Ennnsbunk farmer and would leave the running of tho team solely to erse former Athletic star. Baker etased rhaf Coornbs knew more abou; iprtde baseball than did Pat Moran, tho Frechburg wsrhorso, who won the first National League championship in the history of baseball in the sieepytown-
 Conparison of tho Pfrfls and Reds this day show that Baker was wrong. The Philiies with Coombs at the helm were yesterday entrenched in last place in the league standing while the Cincinnati Redlegs, led by the deps,sd PhiIly manager of last sea son are today on the hsels of the Giants and an even money bet to win the National League bunting.
 That President Baker of the Phils Is doing more to kill the game in sleepytown, by interfering with his managers, is the general consensus of opinion among major league play CTS and sporting editors
 He was strongly criticised by the sporttng press of the country for let ting Pat Moran out in mid-winter. He never stated why he let Moran go. There must have been a reason but hn Tirnes-Farmer ts in a position to au- Nhsnticalty make known the reason of President Bakers present dilemma and why Pat Moran was fired by the Quakervtile magnate.
 Pat Moran is a native of Fitch burg, Mass So is Jimmy Callahan, former star and manager of both tho Logan Squares Gan independent baseball team in Chicago) as well as srstwtrt1e manager of the Chicago White Sox. 'sNixey" Callahan pitch ed and Pat Moran caught for the FitchburE Stars back in the early eo's.
 This information comes to the Times-F'uTner thrugh a peculiar CO., inctdent and as a result of the re- cent war with Germany. Jack Moran, former police reporter on the Times Farmer and at the time of his induc- ton into the D. S. Army, acting clerk of detectives of the local police de- pertinent. is today one of Pat Moran's closest friends. However, they are no relation Don't even come from the snme diggins in the old dart.
 Patrolrnan Moran a short time after his induction into the army was plac- cd in charge of the Military Police Secret Service) at Camp Devens.
 
 frequently. While pursuing an in- vestigatton in Fitchburg one night last November he was introduced to Pat Moran The baseball strategian gave Che M. P.'s hand a tighter grasp as he heard the name MORAN used in the introduction. Both Pat and Johnny traced each others ancestors through westmeath and Kerry but were unable to Ind any relationship on the Moran side but peculiarly found ftstsnt relationship on the mothers side. From that out they were the best of friends and were so often seen strolling the Fitchburg main storm that natives of the burg assumed they were related. But we are getting away from our story.
 Upon his arrival in F'1tchburgh one night in December the Bridgeport Moran was dumfounded when "Cou- sin Pat" informed him that he had been fred by President Baker of the Philnes Pat could give no reason why. He had a telegram in his pos session which read: "Consider your- self no longer connected with the Philadelphia National League Base bah club" It was signed by Proxy Baker.
 Pa. wont to Philadelphia the nex morning and demanded to know the reason of his deposition. Mir Baker
 wns too busy to talk with Pat and ad
 vfsed him to return on the morrow Pat d1d as requested but Baker onl,
 said: T have decided for the bes