The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-09-28
SPEAKER HAS
BEST SEASON
Indians Leader Has Play
cd Some Great
Ball

Up until this year TITS Speaker
believed in his heart that batting
was the biggest thing in baseball
Now, with he gray Of age be-
ginning to creep into his hair and
years experience as manager OF
a ball club that has fought and been
within sight OF the coveted pennant
since April, he has gone a step
deeper into the great game.
No player has ever come as near
playing super baseball probably
than Spoke mas done this year.
He has set clip botn on the OIL
Tense and defense that Is little
short oil mavelous.
In spite OF the general rule that
playing managers usually stump IN
their Work, as player ne mas play,
ed the best game OF his long and
bright career III the majors OF tnlr-
Ceen seasons.
AIS INDIVIDUAL style of going at
ter balls in the Quilted Is develop
ed 50 that the crack OF the pat
tells him instantly the exact spot
where the ball Will settle.
Iris ADMITS himself that he MADE
the greatest catch OF his career THIS
season. 1t happened at League
Park, Cleveland. The ball was one
OF those long screaming drives,
headed for the score board, that
he gathered in over his shoulder,
running with the ball.
AT the bat he has fought the
greatest sluggers the game has had
in years. Along with George Stsler,
Joe jackson and Babe Ruin he has
tried To finish the year as .4OO
hitter, and he'll miss II but a few
points when the curtain rings down
on the schedule.
average dropped down below the
200 mark BY four points, he was
disappointed. He wondered If he
had seen his last days as a sta,
hitter.
Then, when the toga slipped frol.I
the shoulders OF Lee Foil onto his
shoulders, his playing took a squirt
that has never been headed.
The objective which he sought
was to lead Cleveland TO its first
pennant. To do so he couldn't ac-
COmplish 1t all with the manager
ial reins. Early in the season a
peculiar streak developed among
Cleveland players.
They seemed to be following
Speaker In every department o,
the game. When Spoke had a good
day the other Indians also played
at swifter stride. When he had an
off day their spirit Jagged and like
wise their playing.
Time after time ii has been said
by players on rival clubs that II
Speaker ever hit a bad slump his
team would drop out of the running
as remnant contenders, following
the undertow downwards.
That has made the Redskin
pilots Job all the bigger. He
couldn't slow up. He has had to
Guido his former self In brilliancy
to lead the way up.
How well he has succeeded Is
shown from the point of vantage
from which the Tribe Is looking
down at present In one OF the hot.
test flag fights that the American
League has ever had.
Speaker has always had baseball
brains. He is a strategist in tho
truest sense OF the word. He has
been called upon to juggle his out
field, his infteld and his pitchers
all season long. The Indians ma
chino seemed to be headed for the
u
Spoke rose to the occasion in
every case and saved the Tribe
from the seemingly impending
disaster.
His work has been so well done
that the baseball world has called
him the modern 1uggler. But in
reality he has only proven that
brains plus a heart that never
gives up will get results.
He has been hailed as great
fielder ever since he broke into the
game with Boston back in 1908. Hc
has been known as one Of the best
batters, who ever stepped up to
the plate.
But from this time on take off
your hat to the GREAT IRIS
SPEAKER also one OF bascball's
smartest and most successful man.
ayers,