Evening star., 1920-02-11
SPEAKER IS ONLY
| PLAYING MANAGER
Leaders in Game Every Day
Have Won Their Share
of Pennants.

Playing managers have won their
share OF pennants in the American
League. Truth be told. they have
been right there or thereabouts ever
since the Johnsonian organization
was established, which gives rise to
hope eternal" in the breasts of
Cleveland fans that Iris Speaker. the
only playing manager in the Ameri-
can, will come through with the goods
In large and copious quantities the
coming season. writes Ed. Lang in the
Cleveland News. Speaker acquitted
taking over the managerial reins
from Lee Fohl. and any number Of
wise critics gave it as their opinion
that the Indians would have won the
grand old nag had Speaker been at
tho helm from the start Of the season.
II iris should come through with
= Winning brand Of goods and cop it
under . playing manager or other
wise. The closest any Cleveland
team ever came to grabbing a pen
nant was back in 1908 when Larry
Lajoie. playing pilot. had his Maps
within half a game of the Detroit
over.
Under Lajoie as playing manager.
starting with 1904, Cleveland finish
ed fourth, fifth, third, fourth, second
and sixth. George Stovall. after re-
lfeving Jim Mcclure in midsummer.
1911. landed the Maps third. Joe
Birmingham's record in 1912, 1918.
1914 and 1915 was fifth. third, last and
last. Birmy being relieved by Leo
Fohrs hands in midseason in 1919 and
brought the Indians home as runners
up to the Chicago White sox.
The best example of playing man.
ager winners" is found at Boston.
Ctor t{v1rr vrrsf
the pilot and the Red Sox finished
second. third. first, first. fourth and
last in his reign Of six years. Chic
Stahl relieving Jimmy in midsummer er
Of 1905. Jake Stahl managed the
Red Sox and played first base in 1912
and part of 1913, being relieved by
Bill Carrigan in midseason. 1913, Bill
Sox throughout 1914. 1915 and 1916.
The record of the Boston teams for
the five years starting with 1912 was
first, fourth, second. first and first.
Jack Barry was the last playing man
ager at Boston. being the pilot in
1917 and finishing second. Thus un-
der playing managers Boston teams
won Ave pennants and by the same
token they won the worlds cham
pionship in four of those years, not
playing for the big honor the other
time.
Chicago boasts OF two playing man.
ayers who won pennants, Clark Grif-
f1th in 1901 and Fielder Jones in 1906
Griff's team finished fourth in 1907
while the Sox were seventh under
Jimmy Callahan in 1903. Fielder
Jones relieved Callahan in midsum-
mer. 1904. and his record as pilot of the
Sox was third. second. first. third
and third. Billy Sullivan ranked
fourth in 1909 and Callahan, back on
the job again in 1912. finished at the
end Of the first division.
GriR in New York.
Clark Grifnth bossed and played
with the New York Yankees for four
years. starting with 1903, finishing
fourth, second, sixth and second
Norman Elberfeld had the Yanks last
in 1908 after replacing Grin in mid
season. Hal Chase was good for sixth
in 1911 and this was the same position
that Roger Peckinpaugh's managerial
swing landed the Hilltoppers in after
Peck relieved Frank Chance late in
the season.
st. Louis experience with playing
managers was sad indeed. Bobby Wal
lace finished last in 1911. seventh in
1912. George Stovall replacing Wal
lace in midsummer, and last in 1918.
Branch Hickey supplanting Stovall at
the halfway mark.
Jake Stahl was the only playing
manager Washington ever had. Car
land being at the helm in 1905 and
1905. the Nationals finishing seventh
both times.
Detroit never had a playing mana