The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-08-27
By FRANK G. MENKE

II there's anythlng unQeT TIC sum
more pathetic than the spectacle OF
the Phillies in action its existence has
not been recorded.
And the fault is that of William +.
Baker, their owner.
Bakers utter disregard for Philadel-
phia in particular, and the National
League as a whole, size up as the
catastrophe of baseball. His love OF
gold has caused him to sell every play
er that is saleable and reduce his
lineup to a collection of athletes little
better than sand-lotters.
The mystery, in view of Bakers
persistent wrecking of the Phillies. is
how he ever draws a single patron to
that they want to see the Phillies play.
1t must be that the baseball hungry
in the Quaker City pay to watch two
ether clubs in action.
City Loyal to Baseball.
Philadelphia isn't exactly the cradle
of baseball But for so years it has
been one of the greatest baseball low
ing cities in the world. 1t has
supported the game royalty and
loyalty.
1t houses, in ratio. to population per
haps more baseball enthusiasts than
any city in America. And its portion
is two tail end clubs.
But there 5 vast difference between
Baker and Connie Mack. The Amer
lean Lacquer wrecked peerless outfit
seven years ago not solely because Of
the money that could be derived from
such an action, but because dissension
had come within the club. Factions
had come into being-and harmony
was gone.
Mark dissembled his mighty ma
chine and started to build anew
Through the years since then, success
has not crowned his efforts. But he
has brought into view few f1edgine
stars. He hasn't sold them.
He has kept them, looking forward
to the day when these youngsters
with others, would cause another pen
nant flag to wave from Quakertowr
peak. He has tried-and he is tryins
to give Philadelphia a winner
Baker VIII Sell Anything.
But Baker deliberately is giving his
own city loser. In cold blooded fash
ion he takes from his team every stat
that flashes into view and passes il
along to some other frmament-ir
exchange for gold.
And so he leaves to represent the
| National League in Philadelphia
nothing but the culls of big league
baseball; nothing but an outfit tina
hardly deserves to be dignifed as {
big league club.
Bakers action not only kills off at
| tendance at ho1.e but it kills it il
every league town his motley crew
visits. Fandom packs the parks t,
see games between teams presumabl,
evenly matched.
1t cares not to see a major leagu,
ball club opposed to-and slaughterin;
| "a collection of riffraff and baseball
misfts.
The difference in a years attend
ance between the Phillies of toda
| and what they would have been i
Baker hadn't riddled them is clos
to 100000
| And that means a loss of approx
mately 100000 to the Nationa
| League because of Baker and hi
rather astonis hing the public-be
damned" policy.
/ Salaries Too High
Pat Moran led the 1915 PhiIlles I
the pennant heights. AS a reward
Baker kicked him out-probably BIZ
cause Pat was drawing fair salary
Then Baker sold Alexander and Kill
fer, the bulwarks of his team. H
got Jack Coonbs as leader-and CAV
him the gate after cogitating owe
Jacks salary check
He then named Cravath as chic
tain, so as to make one man serv
as player and manager for the sam
price. But Cravath's ability SCENE
limited to the playing end-and the
came Wild Bill" Donovan.
Meanwhile Baker sold Dave Dar
croft, the brilliant shortstop, and S
wrecked his infeld. Irish" Meuse
the outfielder began to make himse
famous as a four base walloper-an
Baker sold him. Presumably, ever
other man on his roster was for sal,
but there we're no bidders, for all thu
was left by that time were the age,
infrm or mediocre youngsters.
Uses Lame Excuse
Donovan is through as leader {
the Phillies. The real cause of hi
dismissal is shrouded. But one stor