The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-14

It was In 1907 that discovered my
 players growing old and beginning tc
 slip. Always I have made 1t point
 never to let club grow old on me. A
 manager must start reconstruction
 quickly or several years will be re-
 quired to bring a ball club back tc
 pennant winning form.
 In 1906 we started off with a rush
 and 1t looked as if we had another
 championship in sight when suddenly
 bad luck fell on us with a crash
 To begin with, Mathewson contracted
 diphtheria and had a tough time of
 1t. In the game at Cincinnati Mike Donlin broke his ankle while sliding into third. His foot caught against
 the bag and the force of his body
 driven against it snapped the bone. More Accidents
 Dan McGann then broke an arm and
 was laid up for long time. Roger Bresnahan was hit on the head and laid up in the hospital for several days.
 In addition to these accidents several players contracted minor ill.,
 nesses from tir- 0 t time. AS a result 1t was rare that we ever had our i playing strength on the field. Even then we finished third"
 That is why I do not give the Cubs of 1908 credit for being a better ball
 club than the iiants that year. It | was easy to see, tLough, that the Chi cago club was coming strong and
 would be our strongest rival. Chance threw a lot of fighting spirit into his team and he had the benefit of some very smart players. such as Evers a tN1, 1,ar in Johnny Kling and a great pitcher
 in Mordecai Brown-"There-F Fingered Brown"
 War of Wits
 The bitter rivalry that had existed between the Giants end the Pirates immediately shifted to a war of wits between the Giants anl the Cubs Those were hot days-just as hot as we had gone through on the many visits to Pittsburg.
 Interest in the Chicago Nationa league club grew in rapid bounds
 Up to that time the White Sox ha6
 the call in Chicago. It was a grea, thing for baseball. especially in the National league, to have strong ri.
 valry between New York and Chi.
 cago. the big cities of the country. The board of trade of Chicago got all steamed up over the prospect anc organized a roofing club. They went to the park in body and made i, just as warm for the Giants as pos. sible. We got right back at them or every occasion and excitement rar high. This feeling kept up right or
 through 1906, 1907 and 1908. Memorable Trades It was during the early stages oi this rivalry-during the reorganiza. tion of my team of 1907-that I made some of the big trades that were dis cussed, and often criticised, all ovel the country. In many of these trade. 1t was said that l make mistakes may have done so, but l don't think I made many. My principle alway. has been, if I need particular player for a certain place, to go out ant
 get him at any price.
 They say that I have let man, good players go. I have. But I hay,
 never yet discovered any plan b,
 which 8 manager can get a cracl player without giving up good on, i in exchange. l may have a cracl player who Is not absolutely neces sary to the machinery of my club I will trade him in a minute If I se, chance to get the one man wh,
 completes the cogs for my machine Buying Remnants
 Often the New York club has beer
 accused of buying the pennant. Fan have wondered how it is that tn Giants were able to get any playe 1 they went after while other team, could not do so. You will notice however, that we never got a maj
 without giving up something valua l ble in return.
 I noticed in 1907 that several O