The Washington times., 1923-01-01

ebb right now. Indeed, there is
away from both major leagues, ne
To have the greatest attraction,
q league race should be close Each
unit should have it's own special
plea for home support. The worst
thing possible for league race is
to- have il one-Sided. such as the
American League race was last
season..
Connie Mack is said to have been
supported for the past two years
on his rich picl5ings in New York,
the kindly schedule-makers having
sent the poor old creaking Mack
men into the metropolis whenever
q Saturday or Sunday or holiday
was available.
Such a thing is unhealthy. It
cannot long continue without show
ing evil results in steadily -decreas-
ing interest all around the circuit
and finally in the very city where
the pennantS are being flung to the
breeze with each succeeding season.
We have been told by the an.
.eionts that st. Louis, pennant
winner for four successive sea-
sons N the old American AssOcia-
tim days. was ruined for years
bv that very fact The fans of the
Mound CITY tired Of seeing their
own teams waIlopfng the enemy
day after day.
We have heard Connie Mack say.
a, partial explanation for his shat
ferinE of his ball club in 1914 and
1915. that a 'pennantwinner never
hrotpht him any profit in Phila-
Al baseball banquet in the
Hotel Aston, New York. in the win
ter OF 19I1-1912, celebrating the win
Ming of the pennant 'av the Mack
men Of 1911. Connie Mack went on
record as having lost uor1ev.
OF course, there was some reason
for this. The Mackmen. great tram
that they were in those ancient times.
lacked all kinds of color sDorted by
weaker clubs. For one thing. those
terrible uniforms. with their paper
hanger cans. served to keep down
the enthusiasm OF the hoi polloi, as
the fans are termed in Enrinedess-'
80 conduct a major league base
ball club successfully, one needs q
certain amount OF showmanshtn. Con-
ME Mack, astute baseball man that
he is, has yet to show any signs NJ
knowing the showmanship side OF
the game.
The best DRAWING card in the
major leagues is the youngster.
The fans 20 mad over the ordinary
antics Of some young PLAYER Try
ing ITO break into fas' company.
They always pull fer him at the
expense OF an older. and irequentiy
better, player. Bob La Notes 8
D case in point here in Washing.
ton.
Frank Chance, who will manage
the Boston Red Sox-what there is OF
them-points out the fact that the
adoption Of the new rule, killing such
deals as the Giants-Braves and the
Yankee-Red Sox trades of last sea-
son, win compel the major league
clubs to develep. young players.
Every baseball fan knows that the
best teams have been worn out and
have had to be built up all over
again, This was the case with the
Chicago Cubs. the Detroit Tigers. the
New York Giants on more than one
occasion, the Pittsburgh Pirates and
Lne <1NhACNA~oH
-nant winners composed largely OF
veterans.
The Cleveland Indians Of today Is
the latest example of a pennant win
ner slowing up to such an extent that
It must be ripped wide open and have
new players installed here and there
Iris Speaker. a wise leader, has
spared nothing and nobody in pre-
pairing for the 1923 campaign.
Gone are the old pitchers, Bagby
Eothofon. Mails. Gone is the once
great Larry Gardner Les Nuna
maker will be in the Southern Asso
cation. Joe Wood is to coach tho
Yale pitchers. Stuffy McInnis will
probably see his future successor
working out at the training camp in
q few months And in no other way
can ball club be brought back t.
pennant glories.
Clark Griffith says he will ode.
Seiop q young ball club" such as
he had I'm 1912. He is taking the
bull by the horns, that's all. An.
other such season as that of 1929
and the fans of the Capital would
rise up I'm their wrath and commit
suicide.
~.
When Clark Griffith came here IL
1912 he began wedding out the deai
wood In short order. Kid Elberfe1d
Wild Conroy, Doc Gessler, these wer,
some of the veterans who had M
jobs with the Griffith machine. True
he kept few. He even took on Jacl
knight, but the real success of tn
1912 aGriffmen was due to the in
fusion of new blood.
Now President Griffith is OF
record as being about to go back L
a young ball club once again Thi
will mean trouble for Roger Peckin
paugh, Hank Shanks, Pat Charity
Sam Rice and some Of the olde
pitchers. Age, clever though it b
because of its greater experience
cannot Withstand the rugged rus
of Youth.
The 1923 Griffmen are not likeI
TO win the pennant. Get that her
and now on January 1, 1923. |
Will require more than a Ittl
time: Tor the right combination (
be evolved from the squad on tria
The Griffs may never win a per
mart yet they may so improve a
to be a winning ball club. Blu
this Improvement will take tim.
very probably more than a singl
season.