The Washington times., 1929-02-08
MOlJNDNEN
HOLD KEY
. To 1929

III IULU
The Phillies of 1929 have
the strongest team they have
put on the field in several
years, coolly states Burton E.
Shotton, manager, severest
critic and worrier-in-chief of
the Baker forces.
Where the club finishes
when the National League
race runs its course next sea-
son depends wholly on the
pitchers.
Straight from the offices where
the manager of the Phils conducts
a fire and marine insurance business
in Amherst. Ohio, come words of
confidence anent the 1929 Phils.
They are the first utterances Mr..
Shotton has made about the Phillies
since the curtain of 1928 fell with
a dull thud.
The man who in one year accom-
plished more toward making ball
club out of the Phillies than the
combined ~1isdirected, faltering ef'
forts of his six predecessors accom-
plished in nine years, is optimistic.
His one doubt, as he says, concerns
the pitching he will get.
ShOttOn claims no pennant.
He doesn't even state that the
Phils will leave the cellar.
But there are two important cogs
in the Phil machine of 1929 that
the manager is confident will live
up to expectations. And upon them
depends much of the Phillies' hopes
of bidding the cellar a happy adieu.
The two cogs are Shortstop
Tommy Thevenow, whose soundness
of limb has been the subject of
much conjecture, and Outfielder
Homer Peel, who makes his big
league bow this year. ..
Thevenow, says Shotton, is as
sound as ever and will play the
same great game that made him
the leading shortstop of the Ma.
tional League in 1925 and the hero
Of the world series the st. Louis
Cardinals captured from the New
York Yankees.
About Peel, he declares, in part
II have the same high regard for
Homer Peel as l had for First-base'
man Donald Hurst when he joined
our team. | had chance to see
both boys in the minor leagues.
Hurst has done all that I could ex-
pect of him and see no reason
why Peel won't do the same"
Coming from so excellent a
Judge of minor league talent
and as conservative an expert
as Manager ShOttOn, this state
ment is tantamOunt to a predic-
tion that Peel will make the
big league grade this year and
be a star regular in the PhiIies'
Outfield.
Burt Shotton puts at rest al
doubt about the strength of the
Phillies outside Of the pitching box
With Thevenow playing short for
the Phils with all his old-time skill
and grace and supplying needed
bingles in the pinch, the Bakermer
will show the fans the best inner
Gordon they have seen since Fred
Luderus, Bert Niehoff, Davey Ban
croft and Milton Stock were around
Peel rounds our spry, young
outfield. With the Texas League
phenom in left, Denny Southern in
center and Chuck Klein playing EN-
off the rightfield rampant, the gar
dening forces will present a trio
with all of the Phils' time-honored
slugging strength and with twice its
time-honored speed.
Strong enough behind the bat, In
the infield and outfield to figure in
the pennant hunt, the Phils' hopes
of rising in National League promi
nence depend upon the pitching
they receive.
On paper, the pitching figures
to be several nOtches better
than last season or the years
Immediately preceding. But
pitchers can't win their bali
games on paper strength.
So upon the shoulders of Messrs
Benge, McGraw, Willoughby, Mill
gan, Collins, Roy and a coupl'
others rest the responsibility TO
the Phils' position when next octo
ber's mellow days beckon the end o
another pennant race.
AS Burt Shotton concludes his in
terview: f"I believe that it viii b
up to the pitchers on the Phillies
ball club to determine where tn
team will finish. I am sure tn
team in general is much stronger" !"
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