Chance’s Men Now Must Guard Against Overconfidence When Arrayed Against the Weaker Teams of the Circuit—Jack Taylor Deal Regarded with Some Misgivings—Sox, Strengthened by Dougherty, Seem to Have a Fighting Chance.
Frank Chance’s men have come through their crucial test with both honor and glory, and will return to Chicago today to receive the richly merited plaudits of as many thousands of their admirers as can get into the west side ball yard before the gates are locked. Venturing into the territory of their most highly touted rival, Pittsburg, with a lead so slight the Pirates had a chance to climb into the lead if Chicago weakened in the pinch, the Spuds not only held on to the advantage they had, but increased it in the face of playing before hostile fans.
So strong was their showing that Chance’s men won the applause and admiration of Pirate fans, who are said to be the most partisan, outside of New York, in the old league. That speaks volumes in itself. Instead of being “quitters” under pressure, as President Dreyfuss of the Pirates claimed in public, Chance’s men proved better fighters than the Pirates, greatly to Barney’s chagrin.
The first two clashes were wonderful in themselves, when Chicago, in two games on the Fourth, won by the same score, 1 to 0, the winning run in both games being made near the finish, after battles which tested the nerve and staying powers of both teams to the limit. Those two games were alike only in their results, however. In the morning it was a pitchers’ battle between Brown and Leifield, in which only one hit was made off each. In the afternoon it was a battling game, in which sensational fielding held the score down and turned the tide Chicagoward.
Having conquered their two strongest rivals for the pennant, Chance’s men now are gazing confidently along a clear path to the foot of the flagpole, with only the side bunkers of possible injury or accident to players to disturb their visions. With a record of over fifty games won, before the season is half over, their confidence is justified, for a continuation of that gait would give them over 100 games won on the season, and that is enough to cinch any ordinary pennant. It must be remembered the Spuds got a poor start in the first fortnight’s play; consequently their record since then has had to be a fast one to gain their present position.
There must be no letup in striving, however, against the weaker clubs, because the stronger ones have been trimmed. The criticism has been heard in the past that chance’s men played harder against the strong teams than against the weak, instead of going at every club from the start as if it was the best in the business. That is the way pennants are won, when a race is so close that a few victories by weaker teams over the leaders may decide it.
Manager Chance is straining every effort to win the pennant this year, and to that end has taken one desperate step which he considers justified by the end. The trade by which Jack Taylor is returned to the club is referred to. He is risking the loss of the support of some of the stanchest rooters the Spuds have had through years of adversity. It is probable the manager does not know there are scores of west side fans whom no amount of argument has been able to convince the reports were not true that Taylor admitted he profited more by losing games in the post-season series of 1903 than he could by winning. Chance knows, as does any close follower of the game, that those reports were not true, and, knowing that, the manager thinks the fans should believe them false. If his hopes are realized all will be sunny, and if he has made a mistake it will be in a good cause.
It is a ticklish position for Taylor himself, and one which no coward would face. Under the circumstances, his every move will be watched with suspicious eyes, both on and off the diamond. He must be more than successful to win back his former position here, and a run of hard luck will be fatal. If things break his way, and he wins out, he will be forgiven, but if he loses, even through no fault of his own, he may be held responsible for defeats in which he performs almost superhuman efforts to win.
If interviews with Taylor, published in St. Louis papers, quoted him correctly, he made a bad start by announcing that Manager Chance had told him the Chicago club had offered Pitchers Beebe, Reulbach, and Overall, Catcher Noonan, and Outfielder Hofman in exchange for him. It is not believed in Chicago the interviews are correct, but, until denied or refuted, Reulbach, Overall, and Hofman cannot have the kindest feelings toward the club or the pitcher.
The attempt of a New York writer to create sympathy for the Giants by sensational charges of conspiracy to defraud McGraw’s men of a third pennant by strengthening the Spuds through “syndicate” methods creates a smile in Chicago. There was just enough fact in the claims of the New Yorker regarding the tangled ownership of National league clubs to deceive the general public into accepting the whole. However, the statement that Harry Steinfeldt was given to Chicago in exchange for a “frost” does not tally with the pitching Weimer has been doing for Cincinnati, particularly against the Spuds. As a matter of fact, Hermann thought Steinfeldt was going back and wanted a youngster on third. The red owner thought he had bested Chicago by getting Weimer in exchange for a veteran and Outfielder Sebring, who, he guessed, would turn outlaw. The New Yorker’s opinion of the Jack Taylor trade is not held unanimously in Chicago or the west. It is pointed out that Taylor lost the only game in the present series to Pittsburg, making the New York estimate of him look a trifle high to local fans. As for the syndicate ownership, one local wiseacre yesterday said: “I have known for years that seven of the eight National league clubs are tangle dup with syndicate ownership, but it doesn’t make any difference to me who owns a ball club so long as it wins.” If it were true Hermann was working to swing the pennant to Chicago it is not likely he would use his strongest pitchers against Chicago and win two games out of four right after losing three out of four to Pittsburg. These stories are due to the inability of New Yorkers to take medicine gamely.
With today’s game against Pittsburg here the Spuds will begin a long stay at home, during which they will meet all the eastern clubs once more. Boston will be here tomorrow for a four days’ visit, which may include five games, to dispose of a postponement form the previous trip. Philadlephia is due for Friday and Saturday, also Sunday and Monday of next week, then will come New York and Brooklyn for four games each. That will carry the schedule up to July 24, when the Spuds will leave for their second invasion of the east.
The White Stockings, ensconced in fourth place by a narrow margin, are touring the east again, with their nearest downstairs neighbors on the road, too.
Dougherty’s acquisition is in the nature of an experiment. The player, naturally brilliant, has starred both in Boston and New York as a batsman, only to have trouble with the management after a season’s good work. His persona friendship for his fellow townsman, Jones, and the admiration and respect which every player has for President Comiskey, may prevent any further trouble with the crack outfielder. At worst, he is bound to give the club his best services for the rest of this season.
The effort to strengthen up comes at a time when the Sox are in position to climb into the band wagon with additional batting strength, if they retain their present gait in the other departments. The margin is so small between Chicago and the top that it has led several local rooters to point out the probably fact that if Doc White had joined the club at the opening of the season, and if the club had had its infield intact at the start, Chicago would be leading both leagues at present. It is true that, since their upward climb from a bad sixth began over a month ago, the Sox have won twenty-two and lost ten games, a pace fast enough to have put them in the lead now if it had been maintained form the start. But another slump may prove fatal.
Jones’ men have four more games to play in Boston, including a postponement. On Thursday they are due in New York to tackle the Highlanders in four games, lasting through next Monday. Then they go to Washington for four games, and to Philadelphia for six games, including two left over contests, and home again on July 27.
