- Doak and Sallee seemed to be quite indifferent
- Indolence and indifference explain the failure of the Cardinals.
- No man ever treated players better and was treated worse by them than Mr. Britton.
October 18, 1915
J. B. Sheridan, St. Louis Globe Democrat Sun
Owners of baseball clubs in St. Louis heaved long signs when the baseball season ended. It has been the worst season the game has known since Tim Hurst ran the Von der Ahe entry in the National League of 1898. There was one club in St. Louis then. There are three now. That makes the situation three times as bad now it was in 1898.
The season left a bad taste in the mouths of the club owners. Federal League opposition gave players a chance to exact exorbitant salaries and to play lassitudinous ball.
There was an unprecedented rainfall during May, June and July, the profitable months. So, while it is doubtful that either the Browns or Cardinals lost any money it is quite sure that they did not make a great deal. Unfortunate in the play of their teams and in rain at home, Messrs. Hedges and Britton were fortunate in securing some very profitable dates in other cities. This good fortune abroad helped them very much. Had they been obliged to depend upon home crowds they would have had a very lean season.
The Browns did poorly in the spring and lost crowds they should have had then. The Cardinals finished dismally in the fall, and the Federals, playing great ball in opposition, stung them deeply.
New Homes for Many.
The result of the season will be that a great number of the Cardinal players will be in other uniforms next year. Mr. Britton, an extraordinarily amiable man and very generous to his players, has a real kick coming. He treated his men most liberally, paid them exorbitant salaries, accorded them the utmost consideration in every way and got a raw deal in return. High-priced men did not seem to care whether the team went on the field or not so long as they got their salaries. Bescher and Miller, high-salaried men, fell off so, especially in pinch hitting, the fans became antagonistic. Doak and Sallee seemed to be quite indifferent. Butler never woke up. Snyder, Long, Meadows and Betzel alone displayed any desire to play ball.
Roche and Niehaus hung around on the strength of so-called “iron-clad” contracts. In the series with the Browns the Cardinals went to pieces and literally were wiped out. Huggins did not think enough of Bescher or Butler to retain them for the series. Wilson, too, was sent home. The overwhelming victory of the Browns just wiped out about seven Cardinal players. Kindest and most considerate of men, Mr. Britton has about reached the end of his patience. There will be welcome for Meadows, Snyder, Long and Betzel next season. If the other members of the Cardinals team have feelings they’d best spare them by resigning now.
The Cardinal fans have been the most devoted and loyal in the world. For the second successive time in a fall series their idols disappointed them by scarce trying. Indolence and indifference explain the failure of the Cardinals.
No man ever treated players better and was treated worse by them than Mr. Britton. The result of this has been that people are very much against the players and with the club owners. So when the owners begin to “throw the hooks” into the players, as they soon will, they will find the fans with them to a man.
With these few kind remarks the baseball season of 1915 will be considered closed.