1915: Here Come the Phillies
The happenstance of how the Phillies were led to select St. Pete can perhaps be credited to their chief scout and to the innkeeper of the Detroit Hotel. Capt. William Neal came to St. Pete in 1914 to look at the Browns prospects as the Phillies players were being poached rapidly by the new Federal League. Neal tried to check into the Detroit, St. Pete’s oldest hotel, only to be informed that the Hotel was booked as were likely all the other hotels in town. Neal was informed that he would likely have to go back to Tampa to find lodging. As Neal was picking up his grip to leave, the innkeeper said if he’d like to take a chance and wait, there were a couple of rooms not checked in yet and if someone didn’t show, he could let that room. Neal decided to wait it out and he got a room.
Neal fell in love with both St. Pete and Rickey’s ball complex. Upon meeting Al Lang, the baseball company’s business manager, they struck up a friendship. He let Lang know that if for some reason the Browns did not wish to return, the Phils would be interested. As the saga of Lang chasing the Browns through the ’14 season to come back in the Spring of ’15, he also stayed in communication with the Phillies.
When the deal was done, Neal came back to St. Pete in advance of the squad to help make the final arrangements for their arrival. Neal, aware of the issues at the 5th Avenue Hotel, announces in early February that he has booked the team at the Sholl (later named the Edgewater). It has not been written what the snafu was, but nearly two weeks later Neal announces that the team will once again be at the 5th Avenue. The new owner, Mrs. O. K. Hall, has added two upper baths to the hotel. She also promises to have delivered a mid-day meal to the park so that the players don’t have to return to the hotel between practices. The baseball company also added hot water to the showers at the park.
The schedule featured two to four games versus the Cubs, the actual number ended up being three with one at Coffee Pot. The only other major league team the Phils faced was the A’s. They had six games versus the Cuban Reds, with the final two games before breaking camp scheduled with the Louisville AAA club. On non-game days the afternoon practice would feature scrimmage games between the Regulars and the Yannigans. Admission to watch those was 25 cents.
The first group of Phils arrived here on March 1. The second squad joined the workouts on the 5th. There were 29 players total in camp which was the league limit. Rickey exceeded the league limit with his 47 in ’14, but due to the upstart Federal League trying to poach as many players as they could, the league turned a blind eye to that. During the first batting practice session, slugging first baseman and Captain Fred Luderus hit a ball over the right field fence causing a sensation. The park was said to be deep (it is still the Deadball period) and nobody hit a ball out of the park at all in ’14. All of Rickey’s practice stations are again put to use.
The Cubs travel to Coffee Pot for the opening day. St. Pete again declares a half holiday for businesses to close in the afternoon. The Phils suffer their only defeat to the Cubs. Cubs first baseman Vic Saier becomes the first player to hit a homerun over the fence at Coffee Pot. The out-of-town newspapers release said the fence was 335’, in actuality it was designed to be ‘240. The crowd was announced at 3,500 although prior news reports had anticipated a crowd of 5,000. The Phils return to Tampa to play the Cubs only drew 2,000 and that was with the Pennsylvania Society of St. Pete booking a train car over there to attend.
The A’s came with Connie Mack and future hall of famer Nap Lajoie, The first game was a 5 – 5 tie called on account of darkness. The second game was rained out, the only day lost to rain out of 25 total. The Phils swept all six versus the Cubans and handled Louisville. The Yannigans traveled to Orlando and beat the Birmingham club twice. As good as the game results were, the atmosphere at camp was the bigger story.
Pat Moran, a catcher with the team in former years including ’14, took over as manager. He ran a tough camp with rigid expectations for how the players got their work done. His off the field rules were a bit lighter than Rickey’s, but there were still rules in place. Five Philadelphia reporters came down and made comments through their papers of how the players had a noticeable change of attitude towards one another. Once taking over management, Moran got rid of some good players that apparently turned out to be clubhouse cancers.
The reporters also claimed Coffee Pot facilities were “as good as any that can be found at any training camp.” Business manager Bill Shettsline who had been with the team since its inception in 1883 was quoted as saying that “the weather and facility are great.” Fred Luderus and Dode Paskert both inquire about acquiring housing to live in during the winter. The Phillies will even credit the time in St. Pete for their success during the season. In the midst of their pennant drive the team will refer to St. Pete as its mascot.
The Phils begin the regular season with a seven-game winning streak and go on to winning their first pennant in 30 years (1885). They lose the World Series to the Red Sox. Gavvy Cravath hits a then major league record 24 home runs; future Hall of Famer Dave Bancroft takes over the shortstop position and excels; Fred Luderus, George Whitted and Beals Becker also help with the hitting attack. The pitching staff has two future Hall of Famers; Grover Alexander has a remarkable season winning 31 games; Eppa Rixey, perhaps the most popular player on the team is a young up-and-comer.
In April, owner William Baker confirms that the Phils will be back to St. Pete in ’16. St. Pete will continue to pursue a 2nd team for the next spring. In October, the Yankees are once again the rumor.