1916: The Heroes Return
Going into the ’16 spring season, the Phillies will return with just as much optimism of getting the proper work done as they did last spring. The Cardinals pulled out of the state so the Cubs and A’s are the only major league opponents to schedule (the Braves are in Miami, deemed too far). In January, a dispute with the A’s occurs, Connie Mack gets angered and cancels all spring contests. The Phillies turned down playing games in Waycross, Ga., Charleston, and Raleigh on the way north after breaking camp. The only explanation (or speculation) was that Pat Moran did not want his team sleeping on the train that many nights in a row. The spring schedule will consist of a seven-game series against the Cubs and two games against the local St. Pete club.
The main squad is scheduled to arrive on March 5, and break camp on April 4. One of the offseason acquisitions was a familiar face, Wilbur Good. Good was with the Cubs in ’15 and one of only two players to hit a homerun over the right field fence in games last season (turned out to be the only two homeruns in five spring seasons). Good settled in Brooksville, Fl. about 60 miles north, and is buried there. Future Hall of Famer Charles “Chief” Bender is signed as a free agent out of the Federal League. Bender and Ben Tincup give the Phillies two of only six “Indian” (Native American) players active in the league.
Moran will come down a couple weeks early to enjoy some relaxation in the warm climate (he is from Massachusets). Coming down early for the third consecutive spring is the chief scout, Captain William Neal. Neal has political experience and it is joked that he is coming to be Al Lang’s campaign manager as he runs for mayor. The squad will be staying on the bay at the Sholl Hotel (renamed the Edgewater Inn in future years). The St. Pete Concert Band meets the team at the train station and parades them down Central Ave. and over to the hotel.
As practice begins, Good makes good by hitting the fence in batting practice and makes some good fielding plays during scrimmage games. Two infielders are injured on successive days, so Moran orders the infield torn up and re-rolled to smooth it out. The press once again notes the harmony amongst the players.
In 1914, the baseball company was responsible for supplying the baseballs, so Al Lang would be the guy chasing them down and even wrestling the kids for the foul balls. He made sure that became the Phillies responsibility when he contracted with them for ’15 and beyond. Bill Shettsline, former player manager and now the business manager, became the person assigned to retrieving baseballs and getting them back in play. Baseballs now cost $1.25 each or $15 per dozen. Two things were done to help him this spring. The first was a controlled burn of the brush outside the fences. A white ball showed up much more noticeably on charred ground. The second was the team acquired a “turtle” type cage structure to put over home plate during batting practice to keep more foul balls in the park.
The players became adept at entertaining themselves around St. Pete and at the ballpark. During off times many fished, some played golf and a few more travelled out to the beach. At the ballpark during lunch break, some would go back out to fish and others would shoot at targets since the area was still relatively uninhabited. A few ballplayers were singers, sometimes solo and other times duos, trios or quintets. Dave Bancroft, George Whitted, Oscar Dugey, George Chalmers, and George McQuillen were the primary crooners. Whitted, Jack Adams, and Eppa Rixey were avid photographers.
That 15 minutes of rain was the only training time missed during the spring. The Phillies sweep the Cubs all seven games. Lang and Baker reach agreement for the Phillies to return in ’17. Baker again refuses to purchase the facility although he shares the final gate proceeds with the baseball company since he realizes they are falling deeply in debt. The top attendance in Tampa had been about 1,000 while 2,200 show up at Coffee Pot. Those woes would see the Cubs move out to California in ’17.
The Phillies would go on to win 91 games, one more than the 90 they won to win the pennant in ’15. The Dodgers, however, won 94 relegating the Phillies to a second-place finish. All-in-all, it was another good season for the franchise.