As much as Philadelphia desired that New York should be beaten, for there was no love lost between the teams in a ball playing way, the fighting spirit and the predominant desire to add to the column of victories as many games as possible brought forth the best efforts of the team of ill fortune against Chicago and struck telling blows against Chicago's success at the most timely moments. * * * * * As a whole the St. Louis team did not play as well in 1912 as it did in the preceding year. There was some bad luck for St. Louis as well as Philadelphia. The players did not get started as well as they had in the previous two years. Their spring training was more or less disastrous, for they were one of the clubs to run into the most contrary of spring weather. Perhaps the worst trouble which the St. Louis team had, take the season through from beginning to finish, was in regard to the pitchers. There were two or three young men on the team who seemed at the close of the season of 1911 to be likely to develop into high class pitchers in 1912. They pitched well in 1912 at intervals. One day it seemed as if they at last had struck their stride and the next they faltered and their unsteadiness gave their opponents the advantage which they sought. Perhaps, if the St. Louis team had been a little stronger to batting it would have rated higher among the organization of the National League. Several games were lost which would have been taken into camp by a better display at bat. In fielding the team was much stronger and the success of the infield, combined with some excellent outfield work now and then, frequently held the team up in close battles, but when the pitchers faltered on the path the fielders were not able to bear the force of the attack. * * * * * For three seasons in succession Brooklyn seems to have been fated to start the season with bad luck and misfortune. The spring training trip did not bring to Brooklyn all that had been expected owing to the inclement weather. When the team began the season at Washington Park a tremendous crowd filled the stands. Long before it was time for the game to begin the spectators became unruly and swarmed over the field. It was impossible for the ground police to do anything with the excited enthusiasts and at last the city police were asked to assist. They tried to clear the field, but only succeeded in driving the crowd from the infield. Spectators were so thick in the outfield that they crowded upon the bases and prevented the players from doing their best. For that matter the outfielders could not do much of anything.