The Indianapolis journal., 1904-06-05
SUMMING Up NATIONAL
LEAGUES CLOSE RACE
Chicago, New York, Pittsburg and
Cincinnati Picked as the
First Four.
THESE HAVE LEADERS
St. Louis and Brooklyn to Fight
for Fifth Place-Phillies
in the Rear.

NEW YORK, June 4.-This is the way
the National League looks now-if predic-
tion or two can be ventured:
Chicago, New York Pittsburg and Gin
clnnati to fight it out for the first four
positions, with st. Louis and Brooklyn for
the fifth position. Philadelphia and Bos-
ton will undoubtedly trail. And the reason
the first four are picked to be the ones
who will decide the leadership when the
final count is made is because they have
the teams and the leaders.
Take Chicago-A great leader in Frank
Selee, a man who, in all his long career as
baseball manager. has never been identi-
fed with a loser. A strong hitting, fast
base-running and good fielding infeld;
bunch of pitchers that are reliable men
good for their regular turns every fourth
day. In Killing they have the best catcher
in either of the big eagues-eVerythlhg
considered. The only weak spot is the out
field. Aside from Slagle there is not 800
hitter, nor yet a star outer gardener.
New York-In McGraw that team has one
OF those scrappy, aggressive leaders VINO
can get more out of men OF mediocre aDlll-
ty than any manager in the country-Selee
alone excepted. His men will die fighting:
He has probably better control over his OLD
men and get more out of them than
any one else could. That has been proven
Whether or not he is a developer of young
blood remains to be seen, as that has not
been demonstrated.
Pittsburg-The three-time champions. In
Fred Clarke the team has one of the great
est playing managers the game has ever
saw. In Philippe and Lever, two OF the
best pitchers in the league. and in Camnltz
and Scanlon two promising youngsters
Behind the bat he is we'll fortified, while
his outfeld an guardians of the infield are
long day. Inc whole bunch is there,
too, with quickly turned points of advan-
tage, daring and heady work aheld and
H. fhnNr "a hs-l
Eastern trip and get away from the betting
ring in the Smoky City that is continually
knocking, knocking, knocking. Then see
what they will do
tell about them, except to say that possibly
the merits of the individual members OF
the team. and Joe Kelley himself as their
leader, are tetter appreciated abroad than
in the city they represent.
Aside from the great twirling staff, of
which Manager Nichols himself is the ac-
knowledged star, there are not so many
sensational ball players in that CARDINAL
outfit. They haven't a surplus of quick
thinkers on that infield, and the outside
looks weak in comparison with the rest of
Brooklyn, here of late, has disappointed
every one. and none more keenly than Man
ager Hanlon himself The pitching corps
is not there. Jones is the only man of
| recognized merit among the slab work
ers. The catching department is not par
| ticularly strong, for Bill Bergen, too weak
| light-too light for a big league infeld
and there is but one good ball player in
| the outfield-Jimmy Sheckard
Boston and Philadelphia will fight II out
| for last place, of that there can be but little
| doubt The chances rather favor Bucken-
| berger's crew for ''the hole despite the
| bad start made by Duffy's men. Little
| Hughie' has the better in and outfield
with the exception that there is Tenney tc
| be reckoned with against the passt
| Jack Doyle. Neither pitching staff looks
4 rti0 or1x CT
bly, has the better of the argument on thai
score.
| But when you get right down to 1t, this
| is going to be one of the prettiest races
| the League has seen in many long year
| Certain il is that no team will make a run
| away race of it as Pittsburg has been won
! to do. That worlds championship series
| taught the balance of the teams in the
| National League that the Pirates were no-
| impregnabe, and they have not been SLOW
| to take advantage of that this year. Neither
| is Chicago, New York nor Cincinnati to ge
| near the top without fighting tooth and toe
| nail for every inch of advantage gained.