Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-27
Can New York Giants Win An
other Pennant?
THE SAME TEAM TO PLAY
Cleveland Picked as Their Opponents
in World Series.
FINE RACING AT NEW ORLEANS
New Racquet Champion-Grant
Again Tennis Leader-olympic
Team Selected.
THE SAME TEAM TO PLAY
FINE RACING AT NEW ORLEANS

NEW YORK, February 21--There could
be no better evidence that the base ball
season Is at hand than the fact that John
McGraw and some of the New York world
champions left here today for Memphis to
get into trim for the National League PEN
nant race McGraw has secured several
young players, including Pitcher Ferguson
OF Louisville. a fair boxman, and Christy
Mathewson's brother Henry, nineteen years
old. a siX-footer and weighing 1S5 pounds,
who is believed TO be a good twirler, too.
Clyde Robinson and Catcher Fitzgerald
also are newcomers, but when the race be-
gins McGraw will depend on the same team
that has the pennant twice in success
sion and also captured the worlds series
last fall from the Philadelphia Americans.
This means that the New York Nationals
win have the great Mathewson in the box,
together with McGinnity, Taylor, Ames and
Wiltse. Behind the bat will be the star
receivers, Bresnahan and Bowerman. as
Bill Clarke has been released. Dan Me
Gam. Billy Gilbert. Bill Dahlen and Arthur
Devln will cover the iniield positions while
Sam Alertes Mike Donlin and George
Browne Will take up the outfield once more,
with Sam Strang utility man.
Can this remarkable combination win the
pennant again? MCGraw thinks ii can, and
he is good base ball judge. Yet in Chi
Cago and Pttsburg the experts are positive
that their representative ball mines IN the
National League will carry OFF the hon0rs.
Chicagos team. under the management OF
Frank Chance, looks more formidable than
Pittsburg'S. inasmuch as James Sheckard
has been added. which means increased
strength with the bat and on the bases.
The pitching department. without the serv-
Ices of Jake Weimer, however. is not so
formidable as ii might be-
Pirates Lack Balance
Pittsburg had good fast team last year.
which worried McGraw's men considerably
at times, but it lacked balance and con-
certed power, weak points that Dreyfus and
Fred Clarke have tried to remedy since
Hugh Duffy believes that his Philadelphia
team Will be in the hunt for the pennant.
especially If he can develop another strong
twirler, as outside of the box he has a fast
lot of Hitters and felGegs.
Edward HanlOn's career with the Cinciu-
natl team will be watched with unusual in
terest In the east. IF lie succeeds in bring
ing the Reds up to q respectable place ia
the nag struggle he win be entitled to
much praise as lie has many obstacles 10
overcome.
The Boston. Brooklyn and 81. Louis
teams. While they may have been strength
Cned slightly, are not expected 10 do much
better IA the way of positions than they
did last season. Sizing up the talent in the
eight National League teams a majority
OF the experts place New York first again.
with Chicago, Pittsburg. Philadelphia GIN
cinnati Boston, st. Louis and Brooklyn
finishing in the order named. In other
words. the old league is topheavy with
three hTst-class teams and five inferior
ores, a condition that does not guarantee
public interest i'm the race in a majority OF
the cities of the circuit from first to las
Real Club to Play Giants.
II McGraw's men win their third con-
secutive penuant. base ball fans hope that
I'm the worlds series they will meet tho
hes, team in the American League in point
or actual playing strength. Last year.
barring accidents which were unayo.d able
and at the same time remarkable. il is SAFE
- say tibet Cleveland. New York. Chicago
and Boston would have finished in front of
the Athletics Of Philadelphia who took tie
johnson pennant and then proved elzy
marks for the New York Nationals
But this season. with Old Hard Luck in
the back seat base bail experts expect 10
see the Clevelands and Chicagos, at least.
put II over Mack men. The Bostors, I'M
less they have the services of Dineen ard
Criger will not be sensational factors It
Is thought, but Detroit with an impr owed
team will be considered in the calculate ms
and so viii the New York Americans. Grif-
nth isn't saying a word just now but there
Is no doubt that he has gathered together
fine team, including youngsters acknoWl-
edged TO be the cream of the minor leagues
The WashinstOns, with Lave Cross TO
steady the iutield. are not to be despiseI as
they played very clean BAH last year under
the capable leadership Of Jake Stlhi The
st Louis team is a new one, with q few
veterans 20 act as ballast, but at this early
stage no line on its strength can he OBJ
tanned. Among base ban players Cleve-
land Is favorite for the american League
pennant. In fact they say that if Iajoie
had been able to play all lest season the
Forest city team would have carried OF
the honOrs. Lajoie has recovered entirely
from his Injuries and expects TO he In har-
ness from the jump. In hitting. fielding
and pitching this combination is hard to
excel and series with McGraw's meE
would put the latter 10 a much more severe
test. Il Is believed, than the games with the
Quakers last fall provided. on form. there
fore. the wiseacres pick the New York Ma
tioIals and the Cleveland Americans as the
competitors for worlds championship hon
ors this year. But IL is well to remember
that the wiSeacras sometimes err, particu-
larly as base ball is filed with uncertain
ties.