Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-14
The OMAHA SUNDAY BEE
OMAHA, SUNDAY, AUGUST IA. 1910
JUDGMENTS

n n y
n F THE four leagues--Natonal. Amer
lean. Western and American asso- !
ctation-the closest race is In the
~ Western, where Denver and Sioux !
City are making a splendid fight for first
place zig-zagging back and forth, and
Lincoln Is steadily forging in that direc-
ton The next best fight is between the
Pirates and Giants for second place in the
National The Cubs seem to have the PEN
nant well in hand. In the American league
the Athletics have a wide margin and yet
are not safely on top. for Boston, Detroit
and New York are punched not an impos- |
sIble distance behind. The American asso-
citation pennant seems to be already won
by Minneapolis ST. Paul has remained In |
second place only because the teams under
Il persisted, like ITSELF in losing. But the
remarkable thing is that not in any Of these
four organizations lie there fight between
first and second division teams. Only the
most unusual streak Of Ill luck could now
prevent Denver, Sioux CITY, Lincoln and
Wichita from winding up the first four
teams, not necessarily in that order
though; while st. Joseph. Omaha. Des
Molnes and Topeka appear to be hopelessly
doomed to the second division. OF course, i!
II one or two of the top teams were to
strike a continuous losing streak and
Omaha or St. joe hit a long upgrade the
order might be changed, but neither OF
these contingencies is likely to occur. The
season is too far gone for material change
now The fatal weakness In many teams
this kyear, in major and minor ball, has
beefltne the box. Conversely, other teams
have Won by having good pitchers. Lincoln
is a fine example. But for it's pitching staff
v1.Ak hna for
while it's team otherwise is fair, it is not
above the average But that Is nonetheless to
the credit OF Lincoln. 1t did well to get
a good set of pitchers. This year in this
and other leagues we have had most forci-
bly, brought home to us the potency OF
pitching as q factor In winning games. 1t
suggests again the old proposition OF re-
vising the rules in some way so as to
offer q nearer approach to an equity be-
tween the box and other departments. 1t
81 not desirable that so much power should
center in one man; 1t is not conducive to
the best base ball. st. Louis Cardinals fur
nish another example. Bresnahan has
magnificent team, but his pitchers are weak
and he Is losing a consequence. Sioux
City is vastly helped by its pitchers. Steady
pitching. OF course. is essential and should
be fostered, for nothing serves to steady
whole team and produce good ball quite as
much as reliable pitching and on the other
hand nothing puts team in the air quite
as quickly as poor pitching. But the diff
Guilty OF striking proper balance between
pitching and batting has been and probably
always will be the gravest problem in the
science Of the game.
Ill luck has not left the trail of the
Rourkes for one minute. As soon as
6sraham got in shape TO play, Kane was
q nsd to the bedside of his sister and
Thompson went to first Then the new
fielder, Riggert got in the lineup and
Reddy Corridon's foot went back on him,
That forced Schipke back into the game
with his wounded hand and sent Moriarity
over to short Bert King still wears his
hand dn bandage, though plays. Thomp-
son In his unobtrusive way has made a
great hit with the fans this year. He
has played all over the lot and done his
best everywhere, hitting with telling ef-
feet most of the time.
Those who have followed Chick Autreys
work for the last two weeks carefully have
observed that his batting has been almost
nothing Prior to that he was hitting like
q Mouse aflre. That is one OF the reasons
C1Yfck did not stay up when he was there.
Hesfs a great first baseman. one of the best
in the country and has a good batting eye;
ought always to be in the 800 class But
what he lacks is plenty OF nerve. When
he hits a slump his heart falls and II takes
him weeks to get up again That is not
the fiber that wins and Chick ought to get
over Il.
OLD cy Young has at last resorted TO the
AL No. h1 ,aa
the device OF the gutter and refused to
use It, but this season in tight places he
has taken 1t UP and finds it his most ef-
fective ball and he believes it will not
Injure his arm. II II does not. nothing
will, and Cy ought to start in on another
round OF forty years.
Old Tim Flood proved to be a little too
slow II George Graham holds together
there will not be any need of another man
at second Moriarity is all to the good, so
long as his health holds out and IL is bet
ter in this western country, he says, than
anywhere else, But the skipper has come
back. too.
Walter johnson OF Washington. held the
mighty Clevelanders to two hits the other
day and Thomason the Topeka got one
OF tnOoo. johnson mas no peer IN the
American league and the pity is he is not
with winning team.
The American league has created the new
office OF scout FOR umplres and has very
fittingly employed John F. Sheridan. the
old veteran Jump, for the place II is
needed function.
: New York fans are already willing to ao-
claim the Cubs champions. Might as
we'll get In the front as the back seats Of
= the bandwegon.
l Harry Welch is still Rourke property ana
his return depends entirely on clrcum-
stances stll Harry has splendid chance
In Omaha.
II now locks as II that yellow streak
Jumped out OF Johnson's back and ran up
Langford'a
Never mind. we viii be back at them with
Dc new plant and new team next year, Ell