Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-01-01
PREDICTS ATHLETICS TO WIN |
Many Fans COncede Pennant to
Present Holders.
RECAIIs TwO.TnLE PRECEDENT
Present Champions VIII Follow Usual
Rule of Great Hall Playing Ma
chines-win Run smOOthIy
Two Years.

Il
A great many fans already concede the
American league pennant for 1911 to the
Philadelphia Athletics. This seems like a
hasty conclusion four months before the
season opens. The people who believe that
the result Of next years race is all cut
and dried base their conclusions upon sew
eral facts and many pet theories
First, they point out that in the history
Of major league ball the same team usu-
ally won the championship two or three
years in succession. When a manager
succeeded in building UP a winning ma
chine he can almost count on its running
smoothly for at least two years, and It is
not until some other base ball leader de-
velops another first-class team that the
championship takes some time to decay, so
1t also takes years OF experiment and hard
work to build ZIP a great team.
Connie Mack has certainly put together
a wonderful combination and in all prob
ability his aggregation will be still stronger
next season. To his magnificent pitching
staff he has added Russell and one or two
other youngsters who should make the list
Of boxmen even more formidable than It
has been. Last year the Athletics broke
their league record for games won and fin
ished the race in a canter with plenty OF
daylight between themselves and the
runner-up.
Considering these things, it looks as IL
those persons who bank on the Maekmen
winning another pennent were figuring
conservatIvely. 1t IL the uncertainty of
base ball. however. that keeps the interest
OF, countless thousands at fever heat con-
corning our national game.
II only required the addition OF few
stars 10 enable a nine composed mostly
of Washington players to wallop the Ath-
letics in the practice games before the
worlds series. Minus Mack and Collins
the Champions lost to Cuban teams that,
even considering the PhIladelphlans' lack
Of condition, they should have defeated.
Surprising that during some week early
next season Collins should tear off a fin
ger nail and Barry should bruise one Of
his heels. These might be slight things
in themselves and yet affect the final re-
suit OF the whole league race. Then there
are other teams which only need one or
two good men TO make them even favor
ties for the flag.
Chicago. strengthened at all positions.
was playing remarkable ball toward the
end OF last season and should start with
rush in the spring. In Walsh. LANCE,
Scott and White they have a quartet Of
pitchers hard 70 surpass.
Detroit needs strengthening. but the IL
gers have over thirty recruits to pick, from
and II one in ten OK their new men can
make good they will certainly be cham
pionship contenders.
Boston may not show as we'll next year
with stahl- out OF the game but Cleveland
has added new blood, and. while New York
IL somewhat OF an uncertain quantity un-
der its new management many base ball
followers believe that all these teams viii
be well up IN the running next year. At
any rate. It Is probable that the Athletics
will have much harder contest ahead Of
them in 1911 than they had this season.