The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1911-04-14
OPENING OF NATIONAL AND
AMERICAN LEAGUE TODAY
MUSIC TO FANS.
new YORK GIANTS FAvoR|TEs
Philadelphia, Champions Last Year,
Are Picked to Land Flag in
Other Race.


tan, in other words the 1911 base
ball season opened today in both OF
the big leagues.
Today begins what bids fair to be
the most propitious year the nation
al game has ever known. Baseball
has grown SO tremendously big and
Is now conducted on such compre-
hensive and businesslike basis tina,
1t Is pretty safe to predict that every
season will be a little better on the
whole than the preceding year.
knowledge Of this fact prompts
President Lynch of the National and
President Johnson of the American
to predict that 1911 will set new
record in attendance.
A remarkable feature of the sea-
son now opening is that the Chicago
Cubs, who won the National League
pennant with ease last year, are not
the favorites for the honor this
year. The short end in the betting
Is the New York Giants, who finish
ed second in 1sAO.
A symposium of views of thirty
we'll known sporting editors in big
league towns found "a pinning
their faith to New York and only
three in Chicago. OF the three who
picked Chicago, two were Chicago
scribes. These also, touted Pitts.
burg for the flag. In the American
League 20 of these writer's selected
the Philadelphia Athletics to repeat,
while one lone dopester looked to
Detroit for the winner.
1t is easy enough TO see why the
Athletics should be such unanim-
GUS choice, for the team showed
last season that it is still coming,
but it is difficult to see why the
Cubs should run such a bad second
to New York. 1t is probably be-
cause the Giants made such strong
dnish and the Cubs went down to
such inglorious defeat before the
Athletics in the worlds title games.
The failure of the Cubs to repeat,
however, may be predicted on only
one basis-a fall-down on the part
Of several of the old stars. The Chi
cago team that takes the field today
y practically the same team that has
won four of the last five National
League flags. Manager Chances
nomination has proved unbeatable
In the National League, so that the
only way it is likely to lose this year
will be for the hitherto alright ma
chine to "blow'or for other teams
10 exhibit unexpected strength.
--'s Those who are pessimistic regard
ing Chicago, put the proposition this
way: There is more likelihood Of
Chances veteran team becoming
creaky than that Of the Giants, the
Pirates or the Cincinnati Reds will
not strike swift and deadly gait
and maintain it to the end.
It is differences of opinion that
make horse races and the same holds
true In baseball. National League
followers generally would not re-
gret to see some other team than
the Cubs cop the bunting for other
wise the prospect OF the National
League regaining the worlds title is
about as bright as the Alberta
orange crop. The team that Connie
Mack turned out last year would, in
the opinion Of nine experts out OF
ten, trim the Cubs nearly as often
as they could get together. And
this is the team that Connie Mack,
II fortune goes we'll, will hurl
against the National League winners
again.
When. Mack was asked for the
lineup for his opening game this
year, he replied: Take your score
board Of the first worlds series game
last year, put Oldring In place Of
strunk and you will have It," This
means that the crafty Mr.. McGilli-
euddyEis standing pat with venge-
ance. It Is true that he has added
Z couple Of pitchers in Russell and
Collamore, but It IL doubtful II they
viii do more than trail along this
year: and learn from watching such
stars 40 Bender and Coombs. .-r4
Practically the same situation OBJ
lains In the camp Of the Cubs.
Manager; Chance has added Pitchers
roney and Griffen and Outfielders
Doyle and shean, but they viii
probably be for emergencies and fail
81 regular berths. Toney looks to
be the real goods and Chance Is GER
ain he has uncovered another won
Ter like King Cole. II Toney
md Griffen make good. the oft-re-
seated cry that Chances pitching