The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02
ChiagO White Sox the Dark Horse of the 1911
 Campaign GIANTS HAVE EDGE IN NATIONAL LEAGUE Farnsworth Says Phillies Will Finish in the First Division If Pitchers Go Well-Prospectus of
 the Major Race
By w. S. FARNswORTH

New York, April 1.-In about two weeks the baseball season of 1911 will open, and until October American. and National league fandom will have a merry session. lii both organizations the race this year should be even closer and more bitterly fought than last season, as the teams at this writing look pretty evenly matched throughout both circuits.
 The Giants in the National league and the Athletics in the American league are favorites in their respective organiza- tions, but q bad break in luck, illness or many other things, which have to be battled with in baseball would put either of these teams out of the race.
 We will try to get line on the Amer lean league race first. There never were eight more evenly balanced clubs in Ban Johnson's circuit. While the Athletics have first call because they are not only pennant winners, but champions of the world. New York, Chicago, Detroit, Bos- ton and Cleveland all figure to have charce. St. Louis and Washington may spring a surprise, but just now they hardly class on form with the other half dozen clubs.
 Athletics and Yankees
 Connie Mack's men are nearly all youngsters who have years and years of good baseball left in them. Harry Davis is the only veteran in the infield, and veteran whose long and timely hits have made baseball history. He is what ball players call the "Old Head" of the out fit and keeps the youngsters steady when the tension is strong to do a flight.
 In Coombs and Bender the Athletics have the best pair of boxmen, possibly. in the league But those two men are the only real classy pictures Mack has on his roster. Morgan, Plank and Krause are fair, but not above the dinary, by any means. If either one of them should have a bad season there will be a grand opportunity of some other club stepping in and copping tho pennant.
 The Yankees figure next best. Here is a team of youngsters who should play some grand baseball this season. With Hal Chase. beloved leader, at the helm, the players are going to work their very fingers off in hopes of winning the bunting
 Last year Ed Sweeney was the only real backstop the club possessed This season Walter Blair, who last season caught 145 games for Rochester, the Eastern league pennant winners, will be ever on the job ready to replace Sweeney in case of accident or sick ness. This pair form about the niftiest catching staff in the country
 There never was any doubt as to the quality of the Yankees right-hand twirlers. This year big Jim Vaughn is in shape to do himself justice. His sore arm is O. K. now. And from down in San Antonio the Yankees have unearthed a young southpaw who looks like a real find. He is Harry Ables, a six-footer who has everything that tine high-class southpaw possesses and besides his control is perfect, some- thing unusual with most portside fling. CTS.
 Vaughn and Ables will do the bulk of the twirling against Philadelphia, Detroit and Boston, teams who have never been able to do much against left-hand twirlers. The starboard fingers will look after the other four clubs.
 SOx Dark Horses
 Chicago is the dark horse in the race. If Billy Sullivan comes back and has a good year the White Sox will be well taken care of behind the bar. They hay a grand bunch of hard hit ting outf1elders and their young infiell should be overflowing with pepper. Harry Lord at third base is probably the best guardian of the~difflcult sacl, in the world.
 / With Walsh, Lange, Scott White and Olmstead. Hughy Duffey certainly has one of the strongest staffs of boxnfen that ever decorated a clubs roster.
 If George Mulin has successful year Detroit will be right up near the top all season but if the big fellow should go bad 1t is hard to figure how tho Tigers. even the Jennings pep" and vinegar can be considered one, two club. tN
 If Addie Joss arm comes around the Maps will have swell chance of fin ishing in the first division. In Joe Jackson Cleveland apparently dug up another Ty Cob. He sure did look inn. mense last fall but he can bat only in turn and there are eight others who may not be able to wallop the ball like him.
 When John I. Taylor let Harry Lord get away from his Boston club he made vital mistake. Purtell is not in the same class. The Red Sox have to de- velop a new first baseman, besides, as ]. Gerald Stahl has quit the game for good and all to be a banker. With these two stars gone. the Red Soxs newsmen