Evening star., 1911-06-04
LEAGUE TEAMS STRIKE
THEIR STRIDE AT LAST
Pennant Contenders in American and Ma
tional Leagues Are Apparently IN Sight
Now-Old League Race Is Close.

ers. They may finish third or fourth.
Cleveland has been a big dissappoint,
the material for q pennant contender
this season. became so greatly disheart-
ened that he quit. and the first baseman.
George Stovall, succeeded him. Stcvall
has been seriously Handicapped by In
juries to Lajoie. Jackson and other regu-
lar players. and will have difficulty get
ting out OF the second division.
Washington and st. Louis need not be
counted. The Senators lack good pitch
ers. Walter Johnson. their star. has
proved disappointment so far. McAleer
is a good manager. but he cannot do
better unless he has the material. ST.
Louis. with a bunch of youngsters under
new manager. Bobby Wallace. will
have trouble getting out of last place.
although the material may be there for
future seasons when 1t is developed prop
erly.
Summing up the American League race,
it would appear to the writer that the
fight for the flag is between Detroit and
the Athletics, with Boston, Chicago and
New York fighting It out for the next
three positions. and Cleveland, Washing
That may prove wrong, but surely not
SO very far.
The man who can dope" out the Ma
tional League situation is a wonder. Last
winter base ball experts were almost
unanimous In selecting New York to win
the pennant, but it has since developed
that at least three other clubs-Chicago,
Pittsburg and the Phillies-are going
to have something to say about the loca-
ton of the flag.
Since it is safe to say that one Of four
teams will win the highest honors in the
senior base ball league, 1t appears to the
writer to be question OF two veteran
clubs against two teams rebuilt and
strengthened.
New York and the Phillies have the
reconstructed teams-Dooin's Hopes to q
greater extent than the Giants. Chicago
and Pittsburg have the veterans, gen.
orally speaking.
The Phillies, infused with new blood
by the addition Of Paskert and Lobert,
and with some grand young pltchers
added to the corps, are the dark horses
Of the National League race. II they
continue to progress at the pace they set
at the start they can afford an occa-
sional slump and still recover the ground
lost. Far be from US to say the Hopes
will win the nag. To be absolutely truth
full. they have a first division club and a
pennant contender.
New York, under the leadership Of
"Muggsy'' McGraw. has good ball club
And what is more, McGraw E has ;aa.s capable aae
the material McGraw enthuses spirit
into his men which makes them hard to
overcome. Nobody considers New York
anything except a one-tWo-three cluo ana
a pOSSlDl0 pcnHduI
Chicago is uncertain. This is due large
ly to the fact that Chances pitching staff
has shown little until very recently, ana
his veterans in all departments appear
to be going back a trifle. Chance found
a third baseman to take Steinfeidt's place
in Doyle, and Zimmerman seems to be
filing Evers' shoes quite well. But one
cannot get over the idea that the Cubs
Of 1911 are not the Cubs which won the
pennant in 1910. Still. they are in the
fight.
Pittsburg's pennant hopes are centered
to q great extent in pitchers. II the tWirl-
ers can hold the other fellows. Wagner,
Leach and Clarke, with the youngsters IN
other positions, will come pretty close to
getting the majority of the victories. Yet
1t is q team dependent largely upon vete-
rams and they cannot always produce.
Anyhow. no one mas nsured the Flra'es
out of 1t at any stage.
OF the other four clubs st. Louis ap-
pears to be the best. Bresnahan has
bunch Of youngsters who tight to the
last minute. And he has some very
pennant contenders, and yet they can
make 1t mighty unpleasant for several
of the four clubs which are looked upon
as first division bets.
as q pennant~contender, has again proved
q disappointment The Reds may, like
st. Louis, do some fghting later on
which will hurt the big fellow near the
sidered when the pennant Is mentioned
in these parts.
Brooklyn has q fair base ball club and
seems able to win q good many games
from some of the leaders. But the Su-
perbas are hardly what Is termed win
ming team and will be fortunate to finish
higher than sixth. with seventh more
likely. Boston need not be considered,
since the Rustlers lack pitchers and their
hitting, which has usually been good.
wins few games because the other fell
lows hit harder.
To sum up the situation in the National
League would be to say that It looks
like q grand fight to the finish between
three and possibly four teams. Pick your
winner.