Norwich bulletin., 1912-02-03
ATHLETICS INvINcIBLE
 FOR ANOTHER YEAR
And Possibly Two, Is the Belief of
 Frank Chance.

That the Philadelphia Athletics are incincible for another year. and pos sibly two, is the belief of Frank Chance, winner of four National league pen nants and two worlds championships. Chance subscribes to this belief His statement Is unique in that, so far as known, he is the first National league manager to voluntarily recognize the superiority of the American league 1 leaders.
 This, however. is as far as Chance is willing to acknowledge the supe- | riority of the younger organAza ton. He does not believe that the results of the several post season contests, aside from the worlds series, served to give true line on the actual strength of the competing clubs.
 Laying aside prejudice and profess sionaI bias, the dope would seem to indicate that the American league is shade faster than the National, but the difference would be only barely perceptible in a full seasons play, and In all probability the conditions will be exactly reversed two or three years hence.
 Chance is sincere in his estimate of the Athletics, and gave his opinion re- garding them freely. He does not har- bor the slightest i'll feeling toward Mack and his team, despite the de- cisive trouncing which the Cubs ex- perienced at their hands in 1910.
 You ask wherein lies the great strength of the Athletics?" said Chance, repeating the question which had been put to him. This may best be answered by saying that the Mack machine really has no glaring weak place in its lineup. First base is the only position that is open to question, and am not qualified to pass on that for the simple reason that I did not have an opportunity to see McInnis in action. If he is as good as claimed, the Athletic infield practically Is with out a flaw.
 Just to what extent McInnis would have increased the effectiveness of the Athletics in the series with the New York Giants is problematical, but Stuffy certainly made fine and dandy record during the regular season.
 Mack has fine pitching staff. his outfeld has shown It's ability to deliver ths goods, while the catching force has demonstrated that it is good enough for all practical purposes In short, the Athletics are a well rounded base ball machine and believe that they are in line for another worlds cham pionship and possibly two.
 Returning to the Athletic pitching staff, 1 regard Bender as one of the best beavers which the game has pro- duced. While Coombs won from us every time hs started in 1910, he was hit hard. but there is no discounting his ability.
 Tn my opinion, it will take from one to three years for the National league to develop team which is capable of AhS AI,o Athletics. Most of McGraw's main stays are corners, and New York should have Q grand team two years hence. Tn fact, 1t is possible that this is the team which eventually will take the measure of the Athletics. Although in the process of rebuilding we expect to be up in the race ourselves, while Pittsburg will bear watching Fred Clarke always has his club up in the race. He has been fortunate in the selection of his pitchers, and if O'Toole performs up to his advance notices the Pirates will have to be taken into con- sideration when 1t comes to making calculations"
 Chance says that no major league club can hope to win moro than four pennants, while in a majority of cases three will prove to be the maximum. This is easily explained. It takes from three to four years to build a pennant winning club. and once a team is brought up to this standard it is only a question of three or four years until the players begin to slow down. This may be almost imperceptible, but be- comes apparent when it comes to sum- ming up results at the end of the sea- son, and the manager suddenly finds himself up against the proposition of rebuilding the club. This is the situa- ton which Chance now faces.