The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-09

| QAND Wy
| psAMoM
c.: am@e9szsr
Barring the fact that the Kaws are
on the bottom the present race in the
| Western League is an IDEAL one. The
! teams are so close that the difference
! of a game almost entirely upsets the
| league standing. Wichita took an aw-
full jump by beating the Kaws in the
last game. The Jobbers may be down
| next to Lincoln tomorrow night. Or
| St. Joseph may be way down in the
| table instead of near the top. 1t is
the kind of a race managers and own
erS hope for.
| On previous trips around the circuit
other clubs have waxed fat upon our
Kaws. If the Kaws continue to play
the kind of ball they exhibited upon
their at home stay, these same clubs
may have some trouble. And every
game the Indians win not only lifts
them a little but pulls down another
team Both the games Saturday and
Sunday were of the kind that either
team should win. The Kaws were
playing at top speed and grabbing ev-
erything in sight.
The Kaws have been doing a little
better than breaking even since the
team took fresh start. They must
do it to get off the bottom. Perhaps
they can. If so all right If not 1t
means that the same mistake of under
estimating the batting strength of the
Western will not be made next year.
And the team is getting stronger every
day for all of it's lowly standing.
Meanwhile the season is not yet half
over. 1t will soon be. And what does
the second half of it hold in store for
the Kaws? Going at their present clip
their prospects should be quite bright.
The awful strain under which the
players on other teams are going is
likely to tell on some one. 1t should
cause no surprise if some of the teams
now going like wildfire should blow up.
comes, the Kaws should be in position
to do damage. That, it now seems, is
their only chance. If they can go
along at their present rate for awhile
they can break even or a little better
and be ready for the opening which
should result from the explosion.
The Kaws should not be as liable to
explosion as the six leading teams in
the league. They have had their ex-
ploSion. Leaving home at the head of
the list, they came back on the bot
tom. Then one rotten streak followed
another. At last attempts were made
to strengthen the team. In the box it
is undoubtedly stronger The infeld
A contrary result would be an excep-
ton. And when this happens, if It
looks better. The outfield is fair. And
with the players going good the team
looks better all around.
The breaks have to come to a ball
club and they always come to the club
that is winning. Strange but a fact
nevertheless. Ever see a tailender have
any luck? OF course you have not.
The breaks must go to the winning
team or it would not be a winning one
It is just a month from today that
they ring the curtain down in the Cen
trail Kansas league. Topeka will have
a number of players who can be called
in at that time if they are needed and
if the team is in any position to use
their efforts. Meanwhile the Central
Kansas lea que towns will have enjoyed
the best baseball in the history of that
circuit Never have the games been
50 close and exciting. Faster ball than
ever before has been staged on that
circuit And next year the letter heads
of the league president will bear the
legend sixth year" 1t speaks well
for the state to keep up the league in
this class without missing one for that
number of seasons.
Omaha Bee: The sting of defeat is
quite Modified for the team that tails
the race like the one now being run
in the Western League. AS this is writ
ten the leaders have won 43 and lost
30 games, having a percentage of .573
and the eighth team has won 81 and
lost Al, a percentage of .431. Much
more than that could scarcely be asked.
Tt is the best and really the only genu-
inc race of four 1eagues-the two maj
ors, the association and the Western.
IT is almost the ideal situation in base
l.aIl. Tt shows eight teams so evenly
matched that in the middle of the sea-
son the pennant belongs to any one Of
them. st. Joseph has chung with great
tenacity to first place. Not since 1t
nosed Denver out Of that position, has