The Washington herald., 1912-06-23
Four Clubs Are Now in
American League Race
Pennant-BOStOn, Chicago, and Philadelphia
Teams Are Fighting Hard

| to win as consistently as they have been
A losing streak now would crush u
down so far with them winning that Il
would mean an awful battle to get back
again.
] The Red sox are a great ban team
7 and are leading the league at present
because Trey are entitled to that post
ton through their playing. Not relying
| so much on smuggling as on speed and
brains and team work, they are q DIM
cult team to beat Their infieId does
not match up with the infield OF the
Athletics in fielding or hitting strength.
I think, but they have a great hitting
and covering outheld. Hooper, Lewis,
and Speaker are equal to any trio In
the league
1t has been the consistent batting Of
| Speaker which has kept the team up
there at the top. Right now I think
he is playing the best ball Of fJany out
| fielder in the league He Is easily the
most dangerous man to come to the
plate in a pinch, as his batting aver
age OF almost 400 indicates. The rest
of the players have not remarkably
fat batting averages outside of Larry
Gardner. who, I believe, is hitting
about 80, according to the last fg-
ures which L saw. The men are the
sort who worry pitchers and make them
Pitch to them to the last ball. These
are the tactics which are winning ball
games for the club, combined with the
speed on the bases and the rapidity and
! unexpectedness Of the play.
SoI Pitchers Good.
The pitchers and the fast fielding of
the Red Sox have prevented the other
clubs from winning very many games
from them Two twirlers have been the
stars Of the team 90 far this season,
Hall and Wood. The latter Is a great
pitcher. He has almost as much speed
as Walter Johnson, nice control, and a
level head. saw a statement some
where recently that Wood and Hall be-
tween them had won twenty-three out
ot twsnty-six games In which they have
been entered. Bedient has shown fair
form and is credited with eight victories,
but O'Brien, Of whom so much was ex-
pected, has been q disappointment, hay-
ing had a hard struggle to break even
on the contests, in which he has started
Therefore, Boston is distinctly in the race
as long as Wood and Hall hold up and
as long as Speaker Is not injured. It
is the club that we have got to beat
10 get up ahead.
As was expected BY many close fol-
lowers Of the game, the White Sox
rave sloped on their early season form
recently, but will regain something Hike
their old stride and be back in the race
within another week or so, predict
1t was evident, when the Athletics were
in Chicago, that Callahan's club was
playing largely on its nerve and con-
tinufng ahead through the wonderful
pitching Of one man. Ed Walsh. The
great spitban pitcher was working more
frequently than was good for him, Sand
the result Is that he cannot be 30 sure
Of winning games as he was. II was
his fiVe-day suspension. which deprived
the club OF his services for almost a
week, that first seemed to put the cast
ers under the White Sox.
But the team is made up Of fighting
men and aggressive players. and 1t Is
never beaten until the end OF the game.
Therefore. It will bob back into the race
shortly, perhaps regain It's winning stride
on the road where It showed such won
derful form on the last trip East
Big Strain ON Players.
The eloseness of the American League
race this year has made It great strain
on the players, and any team is liable
to hit a slump as a result And the
contest appears TO be getting cIoser an
the time, With only two clubs actually
out Of It. the Yankees Of New York and
the Browns OF St. Louis. As I said
in the last article. stovan has the right
idea now and viii rebuild the St Louis
team until Il Is q factor. "Bobblef
Wallace was a good player and has
managerial ability, but he has been in
st. Louis SO long that he was too wen
acquainted with the players and hated
20 let some Of the older ones who were
slowing up 90. Stovall announces that
be tavors. and Is going to set youtg