The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-23
Motoring
Which Teams Are
 Due To Win Flags?
Athletics Look Best in Ameri- can But There Will be Great
 Scramble in National
New York ,sunO

NNSW 1OTk SuA-l
 Many students of the game believe that there will be a close and stirring struggle for the pennant in both ma jor leagues this season. Never has a race started with more dark horses in the field. This is partially due to the fact that so many teams have new managers and partly because some clubs that showed promise last year have strengthened or developed.
 Many fans concede another cham pionship to the Athletics. but they us- clause ''if their pitching staff holds out.' As a matter of fact there is no reason to believe that Connie NIack's twirlers will show signs of ret aggression. The injury of Coombs may leave effects which will somewhat hamper the boxman, but the remain der of the veterans are pretty sure to deliver the same old brand of goods and Mack has several promising youngsters to fall back upon. If the Athletics fail to win another pennant dt will probably be due to the strong CT showing of the other clubs.
 New York fans expect great deal from Harry Wolverton. He looks and acts like a manager of big league cal ibre and his trade of Knight for Street was a splendid one from Yankee standpoint. He has perhaps as much battery strength as any team in the league. He certainly has more than than
 
 paper the material is there and if Wo'verton can introduce teamwork in place of individual play the Highland CTS should make a showing of which Gotham enthusiasts could be proud
 If Cleveland can strengthen one or two positions the club is apt to be a contender. Boston, with Stahl in har- ness again, should be a much more effective combination. Jimmie Gala han has some highly touted pitchers and the White Sox cannot be over looked in figuring on the seasons re- suits. Detroit will always be a con- tender as long as Hughey Jennings leads the Tigers and Ty Cobb Is on the team. Washington should make a better showing under the management of Griffith and St. Louis is consider ably strengthened by the addition of StovaI All in all it seems as if in the American League race the teams would be closer together at the finish than they were last year.
 In the National League 1t is much the same. The majority of the fans look for the struggle to be between lies; h4.t Frank Chance may be de pendeS upon to make trouble with his Cubs and no one oan figure the ex- act strength of St Louis or Cincin- natl. Under the leadership of King Boston may make a showing totally unexpected and Brooklyn too is likely to play better ball than it did last year.
 It is hard to see just why so many critics outside New York figure that the Giants will be weaker than they were last season. They claim that Adatty is going back, that Marquard was merely a flash in the pan, that Ames and WiItse are through that Crandau is merely a relief pitcher, that DrucIze will never amount to- any thing and that none of the new re- cruits is of big league calibre. They do not mention the fact that the Giants are a young team which has mot yet reached it's maximum efhcien- cy and which will undeniably be strengthened and soIidified by the ex- perience of last year.
 There is no reason to believe that Matty will not be even more effective than he was last season. Big Six was not in condition during the first part of the year, but the further he went the better he got. He certain ly pitched great ball in the worlds series and Umpire Rigler states that during the Cuban trip Matty pitched one of the finest games he ever saw. Marquard gained the confidence last year which up to that time was the only thing he lacked. He should be even more effective this season. Ames and Wiltse have lot of good ball left in them yet and Drucke may @e< fulfil his early promise. CrandaH has not yet reached the pinnacle of his career although at the present time he is one of the nerviest and most valuable pitchers in the league.