Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-04-10
NATIONAL AND AMERICAN
LEAGUERS BEGIN FIGHT
TODAY FOR THE REMNANT
Critics Pick Boston and Athletics as Best in Aneri
cans and Phfsburg and Cincinnati as Confenders
for National Flag Cincinnati Game Goes
Over Until Fnday---AH Teams Ready
TO Start Race at Top Speed.

count on a rough voyage from the
start.
In the West the feature opening is
Cleveland VS. Chicago. for these two
clubs are both great uncertainties,
possessing quite an array of potential
strength. Many believe that Cleve-
land, with a good break. can come
forward and challenge the leaders.
while the SoX look to be a greatly
improved club with the wonderful
Walsh ready to resume where he left
off.
Detroit and St Louis meet in the
opening duel of what may be a bat
tie to keep out of last place, as Meth
er club is counted as a irst-division
contender
National League.
The feature opening in the Ma
tional League is Pittsburgh VS.. Cincin-
natl Fred Clarke's Pirates have
been tipped far and wide as the next
pennant winners in that circuit, while
Joe Tinker's start in the Red strong
hold will be closely watched. Pitts
burgh hopes to get away flying this
season TO keep pace with McGraw's
Giants, who are notable for fast
sprinting in the early sweep of the
race. Last season McGraw had
Clarke hopelessly stranded before
July arrived and the Pirates fine fin
ish came too late.
The Cubs, under Evers, are an
other ball club carrying an abnOr-
NAL amount of interest. Just how
much the loss of Frank Chance will
affect this once great machine will
now be shown through daily box
scores and the standing Of the clubs.
Evers has a fine lot OF material left
and by curbing his fiery tempera-
ment and obtaining a running start
may yet fool the critics. Beyond
weakness in the box he has a team
upon a par with any in the game.
All told four new National League
managers are debutting today. They
are Evers, Of Chicago; Tinker, of
St Louis, and Stallings, Of Boston.
Stallings must lead a 1912 tail-end
club against the Giants at home and
as McGraw has returned win a finely
conditioned club and one strengthen
ed above last year, the lowly Braves
have hard job ahead before pick
ing up a winning start.
In this league the race is tipped to
rest between New York and Pittsburg
The two clubs are wonderfully match
ed. Upon first team strength Pitts
burg has the advantage, but New
York is better fortified against ac-
cident McGraw has replaced Fletch-
er at short with Shafer, and has add
ed George Burns TO his outfeld. He
expects to repeat through speed on
the bases-speed, in fact, in every de.
partment-and through his fine pitch
ing staff which consists of Mathew
son, Tesreau, Maruard, Demaree,
Ames, Crandall and Wiltse.
Jim Thorpe, the noted Carlisle In
dian star-who is not, by the way
the author Of "The Amateur Gentle
man"-will view proceedings from
the bench. Thorpe. with all his am
azing versatility, was not able to
fight his way into fast company upon
such short notice.
SO it's by dusk that another cham
pionship start will be under way with
the attention of 30.00OOOO Americans
centered upon the entries in the
greatest game a nation has ever pro-
duced. All seasons have always been
"the greatest ever" before the open
ing bell rang, but this looks to be so
from every angle. The start at least
will carry greater interest, whateve
the feeling may be when some twelve
of the sixteen clubs have arisen by
May or July with the old clarion cry
of next year" as the four surviv-
ing -contenders gallop merrily along
towards the stretch.