Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-15

leaped away In the American League
in the early part Of the race only TO
retreat, otter short sprint. before
the battling Red Sox, Athletics ana
Senators? Many a pennant is won IN
the spring that is never hoist
Therefore II is useless Cor me to
risk any forecast on this meager sup
ply of dope at hand. expect some
team that has not been reckoned as
having much chance for the cham
pionshtp will jump away in the lead
for a time. That is usually the case.
Ii is hard to say what club will as
sumo the position of early pacemaker
now because such a thing is generally
due to the breaks in the luck and the
condition Of the team. Luck. of
course, plays more or less OF part
in baseball and one team, as rule,
slips away in the lead because st is
run class shows. and it is the club
which can hold up through one hun
bred and fifty-f four games, hold up
through the strain Of July and
August, when the heat Seeps into
your system and your muscles begin
to drag. that finally wins Then is
the time you will find the early sea-
son starter tagging.
While McGraw desires to get away
in good shape this spring. he has no
desire to go out in front and set the
pace for a week or two. He merely
wants 10 stay there or Whereabouts
until the clubs acquire something like
their normal positions in the stand
ing
THE jump is the great thing" Mac
told some of the boys the other day,
"and we want 1t again this year. but
there is no need in getting right out
in front much before May"
The club must hammer into its
stride first. II was far advanced in
condition when the season opened, too
far advanced for the time Of year, II
anything McGraw declared, just a
few days before the first game, tina;
he must apply the brakes now. He
hopes 10 shoot out ahead by the first
OF May. however. and open up such
a gap by July that he can afford TO
slump slightly.
THE postal revenues last week must
have been great. judging from the
number of correspondents who de-
sired to know what ! thought % Wal
ter Johnson as a pitcher after seeing
him work against the Giants in
Washington a week ago Monday.
Walter johnson IS one OF the best
pitchers ] have ever seen. have
not had look al Walsh since he
put on big league "spangles." john
son was little short OF wonderful for
the spring. He stacked up against
the Giants a club which had thun-
the pitching we had encountered on
our trip ali over the parks. a club
highly rated for its batting strength,
and he held the Giants TO two hits
in five innings II Is like looking at
q wonderful picture or admiring some
other work Of art TO watch him work
that is. il he is not working against
you.
The Washington players cross
themselves every time they mention
Johnson's name, and Griffith treats
his great pitcher as a stepfather does
daughter who has just inherited
three or four millions. II Johnson
was with either the Giants or the
Pirates in the National League this
season. the race would be over now.
Besides being a great pitcher. he is
a good fellow, modest and unassum-
ing.
WE mad quite spicy time In Wash
fFIngton. There was a dispute over
a triple play the Washington CLUB
claimed in the game when Morgan,
the Nationals second baseman, in
sisted that Chief Meyers had cut
first base Morgan and McGraw got
personal, and the Giant boss finally
came through with this reply 10 a
sally from Morgan:
Il wouldn't make so much noise
If 7 were you when 'GriR' is carry
ing Lsporte just 20 hit for you"
A LREADY big league stars have
been injured. Chance was slowed
up in the exhibition games with the
Brooklyn club before the season ever
opened and Wagner is trying 20 have
weak knee repaired. When Old
veterans like Chance and Wagner
get injured. % takes a long time for
them 20 get into shape again ltI
would tear the PittFburE club apart