The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-01
CHAMPIONS LEADING
IN BOTH BIG LEAGUES
Athletics md Giants Finally Hit Their
Stride and Fight Themselves TO Top
of Two Major Professions.
REDS AnE MAKING GREAT Squirt
with "Sccond Division Material" Her
ZOE Iins I'ut Together Remarkable
Tenm-"Cmn 1t Instr" Is Question.

Now York, May 51.-Thc champions
or the world and tho Champions of tho
National League worked into tho lead
In their respective organizations last
week. and to-day finds the standing OF
the clubs wearing II decidedly familiar
aspect.
Now York took the National League
leadership through downing Brooklyn
thrice on Memorial Day and the day
previous. while tho Cincinnati Reds
were making clean sweep of three
game series with Pittsburgh. Phila-
delphia, meanwhile. was taking first
position In tho American Tongue by
winning three out of four contests
from the Yankees. while Washington
was breaking even In four contests
with Boston.
The fact that the worlds champion
ship contendcrs of the last three years
In tho Older league. and OF 1911 and
1913 In the younger. apparently have
struck their stride, does not ncccssar-
ily mean that the big series con-
tests this fall again Will he staged at
tho Polo Grounds and 1T Shibe Park.
Eut the fact thct Connie Mack and
John McGraw have their machines
WORKING smoothly for the first time
| tins year seems to bodc little good for
o 1cr championship contcadcrs.
Young Pitchers Arc wild.
If anything beats Cornelius McGilll-
cuddy in 1919, II apparently viii lie The
wildress of his young pitchers. How
ever. Mack has his two veterans, Eddie
Flank and Chief Bender again pitch
Ing ball of the Shut-out variety. The
week proved that the Mackmen viii
have formidable opposition from the
Senators, who went into the lead be-
fore midweek. but fell back slightly
In the weeks latter half. Continuous
doubled eaders do not agree with
Washing ton. Walter Johnson cannot
retain effectiveness without suitable
periods Of rest.
AS for Detroit, resumption of Its
winning streak may be expected as
soon as Ty Cobb gets back on home
aon. and, with Cobb again In action,
Dctioits chances appear by no means
hopeless. Mono OF the other clubs In
tho league has shown signs OF cham
p!onshlp calibre.
In the National League. the New
Yorles decidedly were superior in play
10 tho others, with the possible eH-
ception of Cincinnati. From the MA
tcrinl which tho new Cincinnati man
uger has, howover--countcd ~ decid-
eddy second division class before the
season startcd-it seems hardly posi- :
BILE that tho Herzog clans present pace
can he kept up.
PittsburGh's drop was n feature OF
the week. The Pirates brought their
tleItsllS lp ~ SlA Stl AZ ~ hiopl'iht-
tho first game OF the double header
to-day to the Reds. while the latter
were swelling their record OF consccu-
tive victories TO the same number. The
Pirate pitchers are holding their end
up. hut the team seems to have lost
something from Its attack.
Strength Lies in Pitchers.
The Giants chances Ito In the eff
fcctivcness of their pitchers. and tho
potency OF their attack. Most of the
Giants recent victories have been de-
cisive and their pitchers have shown
superlativc class.
The other National League teams
that have improved most In recent
play are Philadelphia and Boston.
Baltimore, IN the Federal League,
showed superiority over tho Western
Invaders IN the series which wound
up last week. To date. Baltimore has
taken n majority OF games from Chi
cago st. Louis, Kansas City, and has
a ito with indianapolis. The feature
Of the weeks play In the new lcag
was The work of tho Pittsburgh team,
which had been In last place since the
season began. This team met the Bal
,imore team, and beat II four straight
games, making hurried jump upward
IN the percentage table. The race be-
tween seven of the clubs Is remarkably
clcre
The record In the American and Ma
ttonal Leagues OF games played. won
men left on bases, followe: