The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-11
SCHOLASTIC TRACK MEET BEGINS TODAY AT THE UNIVERSITY

New York May 10.-Major league base { ball this week will witness the first big shift of the season with the starting of intersectional battles in both organiza- tions. The month will have drawn al- most to close before the western clubs in the American league return home and the eastern division of the National com petes it's swing around the western cir cult The baseball world has awaited the two series of contests as likely to af- ford the first real indications of the relative strength of the various clubs.
 The past week saw d continuation of the Pirate dash pennantward in the older league, but at a essened pace, because of three days of rain and weekend defeat by the Cubs. Two other first division clubs fared equally well, the record for Pittsburg, Brooklyn and New York standing at three games won and one lost by each. The teams today stand in the order named with Philadelphia dropping back to fourth place by req son of her week of three defeats without even victory. Cincinnat alone of the other clubs won more games than it lost.
 week of contests with Cleveland and Chicago as opponents only served to in crease Detroits advantage in the Amer ican race, the Tigers sustaining but one defeat in six games. Only one other club did better than to break even, the trio playing 500 ball being Philadel- phia St Louis and New York. These four clubs comprised the first division fFo Boston SFed Sox were the exception, winning fthr9e games as against two lost, while Washington, Chicago and Cleveland lost )nore decisions than they won.
 Few Better Starts
 tEational league pennant chases have witnessed few better starts than that shown by the Pittsburgs this year. We'd nesday they completed their second string of seven straight victories. They added another game the day following before they met Lavender in yesterdays clash with Chicago.
 Improved form was shown by both Brooklyn and New York. Mathewson twirled the Giants to two victories and the team began to hit in old time form. The Superbas kept up their heavy bat ting and were furnished with high-class pitching by Reulbach and Fucker
 Philadelphia's recent poor showing has put them out of immediate consideration as probable dangerous contenders, apti' the team must do better If it -Keeps ahead of the Reds, who are playi6p with considerable aggressiyeness ana are not far behind. There seems to bey no speedy probability of any of the reEaining three clubs mounting fast.
 Tigers Winning Consistently
 In the American league Hugh Jennings men nave sones''on winning consistently They piled Yp 70 hits In six games. Ty-
 f-AeSop. .-Sgho was tagging for awhile
 Is begun to play his game again, work Ing over the 300 mark in the unofficial batting averages and bidding fair to climb up beside Sam Crawford, who has been hitting savagely all season and was around the 400 perch when the latest figures were compiled.
 Although the Athletics have climbed to second place in the league standing, they have not been doing over-consistent work and their veteran pitchers, Bender and Plank, both have been hit hard. Injuries to Barry and Strunk haven't helped the Mackmen, either. Washington sloughed off in much worse fashion, however and the teams supporters are beginning to wonder if the clubs pitching staff can keep 1t up toward the front. Walter John son has been an in-and-outer so far this season--his old self one day and easily solved on his next appearance.