Evening journal., 1914-04-30
MAY DAYS Will
ROOCT CpNRT CAN'T
Better Opportunity Now to
Get Line on the Grand
Old Game
ERSTWHILE LEADERS
GET OFF WITH WABBLE
By HAL SHERIDAN.
Written for The United Press.

written IOI Int UnlleQ flthS.
NEW YORK, April sO.-As no doubt
old man Socrates remarked as he gently
eased himself off from all turmoil and
strife. how different are the days of
April and October. After the stutter-
ing start due TO interruptions by rain
May will see beginning of the jockey
ing at the turn and better opportunity
will be afforded toward getting some
sort sort of line as TO who's who in
this mad scramble for the American
and National League pennants.
The erstwhile leaders started with n
wobble. The general dope didn't any
more hit ON the early games than the
majority of the guesses as to what the
Giant pitchers would do to the Ath-
letics last October. How different are
the days of April and October.
The real surprise in the American
League has been dished up by Frank
Chance. His New York Yankees are a
revelation as compared with the team
which struggled along last year and
went from April until June without
winning a game OH their home grounds.
Not that Chance may be a pennant con-
/ tender. for again the difference between
April and October looms up, but the
spirit and general work of the present
/ Nanks makes former teams hiding be-
/ hind that name look like a collection
4 fom the morgue.
Opening the season the reiuvenated
Yanks ripped the hide off the Athletics
| twice in succession. Connie Mack's clan
| it is true, was not near up TO form, but
I Chances men tore into them Just as
I though they had finished coping a
pennant and were out TO lick the world
/ There was no faltering. but steady
boring attack and stubborness on de.
Tense that checked tie MacRmen on tn,
same field where they ran wild with the
Giants-last October.
The Yanlls are due to make troubl,
for more than one team In the league
if they hold the gait they cut out foi
themselves at the start. In Maisel, al
third, and Peckinbaugh, at short, The
left side of the Nanks' inileld compares
favOrably with the best. Williams, al
first, sat in ON the old assignment o.
Hal Chase as though il was the onll
thing he had been waiting TO do ol
this sphere and intended to make
good Job of It. Chances outfeld hB
been completely worked over and the I
H. appears TO nave re-geared his pitch
ers. If they continue without bursting
main spring or jarring loose som
bolts. the Nanks may give a few un
easy hours to aspiring pennant chaser
as the season wears along and knocl
loudly at the first division. Wher
they win really finish. however, may b
better told in these dispatches alon
during the season of that prOverbia
"bright blue weather." for. as has bee
remarked before, how different are tn
days -.
At the start, at least, the Phillies j
the National League showed NOR
strength than was expected in view q
the rough way in which the Feds treat
ed Charlie Doom in grabbing men. IN
Giants started slow and the PhilliC
walloped them twice. Then even Natl
, ewson got his when he stacked u
against Brooklyn. The Boston Braves
expected to be one of the most improve
teams in the parent organization, ais
faltered with the springng of the bai
rier.
With but few exceptions pitehin
{ arms seemed to be in better shape tha
> batting ewes. The swatting lamps wei
, sadly in need of trimming, but as Oh
, suns rays begin to warm up so are I'll
| sluggers steaming along toward the
. jobs of piling up base hits.
! Walter johnson is one exception :
far as pitchers are concerned. III
, Kansas cyclone appears 10 be startir
out on his greatest year in baseball.
his first two games johnson above
lust one run. He shut out the BOstC
Braves with three hits. The Nanl
slipped over one run on him, but co
lected only four safe drives. Johns'
met them, too. when they were flush'
y with confidence after having laced Il
j daylight out Of the Athletics. Walt
D simply stood up and shot over his ben
I ers as though no one was at the plat
and save for those four occasions whit
Yank took a stab and met one he'
G on, there might as well not have bee
5 Francis Ouimet, American open g
!. champion. struck a mental hazard
l.. England and sat down to think his va
I. over it before mixing in too maI
: matches. Ouimet said he did not fe
V that he was primed for real play. I
q therefore engaged in some mental ca
: isthenics.
Possibly that was the trouble wi
the Giants and Athletics at the stal
e Frank Bakers first effort on the Po
e Grounds since he laced the Giant pitc
ers in October was a weak roller
short He was an easy out. Tin
: should have been taken out for Bak
70 contemplate the spot in which
placed his home run smash off Ma
guard. II might have been an inspir
finn