The Washington times., 1915-05-03

If you have just been rowed ashore
from your yacht after a cruise Of tho
South Seas. where every prospect
pleases,' and box scores are still un-
known. YOU will be rudely shocked after
your first glance at The Times official
standing Of the major league teams. You
undoubtedly will reach the conclusion
that son,seody has turned the paper up
side dowE or else that you are the VIC
tim Of practical Joke. for at hrst It
Will be unbelievable that the Giants and
Athletics are tagging far behind in their
respective leagues.
But It 10 true. Astonishing a. It may
seem, those leaders Of diamond cam
paigns have fallen 30 far in the ruck
that after nearly three weeks OF
the 1918 pennant race they already are
being termed ALSO rams" Accustomed
as most fans" are to seeing the Giants
and Athletics as pace settlers. the posi-
ton the clubs have held in their re-
spective leagues for years, II almost
throws the Imagination out Of gear TO
| try 10 account for the complete reversal
| Of form.
1t 10 easier to ascertain the reasons for
| the failure Of the Athletics than to
diagnose the weakness Of the Giants
| Connie" Mack, tiring from the glory
, OF achievements in the past. turned his
| club upside down last winter. sold OF
banished his most able allies, and begar
anew the building Of another machine
| That this new combination Is crude ir
It's workings may be traced to It's new.
ness. Its failure to live UP to Athletic
traditions can be explained by the fac
that as yet the cogs scrape and fail tc
hold in their turninss, and the gear,
run Wildly. There Is no smoothness, M
concentrated power no perfection in de
tail that featured the old machine. Unit
| Mack has oiled the bearings and rub
bed OFT the flaws that are so apparen
now the Athletics cannot be expected I,
hold the speed the old machine was &C
| customed to.
Just what ails John McGraw's pen
nant chaser Is puzzling even to Nc
Graw. He knows. of course. that JEFF
Tesreau is the only pitcher on his star
who has exhibited the ability needed t,
keep back the opposition. He also il
sure Of the fact that preseason injurie
to George Burns and the failure Of Muir
ray and Robertson to live up to predic
defense and also his batting strength
Further. 1t is apparent to McGraw tha
his infield is not holding the speed h.
cXpected. that Doyle. Murkle, Fletche
and Lobert are not producing with tn
efficiency they should.
MCGraW. however, has most optim
istiC way of looking at the breaks,
be they good or bad. and especially
they are happening while the race
| stll in Its infancy. He aserts that tn
Giants will be fighting for the flag be
, fore July l. He is sure that MarquarC
"Matty," Perritt. and some of the othe
pitchers will be winning ball game
with as much ease as Tesreau is doin
now. He also knows, arguments to tn
contrary nothwithstanding. that tn
other members of the team will strik
anv spring quarter horses"
During this perusal Of the standing c
the clubs 1t probably will be anothe
surprise to see New York and Philade
, phia leading and probably this will b
disconcerting until II sinks in that tn
Yankees are the New York club and tn
; Phillies the Philadelphia outfit settin
. the pace. This unusual state of affair
: Is probably harder to explain than
the breakdown Of the Giants and Att
: letics.
,, The Yankees have enjoyed the ac
Vantage of being in prime condition Il
struggles right at the outset Return
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