New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-21
Ty Cobb Only Player
Likely to Hold His
Crown This Season.
JAMES MAY LEAD
YOUNGER PITCHERS
Youth Almost Sure To Be Served
in Base Running and Pitch
ing, if Not at the Bat.
No. 5-Batting, Pitching and Baserun-
ming.
IL. Il VII IN DICE
By GRANTLAND RICE.


ming.
BY GRANTLAND RICE.
Now that the dull roar Of the base
hit is prevalent in the land again, It
might be just as well to take up three
championship departments Of play that
always carry the earnest inspection
Of the fanatic.
These three departments are batting,
pitching and base running, In the two
major circuits last season there were
six champions registered TO cover the
three departments mentioned, and Of the
six the only veterans who held on we're
BIB and Daubert at bat. Youngsters
reached the top in pitching and base
running, but the lurid batting eyes Of
Ty and Jake were too much for debu-
tante competition where the old ash
furniture was concerned.
The Batting Leadership.
In the American League Cobb led his
clan for the eighth successive year, and
the Royston Ripper stands as favorite
this season. Cobb must be beaten
some day, but until he is beaten the
dope points his way. He is only
twenty-nine years old still fast upon
his feet, and still possessed Of bat
ting eye that overlooks nothing
II there was some whiriwiHd young
ster coming on Cobb might be headed.
But his battle will again be with the
same old bunch Collins, Speaker and
Jackson--the only three who have been
able to give him any part OF fight for
several years, or since Larry LaJoie
dropped back.
jackson was Cobb's closest rival up
20 1914, when Eddie Collins stepped
into second place. Ii may be that
Eddie will improve enough at Chicago
in his new home 70 move on out in
front. There is always a chance that
such super-sluggers as Speaker. Col.
Inns, jackson and Crawford, OF at least
one from the bunch, will jump TO the
front. II Cobb wayered for any length
OF time he would surely be dcthroned
by one OF them. But II is wonderful
tribute 10 Cobb's tremendous skill with
the bat that even against such compe-
tition he hasn't finished as far down as
second place since 1906 Cobb can't
last forever, but he isn't anything like
being through at twenty-nlne.
In the National.
Jake Daubert has now led the Ma
t!onal League for two years al bat
which proves that his first conquest was
no huke. lie also must stand as the
premier batsman OF his corral until he
is overthrown. But Jake has nothing
like the grip on his laurel wreath that
Cobb enjoys. There were az least four
bstsmen within a hit or two Of Jake
last year, and while the class isn't
quite as pronounced, Jake will have
an even harder time 10 lead again than
Cobb will have.
Daubert is a good hitter and, like
Cobb, is very fast. And now that
Wagner has dropped back, Chief Mey-
ers has drifted somewhat and Sher-
wood Magee is no longer a kid, Daubert
has the edge his way for another year
on top.
The Pitching Title.
In 1918 Walter Johnson and Christy
Mathewson, two veterans, led the field
in the way Of effective pitching. This
doesn't embrace matter of games
won and lost, but Of runs earned from
the operator in the box.
Last fall two youngsters came along
and dethroned both veterans. Dutch
Leonard. Of the Red Sox, beat out
Walter Johnson, and Bill Doak, of the
Cardinals, took Matty's place at the
head OF the National League list.
While there are no young batsmen in
sight TO displace Cobb and Daubert, the
game is overrun with young pitchers
OF promise. DoAk led the National, and
Bill James, another youngster, finished
second,
II Is sufficient tribute TO Walter
Johnson 20 note that he had an off
year, was well below normal form, and