The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-07-13
Rv sro,Nn HoImes.

WIKI the 0aSSDdkl season 0a4L OsSAS
the pennant races In the three big
leagues have narrowed down to two
clubs on each circuit. Chicago and
Philadelphia IN the National league;
Boston and Chicago in the American;
ST. Louis and Kansas City in the Fed
era!.
Odd things may happen. OF course,
but that's the way things size up, con-
sideriug past performances and fgur-
ing the hot weather and stretch pos
sibilities Of the various teams.
Dry weather means more victories
for teams depending largely on spit
bail pitchers and base running.
An unusual amount OF rain in the
fore part OF the season made II neces-
sary for many games to be played
on heavy fields. Slow paths put
crimp in base running and wet balls
nut the splitter" out Of commission.
Wet weather has been responsible,
in a large measure. for the absolute
failure OF the Giants. one OF the teams
figured, early in the year. 10 be con-
tender again. McGraw won three pen
napts BY crazy base running, aided by
the great work Of Jeff Tesreau, a spit
ball pitcher.
picking the Pills and Cubs in the
National is pretty close figuring be-
cause the race IS so close weeks
nlav may give the affair different
complexion. But the Cubs and Pills
have the class. with St. Louis ana
Pittsburgh TO make them hurry.
The Cubs are going into the last
half with three things they did not
have before:
Larry Cheney is in form.
Heinie Zimmerman is hitting.
Red Murray has been secured.
Give Cheney dry. hot weather so he
can control his spitball and he vii:
hold the Cubs up there. Zim IS fred
with a new ambition to lead the league
batters as he did in 1912 and is hit
ting like a house afire. Red Murray.
secured from the Giants. will add bat
ting and base running strength.
These things, with the wonderful
consistency OF the Cubs-and consis-
tency is mighty important-maKe the
Cubs. well handled by the hustling
Roger Bresnahan. Bet No. l.
The Pills have baseballs greatest
pitcher in Grover Alexander and two
rare hitters, Cravath and Luderus.
Erskine Mayer is below early season
form. The club is strong in most de-
partments. The Braves need another
miracle and that is not likely.
The Boston Red Sox viii! have bet
ter pitching than they had in the first
half Of the season. Cool winds from
the Atlantic put the arms OF Boston
pitchers on the hummer. The Brave
hurlers were hit the same way, but
the Sox had the hitting TO hold them
up. The Braves. without pitching,
were lost.
The Boston Sox have some great
young hurIers - Leonard, Foster,
Shore, Ruth and Mays. In addition,
they have Smoky Joe Wood in win
ming form and Jack Barry of Connie
Mack fame, in the lineup.
The Chicago Sox have something
unknown to them in other years-htt-
ting power, and with the addition OF
Memo Leibold, secured from Cleve-
land, seem ready for good finish.
LeiboId will give the Sox what they
lacked even when they were going at
breakneck speed-a good lead-off man.
The four good right hand pitchers
Faber, Scott. Benz and Cicotte. on
whom Manager Rowland depended
during the Sox recent streak. can be
expected TO pitch good ball during the
last half. They will be helped by
Wolfgang, who has rounded into bet
ter form.
Manager Rowland has the Sox hust-
ling on the bases. They are playing
a good deal the same kind Of game on
the sacks that won pennants for the
Giants.
Detroit, with Cobb, Crawford, Veach
and Kavanaugh smuggling the ball,