Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-05
MAJOR LEAGUE CLUBS NOW
IN WELL-DEF|NED GROUPS
With Season Mt HALFWAY Mark,
Teams Are Ready for Drive
to Finish.
CUBS SLIP BACK SOMEWHAT
Philadelphia Gains, While Cardinals
and Pirates Hold Own-White Sox
g., i'ar in Front, but Boston and De-
troit Have Chance.

with the halfway mark of the base
ball season close at hand. the clubs
in the TWO ma jor leagues are gather
ing into well-deiined groups for the
drive TO the finish. Should the teams
continue playing during the second
half of the race approximately as they
aid during the first, any one OF TOUR
clubs in the National League has an
excellent chance for the nag: while
in the American League, three teams
are in line for the honors of the year.
In the senior organization, Chicago,
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are so
closely punched that fifty points will
come close to covering the span be-
tween first and fourth. Separated
sharply from the first group come the
Brooklyn, Boston, New York and Gin
cinnati teams st!il nearer together. as
twenty points recently has been suii
cient to bridge the gap between Attn
and eighth place clubs.
The Chicago leaders have been slip
ping back OF late. while Philadelphia
has been gaining and 81. Louis and
Pittsburgh about holding their own.
In the second division. the long look ed
FOR brace OF the Bostons has not been
in evidence Instead. the club vas
badly mauled recently by New York.
which in turn was so badly treated BY
the Brooklyns AS TO lose four straight
games 10 Robinson's men.
Brooklyn at present is making the
strongest threat to redeem East mis-
deeds and move out of the ruck OF the
division. If the present select 1uartette
is To be broken some club In the lower
group VIII have TO strike sustained
winning streak. and recent indications
have favored the Robins rather than
the Braves. The former however. have
not the record OF past performances
that Stallings's men can boast, and the
40 h.i h..
In the race that. with Johnny Evers
bnck In the game the worlds cham
pions may repeat last scasonH coup
As for the Giants. their pitching stan
is proving so unreliable AS whole
that the team is losing oftencr than
IL Is winning. The veteran Mathcwson
seems TO he regaining form. but even
he was bcstcd by Jeck Copmb5. one
OF his old time world series rivals, IN
:. pitching duel last Friday, Brooklyn
beating the Giants. 3 10 o
American LcRSur Rncc.
Tho American League race fnds the
Chicago team far out in front, bu;
with the chances OF Boston and DC.
troit by no means hopeless. The pace
set by the White Sox, however ia a
r!.1zy one, and the second and third
place teams. until the past week have
noJ Been able TO keep with It, But
both the Red Sox and the Tigers are
doing better, the latter in the present
series having given Clarence Row
land's pacemakers all they could take
Gaze Of incidentally causing Urban
"a Der his third defeat OF the season.
leaving his record at thirteen games
Won. Before that the White Sox had
cleaned up With ST. Louis. taking four
straight games. In general. the Chr
caGoaNs, whether from the punch added
10 the teams work through the ac-
QUESTION Of Eddie Collins, or because
Of Manager Rowland's percro!sh!p. or
by reason OF combination az these
and other factors are playing It game
not 10 he matched At present in either
league
New York and Washington form the
second American League group and
arc In a sharp hsht for fourth place
Win the advantage just now with the
Yankees, who yesterday put forth RAY
Caldwell 10 enter the lists with Wal
ter Johnson, and helped the New York
crs TO an easy victory over the spaedv
Washington twirlcr.
In an apparently hopeless position
are Cleveland. ST. Louis and Philadel.
ph!a, forming the third and empha,!-
ca!iy last group ia the LEAGUE The
once famous Athletics were still fur
ther broken UP during the week. Jack
barry, long the shortstop OF the club
going to Boston 10 play second base
dclnnis alone remains OF the 100000
infe!I.
The record in each league of games
played won and lost with runs, hits.
errors and men left or bases. is as
National League.