The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-27
TY MUST HUSTLE.
Georgia Peach Has Slim Chance
to Win Batting HOnOrs.
Both Speaker and Jackson Have
Good Lead on Him.
BY FRANK G. MENKE.

confronted with the mightiest task of
his career in his attempts to win the
1916 batting championship of the
American league. The chances seem
to be against him for the first time
since he flashed into view as a clout-
ing phenom.
In most of the other years. Ty led
the parade at this time of the sum
mer. Ty had a little velvet" so to
speak. But he hasn't any now. In
the bygone days he could fall into
short slump and continue to rule. even
though his margin dwindled in the
meantime. But now he is something
close to 40 points behind the leading
Speaker terrible gap.
But what counts largest against Ty
is the fact that he must overhaul two
men to reach the crest-Speaker and
Jackson. Both are laundering along.
In other years Ty had only one real
rival after midseason. All that was
necessary to win the championship
was for him to beat out that one man.
Now he must beat two. It's much
race than it is to win in a three entry
field.
Cobb Must Not Slump.
Speaker may slump, so may Jack
son. But it is unlikely that both will
do any violent slumping. But even II
they should. isn't it just as likely that
Tyrus will slip, too? If either Jack
son or Speaker bump into batting
vacuum they have enough velvet" to
protect them for reasonable time
from being overtaken by Tyrus. But
the fiery Georgian must race at freak
neck speed from now on until the fin
Ssh line is crossed. He dare not slump
If he does his chances of leading the
American league for the tenth sue
cessive year will go gl1mmer1ng-
And even should he slip along at
whirlwind rate, isn't it just as possible
for either Jackson or Speaker-or
both-to meet the challenge. match
Cobb hit for hit, and thus, with the
lead they now have, beat him to the
crown?
Unless Cobb hits from now on at
the most terrific clip in his career, 1t
seems unlikely that the official re
turns will show him elected % the
championship office for the tenth
successive time, unless Speaker ana
Jackson skid ingloriously.
Ebbets's Wisdom.
If the Dodgers fail to win the pen
nant this year it will be due in a large
measure to their weakness at snort,
and to Charlie Ebbets refusal to pay
real money for a first class man.
Ollie O'Mara is too erratic as
fielder and too weak as hitter to be
on a championship team. Ivan Olson.
the substitute. flashed some good
games early in the year, but since has
dropped to the mediocre.
The Dodgers have lost more games
this season because of bobbling in the
short field than through any other
cause. Ebbets has had several chances
to pick up experienced men who are
superior to O'Mara and Olson-but
those players cost money. And Eb
bets surely does hate to part with the
coin once he gets it.
The sage who once remarked, "Pen-
ny wise; pound foolish" probably had
Ebbets in mind. $4,000 to $4,000
for a shortstop right now probably
would mean a pennant and a slice of
the world series melon, which would
total quite a bit beyond the cost of
three or four shortstops.
Changes in Leadership.
Every team but the White Sox and
Athletics has led the American league
procession since the season began
Perusal of the standing of clubs''
since the barrier arose in April shows
that the leadership shifted twenty
times from April IL to July 10. Here
are the changes:
April 14-Boston, st. Louis, Wash
ington.