The Washington herald., 1916-10-14
AMERICAN LEAGUE IS
MUCH faster CIRCUIT
Baby Major Outfit About 20 Per Cent
Stronger Than the National.
BY FRANK q. MENKE.


New York, Oct 13-The only logical
conclusion that can be drawn from the
world series of 1916 is that the American
League is at least 20 per cent stronger IN
all-around play than the older circuit.
Some there are who will say that the
National League wasn't represented by
its strongest team; that such-and-such a
club certainly would have made differ
ent showing than did the Dodgers. But
that isn't satisfactory alibi. The Ma
tional was represented by the team that
beat all others to the finish line, after a
struggle OF six months, and SO II must
have been bit better than any other.
The Giants, 'tis said, would have given
the Red Sox harder battle. Maybe So
and maybe not. The Giants crashed
through to a new major league winning
record In September. but the majority Of
those games were won from disorganized
teams. The Giants went against the
Dodgers in the final series of the Giants
right after they had won twenty-six
games in a row. And the Giants were
beaten to pulp by those same Dodgers.
So. the natural conclusion is that the
best team did win the pennant inzthe Ma
tional; that the old league was repre-
sented by the strongest organization 1t
had in 1916. And that outfit met the
American League enemy and was bump
ed into oblivion in five games.
Those who have watched the world
series duels since 1911 have come TO the
unalterable conclusion that the American
League is faster organization than the
National: that it is stronger in every de-
partment. Why? Largely because the
American goes out for youngsters, de-
velops them quickly and keeps fresh
young blood in the line-ups all the time.
The National, on the other hand, likes to
hold on to the old-timers. It isn't ex-
tremely friendly to youngsters. The
tendency of National clubs is to get a
fading star via the waiver route instead
of grabbing youngster and developing
him gradually.
The Dodgers disported themselves as
great ball players only once-in that sec
ond game. which went fourteen innings
1t was then that they showed brilliancy
team work and fighting spirit In the
other games they were dubbish. They
won one game-the third-but there
wasn't an awful lot of~glory in It for
them. The Sox might fave shared that
one, too. had Bill Carrigan withdrawn
the faltertng Carl Mays early in the game
But he elected to keep him in until the
Dodgers had amassed a lead big enough
to insure them victory.
In the first game the Dodgers were
bush-like in their work, and right then
and there It became evident to every one
who watched the battle that the Sox
would triumph in the series battling
that they would win in six games or less
The Dodgers lacked much that a club
needs that has world championship hopes
1t lacks a real infield, money pitchers
and also batters, who could hit when hits
meant runs. Also 1t was minus the fight
ing spirit that is necessary for victory.
In the most critical moments the Dodger
defense had tendency TO crack. its bat
ters were impotent They never could
rise to emergencies with anysconsistency,
while the Sox always played their great
est baseball and performed most bril-
liantly, afeld or at bat, when their work
counted the most toward success.
1t was a class team against a fair team
that lacked much in courage and skill
and brains. And the result was inevtta-
BILE.