The Washington times., 1916-08-05
White Sox Manager Says His
Team Is Real Class Of
American League.
By CLARENCE ROWLAND,
Manager Of the Chicago White Sox,

manager. had had no experience man
aging a major lengue club until took
hold Of the Sox. .. ...
But. IL the public really is interested.
owe II to the followers of the game
to return such small favor for the
many that have been rendered me. To
begin with. wiah to state that I am
perfectly willing to be regarded as a
product OF the brush" so long as my
club 10 successful. My club and not my
self. will win the pennant. II an Ameri-
can League championship 10 to come TO
Chicago. Grant me that boon, and I will
not care rap whether the public re-
CARDS me as q bush Lacquer" or a
new Miracle Man.
Where The Chicago team. In spite OF It's
seasoned stars, was more or less OF a
thrown-together experiment last season.
TINS year II Ia smooth running organi-
zation. well schooled In team play For
that reason. consider my boys at least
10 per cent stronger than at this same
stage OF the last race. They will be
more sure OF the nselves In the terrific
drive that has set In and which will
probably continue the greater part Of
the rest OF the route. There wns no
better club than mine OF 1915. We would
have won easily with such pitching as
we are getting this year.
Must Beat Red Sox.
Boston is the club we will have to beat
for the money. The worlds CHAMPIONS
are not SO strong as they were twelve
months ago. There is only one Iris
Speaker. and he has gone from the line
up. Joe Wood has practically gone, too.
That is. Joe hasn't dore anything so
far. 1t is said he refuses point blank
10 accept cut In salary. eli has been a
no,d-oat no. since last winter. though he
oid report couple OF weeks ago.
Now. Wood was supposed to have
been niling last season, but he won
something like dozen Of seventeen
games pitched. Without those twelve
victories. where would the Red Sox
have been? On basis of csrned runs,
Wood led the American League pitch
ers You cannot tell me that such "A
man VIII not he missed In a fight where
az least elk and perhaps seven clubs
all figure as pennaGt possibilities. I
grant that Bill Carrtgan has a pretty
year. TOO. yet ne needed the doxen
games Wood won just the same We
20, that iris would not be missed in
the Hub. 1t was said the champions
would put quite as strong an Outficld
together without him. But was sails so?
means to that outfield. the loss Of Wood
mems in the box. Fellows like Speak
er and Wood arc worth their weight In
gold II for rothing more than a purely
on their toes Look how Speaker woke
up Cleveland.
No Inefild Compares.
I cannot see any other inficd as COM
pared to my own. now that Ness is so
very ably filling the "spot" at first
base. Collins is tho greatest second
way Of reasoning. Under his tutelagc.
his comrades Of the inner line improve
daily. My team Is strong I'm every de-
partment. Why should fear the result
Events have shown that ! had every
reason to fear both New York and St
Louis-Cleveland, too. for that matter.
The browns. like the White SoX, ~
off to a bad start. but. like theTS. were
able to pursue terrific drive onl.e they
H. S"s fairly going nss through the s past two
the most consistent ball seen IN the
American League as the clubs record
for consecutive victories this season tes-
titles.
The amalgamation of the Browns and
st. Louis Fedcrals enabled Jones to
round out a strong club well balanced
IN all departments. but 1t took time and
experimenting to balance II. Sisler.
SuuTbuns, oUOtteH ana fNTatt rank Win
the best at their positions. At last
Jones Is getting the kind Of pitching
he hoped for. and his climb through the
percentage column has been rapid as a
result Fielder Jones, however, is now
frontcd me last year. A fine machine is
being welded together. Over It. the
White Sox would carry the advantage
OF experience. all other things being
equal; But the Browns are not so strong
plain playing worth.
Clubs Have Suffered.
The real capabilities Of New York and
Cleveland may rot be known this sea-
son. Unfortunately. these clubs suf-
fered much at the hands of fate just
when they were swinging along at
pcnnant pace No team ever was ask
ed to shoulder the handicaps from in
juries that fell to tho Yankees. Fritz
Maisel. Frank Gilhooley. Frank Baker,
Nick Cullop. Hughic High. and -
Magee-perhaps the six very best play
ers of the teanl-were disabled within
q short space Of time. Take the six
best from any club and its fate Is seal
ed. All six are, out. apparently for
some time yet to come.
Cleveland's pace was first slowed
through the loss of Guy Morton. the
most reliable pitcher Of that club. Since
casualty list. his loss means more to
Cleveland than all the siH injured stars
do to New York. The Yankees re-
serve strength Is unusually reliable
There Is only one Speaker. Cleveland
cannot survive without iris. Donovan's
case will not be hopeless II he can
keep within gunshot till q few of his
cripples are sound again.
White Sox Are Class.
think the White Sox the class OF
the field. The Browns arr playing fine
hall but have too much ground to make
w. The pennant prospects OF New
York and Cleveland have been practi-
cally ruined through injury to stars.
But both these teams have a good
chance to finish In the first division.
Hugh Jennings Tigers do not carry
tho wallop of couple of years ago
when Sam Crawford was more vigor-
Gus. Besides. the Strain Is beginning
to tell on Hughie's pitching staff which
never was a brilliant one. Walter john
SON Is Washington's greatest asset No
pitcher ever won pennant single-hand-
ed. The Browns are coming strong. and
should have great deal to say as to
where the pennant goes. but they seem
too far hack to fight up through such
closely punched field.
That leaves. then, Boston 10 be reck-
oned with ty our club. I think that
position for position. we outclsss the