New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-22
Trip of McGraw Clan
Through West Just One
Victory After Another.
PITCHERS FINALLY GET
THEIR ARMS WORKING
Heavy Hitting of Robertson,
Rariden and Burns Also
Brings Results.
BY FRANK ONEUL.

By FRANK ONEIL.
Eleven successive victories at this
time Of the season may mean little.
We have seen teams go out in the
spring and win before the other COM
binations have rounded into form and
then wilt like morning glories In the
heat of a strenuous battle.
Eleven victories, then, may mean
only a spasmodic rally that will wear
itself out through sheer intensity. But
on the other hand, It may mean that
the team has found itself, and
is ready to plunge ahead into the thick
of the fight, and stay there.
Place the New York Giants on the
witness stand. Consider their case for
a while. Two weeks ago they were the
jokes of the league. Tho fans spoke
Of them seldom. and then only with
contempt. Now those selfsame fans
are beginning to wonder II the judg
ment passed when the boys were wal
lowing down in the trough of defeat
was not a bit hasty. Certain it is
that the name Of McGraw's men is
linked with that OF Lee Fohl's Indians
IS the sensation Of the major leagues.
The sudden awakening o. the Giants
comes as no surprise to those who fol-
lowed them on the trip through the
Southland. From tho start it has only
been a question OF the pitchers round
ing into condition 10 back up that
smashing offence which all admitted,
and which, by reason of the poor work
of the mound men, made the team show
up badly.
Any aggregation that can smash out
half dozen runs as the Giants did
frequently and then lose actually looks
worse than the team which IS unable
to make the runs at all.
Start Afresh in West.
Change OF scene has worked a great
benefit 70 the Giants. They became
slightly discouraged when losing game
after game on the Polo Grounds, sew
eral after extra innings, and half a
dozen or 80 by a margin Of one run
in free scoring games. Out on the
Western trail they felt that they had
chance to start afresh, and they
made the most Of their opportunity.
The team appears to have started for
the TOD, and it will take lot of real
ball playing by the National League
clubs to stop 1t.
The conquest of the Pirates. the
Cubs and the Cardinals was incidental
really 70 the wonderful recovery of the
pitchers of the Giants. Fred Anderson
was the first 20 regain his cunning and
step on the right side of JEFF Tesreau
TO hold the bridge with him. And ere
long the attenuated Poll Perritt dashed
up 20 abide on the left side of the
Ironton behemoth.
Then came Matty with a brilliant
fash against the Pirates, and last, but
rot least, Rube Benton, one of the best
when right, rallied to round out the
staff. They are all going well now, bet
ter even than when baking out their
under Martins sizzling sun
and cloudless skies. The Giants have
started, and the other clubs had better
put up their dust shields.
Anderson flashed some wonderful
stuff in the training camp, but coming
out of the torrid South into tie freez-
ing, shivering North frightened his
and his first couple of starts
were discouraging. But Anderson is
n
ball game for the New York club be-
fore he returns TO the practice of dem
tistry for good and all.
The same may be said of Poll Perritt
when the Louisiana boy is at his best
For a while this spring in Texas it |
looked as if Poll would be whirlwind. |
In the rain and chilly wind that visited
Baton Rouge when the Giants we're
there Poll caught cold, and he came
North with a crick in his arm that
made it squeak like new leather. He
has it all worked out nicely now, thank
you, and he will be right in the thick
Of the fight.
Strong on Offence
With those pitchers going well, the
rest of the team is strong enough, both
and defensively, 10 hold its
own. Three of the regulars are hitting
over the .30l mark. Davey Robertson
has relinquished the lead in batting
averages in favor of Jake Daubert, but
he is ripping the leather at a 1857 clip
and all that the fans wish is for him
TO hold that pace. Hoosier Bill Rari-
den is the next New Yorker after Rob-
ertson, and he points with pride to
1899 mark. Burns, with .319, comes
next 1t is refreshing TO note that
Kauff picked up several points in his
hitting last week, and Larry Doyle has
dashed along just inside the charmed
circle. Artie Fletcher is hitting .284,
which is fair enough.
This powerful attack. working be-
hind a defence which has grown
steadily stronger, and linked with
speed on the bases that has opposing
catchers worried, is combination TO
be feared and respected. Surely, the
Giants are on their way, and the fans
are calling "bon voyagel"
The New York Yankees present
formidable front on casual glance, but,
IL ,La cbofr tho Yanka ara Only IA