The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-26
N. |. RACE CLOSE
Brooklyn Looks Like the Best
All Around Team.
MOran's Misfits, However, Loom
as Dangerous Rivals.
BY FRANK G. MENkE.

New York, June 26.-The issue in
the National league race continues in
doubt The season is nearly half over,
yet none of the teams has a decided
advantage. Four are considerably in
the race, with two others close enough
up to cause their supporters to be
slightly hopeful
The Dodgers have the edge so far.
The Broolllynite hurlers, following the
pace of jeff Pfeffer, have been whirl-
ing onward at a terrific clip. The
team, as a whole, has been hitting.
Such combination will furnish a
fight in any league all the time.
The Phillics refuse to do any cack-
ling. They have demonstrated to date
that their achievement of a year ago
was not a fluke. Other teams went
into the race considerably strength
ened. The Phillie lineup of 1916 is
almost intact. Yet that squad of
Moran "misfits'' continues to hang
around first place with grimness
that is surprising.
What of Giants?
The Giants-heaven only knows
what they will do. They have been
so erratic this season that no one can
forecast from one day to another what
they are likely to achieve. First they
started by losing thirteen out of fif-
teen games. buryinS themselves DIS it
seemed in last place, When they
r1SnI around ana won seven
teen straight. Following that they
have played in and out baseball, dis
playing flashes of brilliancy one day;
performing like dubs the next. THE
Giants are a dangerous team, and they
seem to have sufficient power to lift
themselves to the top. But will they
use that power?
The Braves have been a disappoint-
ment. They never actually have
started. All season long the brand of
noe oIoII I7a ha
spotted. on paper, the Braves loom
up as a pennant combination. They
have the hitters, the fielders and the
pitchers. They don't seem to lack
right in the pennant fight. Yet they
have been Laundering along. Field
Marshal Stallings, however. is hopeful.
His club. he feels, is a warm wealth
er outfit; one that really doesn't be
gin speeding up until heat is in our
midst The torrid spell is about due,
and now comes the Bostonian test.
Will the Braves move upward and on
ward-or won't they?
Cubs Going Good.
The Cubs, after a poor start, have
been doing nicely. But they still are
quite a jump from first place. Jose
plus Tinker is optimistic. He should
be. His club is strong in every de-
partment. If the breaks begin to come
the Cuban way instead of going
against them as in the past, Chicago
will have it's long delayed chance to
eXude cheers.
The pepperiest club in the Tener cir
| cult is that headed by Charles Lincoln
Herzog. These Redlegs look SO good
that it occasions surprises to find them
| imbedded in second division. Herzog
explains this by saying that his pitch
ers-especially Toney, the star have
rounded to slowly this season.
toar Vxrh
nicely now" said Herzog. In the past
we were beaten frequently because my
pitchers weren't delivering and be-
cause we had some lard luck. Now
we're ready. If we don't show up well
from now on it won't be because of
tough luck, but because we nave raced
| better teams"
Pirates Way Down.
| The Pirates have played better base
ball than was expected, but they are in
seventh place. The chances are that
| they won't rise highor-not more than
one notch at best. The team is too
mediocre to figure in a pennant fight.
The Cardinals also have been going
poorly but probably they have done
| the best they could. They are imbed-
ded in the cellar, and when one gazes
upon the makeup of the club. no sur
prise results. The Cards are the worst
looking team in the league and they
are in their proper element-last
| place.
Right now. Brooklyn looks like the
best club in the league, with the Phil
| lies as dangerous rivals. The Giants
may cause trouble for both-and they
may not. They are impossible to
dope The Braves have the punch
but will they deliver it? And the
Cubs and Reds are the dark horses
with the Reds so dusky of tinge that
the betting is about 100 to 1 against