The Washington times., 1917-05-05
SPEAKER IS LIKELY
TO WIN TITLE AGAIN
Indian 0ut6eIder Maintain
ing a Swift Pace.
TODAY'S GAME CALLED OFF
Champions None Too Popular With
the GriGmen.
TODAYS GAME CALLED OFF
Nv LOUIS A. DOUGHER.

trail behind Tristram Speaker for the
batting leadership of the country?
Last season Speaker finished in
front OF the redoubtable Georgian.
who lost his title after holding IT for
ten years. This season the Terrible
Texan is leading a fierce pace, one
far too warm for most OF the bats
men in the league.
In seventeen games played thus far
Speaker has hit for .426 and gives
no sign OF weakening. Only three
men have bettered his eleven runs
scored and two Of them are lead-o1
men. His twenty-three hits top all
but Sisler, who has collected twenty
five,
Only Chapman, his team mate, and
Sisler have as many two-baggers,
seven in number. Sisler, Judge, and
Pipp are the only players with more
extra bases.
Cobb Is No SIOuch.
However, Cobb is no slouch, for all
his eleventh position in the ranking
today. In two less games the Geor-
Rtan has scored as many runs as
Speaker. His superior speed is evil
denced by the total of eleven runs
and also by those four stolen bases,
three more than spoke" has.
Both Speaker and Cobb have been
to bat "a times. This indicates free
passes going to Speaker rather than
to Cobb. Most pitchers have sin
cere respect for the Indians mar
Velous outhelder.
Joe Jackson, who has been con-
tender for the batting laurels ever
since entering the league, is surpris-
ingly low this spring, with a mark
OF .23O. If he and Cobb fail to make
1t interesting for Speaker, the task
will have to go to McInnis and Sisl9,
the only sluggers who seem to have
Q ghost OF a show to pass the Texan.
Get Peek at SOx.
Washington fans Monday get their
FIRST peek at the Red Sox this season.
Yesterdays postponement cuts the Sc
ries down to four games, but each
game will be seething, for there is
little love lost between the teams.
Last summers scrap on the field at
Georgia avenue has not been forgot
ten either by the players or the fans,
and the attendance is expected to be
swelled accordingly.
The Red Sox, on their showing
against the Griffmen in Boston last
week, are not quite ready for their
best work, but the handicap, OF err
ratio pitching is being made up by
sterling work in the field and timely
hitting. The champions play wise
ball." and are hard to beat.
Babe Ruth, Ernie Shore, Dutch
Leonard, and Bean Ball. Mays are
expected to be sent against the Griffs,
though there is a chance that Ruth
may twirl twice.
They Had 'em Then.
In another column you will note
the .426 mark of iris Speaker at the
bat He is doing it with an almost
perfect ball and the very latest thing
in wagon tongues. But in the old
days there were bstsmen also.
For instance, back in 1857. accord
ing to the baseball guide, Tip"
O'Neill, of st. Louis. finished the sea
son with an average OF .492. Brown
ing, OF Louisville, hit for Al and
Denny Lyons. of the Athletics, |
crashed for 1853.
Why, even Billy Sunday. who was
more of a runner than a slugger, col |
lected enough bingles that season TO |
finish at 359.
There were as many 400 hItters in |
1887 as there were 800 hitters last |
year. There were IL batsmen 800 |
or over in that grand and galoryous |
season OF 1857. l
Another Game Is on.
For the second successive day Man.
Gger Griffith had to postpone a ball /
game, wet grounds preventing the |
Griffmen and the Red Sox from clash |
ing at Georgia avenue. By the time |
they get together Monday, the home |
team will have had three days OF |
i'd ness.
Only three more games remain to |
be played here before the Griffs leave |
for their first swing through the |
West. Harry Harper, George Du |
Mont, and Walter johnson will prob
Ebly be the twirlers sent against the |
champions, who will have Babe Ruth. |
Ernie Shore. and Dutch Leonard on |
the hill.
The Grifmen, leaving for Cleve-
land Wednesday night, will be absent I
until May 20, when they open a long
stay at Georgia avenue. The Red 4
Sox will be their first foes, playing |
four games in two days. On May % |
Q double-header will be in order and |
Ill