The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-04-11

ne WEST NlF9lnldn special sport
Writer Touring Baseball Camps to
Side up Teams Before the 1917 Cam.
paign.
Who will win the American league
pennant in 1917?
Not being clairvoyant. necromanc.
er, phrenologist, fortune.teller or
sooth.sayer. ! frankly admit am
unable to answer
And right here l will let you in on
some inside stuff; there is not man.
ager, player. scout, trainer. batboy,
groundkeeDer, expert or statistician
in the league but whom. if he answers
honestly, will tell you that it is impos-
sible to pick winner in the league
this year.
They may have ideas regarding the
outcome of the American league sprint
they may have their likes and dis.
likes-they may have hunches-but
when it comes to knowing they're all
in the air.
In the American league this year
there are six ball clubs with chance
to win. Some of the chances may be
somewhat remote, but an accident
al youngster there and-presto-the
dark horse has come through.
In sizing up the American league l
am leaving out of consideration Wash
ington and Philadelphia-Was
because Griff's team has several weak
spots and because do not believe an
American league team can win with
out more southpaw pitching than he
has and Philadelphia, because Connie
Macks team is still admittedly in the
process of constructions not finish
ed and is composed to a great extent
of youngsters in various phases of
development.
The sibilities-Chicago Boston,
New York, Cleveland, st. Louis and
Detroit-who is going to say which
one is best?
1t may be possible to figure out on
paper with batting, fielding, pitching
and baserunning averages, that one
club has something on another-but
that doesn't count the brains of u ball
club-its aggressiveness or the fire
that many times wins ball games. II
| doesn't show the temperament and 1t
doesn't take into consideration the
degree and direction Of the managers
abilities.
On paper, perhaps, the White Sox
are best in the league. They haven't
much advantage, but there is some.
But the club as a whole hasn't the base
ball brains of some of the other clubs
and there are better managers than
Rowland in the league.
The New York club must be consid'
cred. 1t has great pitching, great hit
ting, good fielding and first class base
running. In fact, as the season opens
| the Yanks look to me to be the best
bet in the league. If they can finish
! the season as they start they should
win.
The Boston Red Sox is the braini'
est organization in 1917 baseball. Made
up of cold blooded money players, who
play with their brains as much as with
their hands and feet, an dequipped
with a complete substitute team scarce
| ly les effective than the first line
aggregation, the Red Sox Will always
be contenders this year.
St. Louis is the dark horse OF the
league. Fielder Jones has gone long
way to bolster up his club Of last
year with youngsters who may either
make him a sensation or leave him In
the second division.
The Cleveland club has great posi-
bilities. The infield is the weakest
spot, but this may be bolstered UP
with the regulars and substitutes Foil
has under his command. At this time
it is impossible to consign Cleveland
to a second division berth, because OF
the prospect of Wood or Morton com
ing through to complete what, with
them, will be great pitching staff
Jennings has the same problem this
year as last-pitching. Detroit is q
powerful offensive club, a club that
will score many runs, but that was
Just what Detroit had last year and
the Tiger pitchers were not able to
hold their opponents to enough runs
for the club to win the games needed
to beat out Boston, which was not a
great run-scoring club.
But Detroit with its slashing, crash.
ing fiery attack is always dangerous