The Washington times., 1917-08-20

now and Labor Day. Today
the furious fight that should {
II the Red Sox can hold their pres
emit pace through the next two weeks,
they will return home in an excellent
position to nose out the Chicago club.
On Labor Day the worlds champions
will meet the Yankees at Fenway
Park. A short tour OF the Eastern
half OF the league follows before the
Red Sox go home to face the Western
clubs in succession from September
is to October /. The last three days
of the season will find the Griffmen
At Boston.
Seventeen ut Home.
The Boston club has seventeen home
dates between now ana October 4.
The champions are known to be we'll
nigh invincibIe when playing on their
own home lot. During the last visit
of the Western clubs in the East, the
Bostonians won twelve out OF eight
cen games, an average OF .G6T.
The White Sox have sixteen home
dates, counting today's, from now
till the curtain falls. And they must
before they hang up their uniforms
and call IL q seasons work. On their
recent whirl along the seaboard the
White SoX won nine and lost ten
games, thus enabling the champions
to crawl up on them.
The Chicago clubs season closes on
Saturday, October 4, at New York.
The Boston club will still have three
games to play and those with the
much weaker Grifmen. II It so hap
pens that the two contenders are
tied on October /, the Griffs will
have much to do with deciding where
the 1917 pennant flies.
Pull fer White Sex.
Except in Boston, American League
fans everywhere are pulling for the
White Sox to win the gonfaIon this
year. They feel that Boston has had
enough Of victory and that it is time
somebody else got a. peek at the
greatest OF baseball giories, the
worlds series.
It is true that II the White sox
clash with the Giants, the big series
will have open dates to allow the
teams to travel between cities. 1t is
true that few fans will be financially
able to make the jumps, but never
theless, the fans are all hoping that
Comiskey's club will win out
However, between hoping and actu-
ally seeing an eventuality there Is a
wide gap. This gap is between Au-
gust 20 and October 4. And the Bos-
ton Red Sox are not going to quit.
Red So1 Are Game.
The Red Sox are numbered among
the gamest OF ball clubs. They night
for everything. As a team they have
unbounded confidence. Man for man,
they consider themselves a little bet
ter than any other in major league
baseball. They have been through
the FIRE OF pennant races and worlds
series. They know just what ehcy
can do.
The principal difference between the
two flag contenders OF 1917 is in the
management Jack Barry is a wise
leader. Everybody knows that. But
everybody doesn't know that ever 1t
his elbow is Heinie Wagner, in his day
the king OF shortstops and now ca
pable, clever coach. Much OF the :n-
side play OF the champions is taught
by Charlie Wagner. who generally |
coaches at third base.
Clarence Rowland is not considered I
in a cIsss with Jack Barry. Even Chi |
csRo writers cannot see Rowlsnd's |
theories OF field management, some /
saying frankly that his bad judgment I
has lost at least twenty games this |
year for the White SoX.
Kid Gleason AssIsts.
Kid Gleason IL an assistant to Row
land, and a capable assistant. too. But |
Il is questionable just how much in
huence he hes on Rowland's judgment |
Gleason is an expert at handling PLAY
ers. He knows baseball from A to =. /
He knows how to impart his knowl- /
edge, but Gleason Is not the manager. I
The errors OF management are not I
charged to his account.
Comparing the teams through semi I
official figures. one notices that the /.
White SoX seem the stronger. They ]
have stolen I24 bases to Il for tho Red /
Sox. They have scored 40 runs TO /
$50 for the Red SoV. They have made |
pO4 hits to h5l for the Red S"N. They |
have a team batting average OF .243 10 4
.239 for the Red Sox
There isn't much difference in these
figures. but when two teams are
matched as closely as these are in 4
the matter OF victories and defeats, |
this difference amounts to considera-
BILE.
Pitchers Going Well.
The pitchers Of both teams arc go
Ing we'll They are the class of the .
circuit. No other club has a staff /
comparing with either Bsrry's or
Rowland's.
There are eight pitchers in the
American League averaging less than |
one earned run per game for op 4
ponents Cicotte, Faber and Scott are |
IA this eight. So are Leonard. Mays /
and Ruth.
In addition. Rsb Russell. of the
White SoX has allowed but 2O3 .
earned runs per game and Dave Dan
Furth. his tesmmaie. l. there with a
!-srk OF 22J.
Cicoite's record ~ I.Ia il the best
A the league. s-aiar Is next with
d 3. Leonard hss &c Mas Isl and
nth I.9T.
Have T;I ~ CourHr-
The Red D p. o. .u=a Es
for on 2
They In n.
arguing o.. -.... a. =s y can
do IL again They may be slower on