The Washington herald., 1917-07-16
twelve OF SIXTEEN
CLUBS OUT OF RACE
Dozen Of Major League Teams Now
Playing for Exercise and Gate.

Sixteen major league clubs have
| just skidded past the half-mile post
on their jaunt in the general direction
of Pennantville or Flagtown-on-the-
Pike.
Twelve Of these sixteen clubs are now
running for exercise. Sweeney and the
gate.
Another. the Philly contingent. is
still around. but a second choice. II
the half-mile post is to offer any line
upon the finish. it is now merely a
matter as to whether the Giants are
to meet the White Sox or the Red
| Sox next October.
The Giants are not entirely out OF
danger by several kilometers, but they
have enough stun to win with. bar
ring only an epidemic of accidents and
casualties.
But the American League race is
another matter The Tigers have
! slipped badly. The Browns have dis
appeared; the Cleveland Indians have
suffered a big drop from last years
standing at this date, and the Yam
KEGS, Handicapped by a weak batting
outticld, have practically no chance
to win.
inns ltdNtS lnt Same TWO Ddll CluDS
which finished II last season to carry
on the debate
The two Soxcs only remain in the
battle of the Red and White. And
these two clubs undoubtedly will he
the sole survivors at the mouth of
the dusty stretch.
\ world series tween New York
and Chicago clubs would carry the
greater effect in a spectacular way.
as these two crowded citadels have
never met in any post-seasOn cham
pionship debate.
But this doesn't mean that New
York and Chicago are TO meet. Bos-
ton has arranged a world series affair
in four of the last five years. until
now she begins TO look upon the Oc-
tober wind-uP as an institution. The
Red SOx won in 1912. the Braves in
| 1914. the Red SoX again in 1915 and
1916
So, with one exception, 1918. a world
+ championship banner has been fut-
terms above the NassaChusetts me.
! tropolis since 1872.
Good many OF the present Red
! SoX OUTFIT nave already known three
world series championships. Most
| of the others have known two. They
I are seasoned. hard-fighting bunch
at their best under heavy fire or out
upon hostile soil. They have Ruth
| Leonard. Shore and Mays. all in
! tirst-class condition. with Foster and
| PennoCk showing improved form
The White Sox have their work cut
out to keep this delegation in sub.
/ lection, once the two clubs get within
sight OF the stretch.
| The White SoX look TO be a better
! ball club than they were last year
| They have neen getting better pitch.
ing and have been more consistent
J in their al play. And last year
finish between the two was close
enough. Here it is:
Red Sox-Won 81. lost So. Percent
age, .5gl.
White sox-Won 50. lost 65. Per,
| centage. .57S.
| Briefly, the Red Sox finally tri.
umphed, ny the narrow margin OF
two games And this margin was cs.
tablished on BostOn's last visit Il
| Chicago. where Carrigans club wor
! the series This means that one sin
gle series decided the pennant race
which is about as close as one would
have it. Both Chicago and Bostor
are moving along well beyond The
pace they displayed last season, anc
the indications now are that bOtf
will finish above 800. with more thar
ninety victories.
! If Eddie Collins and Joe jackson
both get we'll above 800, where they
belong, White SoX chances will be
heavily improved.
The Tigers, despite Cobb's hurri'
cane drive, are slipping. In 1915 they
packed away 100 victories. Last year
they dropped back TO eighty-sever
victories. This season they must I'M
prove materially to win as many as
| eighty-five games.
| Cleveland and Detroit both carry
a world of powcr-both lack Inc
punch-but both are handicapped pS
/ cratic pitching.