Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-02
AMERICAN AHEAD
OF OLDER LEAGUE
National Has Won but One
of Seven World Series
Since 1910
CONNIE MACK STARTED IT
BY GRANTLAND RICE

BY GRANTLAND RICE
From 1905 through 1909 the National
League was undoubtedly stronger than the
| American.
Those were the days OF National League
greatness. In the five world series played
during that epoch the National League won
four and lost but one. OF the twenty
seven world series games played the Ma
tlonal League won eighteen and lost nine
In 1910 the big shift swept under way:
1910 was the year Connie Mack finally
launched his powerful machine
That year started the rise of the Ameri-
can League and the fall of the National.
Since 1910 seven world series have been
played of these seven the American
League has won six and lost but one. OF
the thirty-seven championship games played
the American League has won twenty-four
and lost thirteen.
Note the shift. For the first five years
the National League had world series
percentage of 800, the American League
200.
For the last seven years the National
League has had a mark Of .l43 the Ameri-
can League .S57.
American League on Top
The American League has beyond any
doubt had superior strength in the last
seven years.
It has not only won most of the world
series games, but has had most of the
games stars in Cobb, Speaker, Sisler, Col
Inns SchalS. Chapman. etc.
But for 1917 the National League has
sent forward the most powerful entry it
has known for many years,
The Giants are far stronger than the
winning Giants of 1911, 1912 and 1913.
They are far better balanced than the phil
lies of 1915 or the Dodgers of 1916.
1t is the first time in seven years that
majority of the critics have given the
National League an even chance to win.
McGraw has been aiming at this series
for a long time. In building and buying his
present machine he had something more in
sight than a National League pennant.
He also had in view a victorious world
series after his three successive setbacks
up through 1913. 1t has taken him four
years to rearrange his present outlay.
Yet the white Sox barrier is no light
one This club is the first American League
machine in some years to win pennant
by a decisive margin As strong as the
Red Sox were, they won by only three games
in 1915 and by only two games year ago.
The Wbite Sox have been eight or ten
games ous y front for the greater part of
a month.
They have gone to battle with a strong
played unusual gameness on more than one
occasion where they were collared and
yanked back from the top.
The White Sox are not likely to have the
defensive steadness shown by the Red
Sox in 1915 and 1916. But neither are the
Giants. The Red Sox were a peculiarly
effective world series club
One More Trial
With the Giants. an aggressive, confident
hard d-chargng outfit, to carry on the ban
ner, the National League has its best chance
in some time to emerge from the rut
But even with strong a club as the
Giants now have the National League has
no advantage to speak of.
For the American League has developed
the habit of victory. 1t has gathered big
impetus the last few years, and this i'm
petus will help.
And in the Chicago cub the American
League has a worthy representative. The
White SoX have both speed and power They
can hit, they have good pitching and as
most of them are veterans they are not
likely to blow.
The Long Count
Taking in the full count, the two leagues
have been we'll matched. OF the twelve
worlds series the American League has
won seven to the Nationals five.
OF the siXty-four ball games fought to a
decision the American League has won
thirty-three and the National thirty-one
The record couldn't run any closer with
out being a draw.
But the fan public remembers only the
later years. 1t remembers only that the
National League has won but one series
since 1909. and 1903 in baseball way was
another era.
If the Giants are beaten it will be taken
pretty well for granted that the National
League hasn't the stuff with which 10 ston
its younger rival
For the Giants look to be one of the
best balanced and one of the strongest
teams the older circuit has ever sent to
war.