The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-08
AT A new ANGLE
DOpesters Ready to Change
Chalk on the Big Leagues.
InterSectiOnaI Clashes Begin
Tomorrow and Thursday.
BY JACK VEIOCK.

New York, May S.-With the open
ing OF the first inter-sectional series
in the two big leagues. commencing
May and 10, the baseball bug will
get his initial chance to compare the
eastern and western pennant contend
ers-and the comparison is bound to
prove interesting.
With the balance of power appar-
emily centered in the eastern half of
the National League, with the Giants,
Braves, Phillies and Dodgers COM
peting, Mr.. A. Bug looks on with in
terest while he lamps the efforts of
the Cubs, Cardinals and Reds against
them. The Pirates seem hopelessly
out of it, though many a strange thing
can happen in a long season.
In the American League the fast
going White SoX and the Cleveland
Indians are expected to show strong
against eastern rivals, and the
Browns, if they can get steady pitch
ing, may prove stumbling blocks in
the path of the Yankee and Red SoX.
The Tigers, SO far a big disappoint-
ment, may hit their stride at any
time and start breaking the hearts of
some very good pitchers.
The Best Clubs.
Early season slants at the sixteen
big league entries indicate that the
best all-around clubs are the White
SoX and Red SoX, in the American
League, and the Giants, Braves and
Cardinals in the National The Cards
are the biggest surprise of the Nation
al League season, though Matthew
sons Cincinnati club has shown a ten
dency to hammer the ball as no Gin
cinnati club has hammered it in years.
But the Reds haven't the same brand
of pitching that featured the drive of
the Cardinals in the early weeks of the
season
The Giants have proven to the base
ball public, and to themselves, that
they are not invincible. They have
found the pitching of Boston and
Philadelphia hurlers a handicap to
their run-making, and altho they
trampled the Dodgers they did no
more than had been expected of them
no more than both the Braves and
Phillies accomplished
Giants Are Favored.
The long at-home stay of the
Giants this month is decidedly in
their favor They will play con-
tnuously at the Polo grounds until
May 80, and John Josephus McGraw
has mapped out some hard work for
his battlers He hopes to pilot them
into a commanding lead and it ap-
pears that he will be successful I'M
less injuries hamper his plans. Tenn
poIary injuries to Heinie Zimmerman
and Charley Herzog hit the Giants
like a cyclone. They seemed lost
without all of the regulars in the
harness. This may be good point
to remem Der in watching New Y ork'S
National leagueTs.
The Braves and Phillies, like the
Giants, will spend the month of May
on their home lots, and Stallings and
his Boston crew are out for the same
thing that all of the stay-at- home
managers are after right now lead
and a chance to improve it before
hitting the road.
Champs Come West.
In the American league the East
ern clubs which look best must spend
most of this month on the road. The
Red SOX and Yankees are slated to
invade western territory May 10, and
in the west they are going to find
every club entrenched and waiting
for them. 1t will be "A supreme test
at least for the Yankees, and as the
west has some good southpaws to
work against Bill Donovan's athletes
the outlook for the henchman of Rup-
pert and Huston is none too brilliant