New-York tribune., 1918-04-07
Series With Braves Shows
Growth of Fighting
Determination
By Charles A. Taylor

COLUMBIA, S. c., April 5.-The
series between the New York Yankees
and the Boston Braves indicates two
things: first, that the Yankees are go
ing to be hard team TO beat in the
American League, and, second, that the
Braves are going to be hard team to
beat for the cellar championship in
the National League. The prediction
regarding the Huggins band is based
not so much on the sort of ball the
New Workers have exhibited so far as
on the game spirit they have given
evidence of in every contest with their
National League rivals.
The Polo Grounds fans on innumer-
able occasions last year saw ball
games that might have been pulled out
Of the fire go into the lest column just
through a sad lack of this never-quit
quality. 1t was not the players fault
individually. They delivered of their
best always, but a whole team as
team must be imbued with confidence
and gameness if success is to be at
tanned. A leader who can inspire this
SHiIIL III MS HtCA Is SSSSiil liaI, anu IL Is
due to the fact that this year the
Yankees have such leader that the
future campaign for the American
League pennant holds so much promise.
Proved Spirit in Game
An illustration of the changed con-
ditlons was afforded IN the game be-
tween the Yankees and the Braves at
Orangeburg, S. c. The Braves secured
i =.
and inning after inning went by with
the Yankee batsmen unable to drive
the ball to safe quarters. That two
run lead appeared TO have sewed up
the game. 1t would have sewed up the
game a year ago, undoubtedly, but not
in these days.
Ping Bodie voiced the feeling of the
whole team in the seventh inning when
he remarked to the press box: "All
we have to do is TO tie that score, and
then we will win sure, and | tell you
we are going to do it," Pings prophecy
came true. The Yankees tied the count
IN the eighth and won the game in the
eleventh. Every man on the nine was
at high tension, ready to seize the
break when it came.
In addition to this most necessary
gameness, the Yankees this year have
a stronger defensive aggregation than
In 1917. Derrill Pratt has plugged that
bad hole at second base in most etrec-
tive fashion. Higgins did well when
he insisted on obtaining this fellow at
any cost. The price in players Miller
had to pay was seemingly high, but his
Judgment is sure to be vindicated.
The infeld of the Yankees is high
class in every respect Peck has al
ready reached his midsummer form.
and that dismsses him. A noticeable
Improvement in the fielding of Frank
Baker also tightens the defence. Not
that Baker was particularly. weak last
year-quite the contrary-but he ap-
pears to be far more lively in get
ting after those slow taps" to the left
OF the pitcher.
Pipp is not digging them out of the
dfrt with the ease and grace of 1917
but it has been a treachercus sort of
dirt Pipp has had to deal with down
South. Just wait until ne is furnished
with the big league dirt of the North
erh diamonds.
Outfeld Is Strong
The outfeld on the defence also is
much stronger than in 1917, and the
answer is Ping Bodie, real ball PLAYER
and corklng comedian when the time
for comedy is opportune. Bodie not
only is fine judge of fly ball, but is
equipped with a mightier arm than the
experts have given him credit for.
Ping fairly chuckles when he sees a
chance to cut down a base runner at
the plate.
The Braves at first figured that the
Coast boy was a bit shy in this depart
ment of the game, but after he had
thrown three of them out at the scor-