The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-05-27
MATTY ANOTHER ]
MIRACLE MAN.
Has Great Club In Cincin-
nati-Comeback of Magees
a Big Help.
By sHoRTsTOP.

After the way Mattys Cincinnati
Reds rode roughshod over the Giants
recently, defeating McGraw's cham
pions in four out of five games, one
must conclude that Cincinnati is at
last back on the baseball map, and
likely to stay for some time.
Matty seems to have accomplished
the biggest baseball miracle of them
all
Cincinnati had splendid team last
year, but the Reds got a late start
and the Giants early lead was too
much for them to overcome. They
did make a great effort at one time,
btu -succumbed to their own exer-
lions, and finished fourth, but that
was Redland's high water mark since
1912. In the many years that the
Reds have been in the National
League they finished better than
fourth only four times. Back in 1878,
the third year that the National
League was in existence, the Reds fin
ished second, their highest position.
They also finished third in 1896, 1881
and 1904. $50,
But the real big factor in the Red
land success of this spring has been
the remarkable comeback of the two
Magees. Lee Magee, who looked. abb
solutely hopeless in the American,
League with both the Yankees a.ndI
Browns, is playing the same dashingI
game for Cincinnati that made hinll
such a favorite in st. Louis when heI
was with the Cardinals and later in
the Federal League.
Why Lee Magee was just a bloomerI
in the American League always will
| remain a baseball mystery. HaA
couldn't do anything in the Americana
| League-hit, field or throw. But he
has put that big spark in the Red in
| field, and up to the middle of last
| week had been charged with only, one
error. He is hitting above 800, and.
as timely as his few hits with the
Yanks were untimely. -
Sherwood Magee, released to Cin-
cinnati in the latter part of last sea-
son, also has found the fountain of
youth and again is lashing the ball
around as he did in his palmiest days
in Philadelphia, when he wat the
| leading slugger of the Quakers. ~
| Sherry Magee's comeback is all the
more remarkable, as he is the veteran
regular player in the two big leagues
| in point of service. Sherry is playing
his 18th season in the National
tLeague, and he never was an expon-
ent of the simple life either. He has
had heaps of adventures.
| Magee has filled in wonderfully for
| hoC cosc
disability, and his big bat is daily
sending Cincinnati to the front. Last
winter it was reported that the Reds
had asked for waivers on Lee and
that he would not bes igned for the
looming season. Today he is one of
the most popular players that ever
wore a Cincinnati uniform.
A real, live team in Cincinnati will
be blessing to the National League
and no town is more deserving of a
winner. Despite the fact that Gin
cinnati has been accused of having the
/ most vicious anvil chorus in the
world, in a way this is to be expected.
Years after years of disappointment
and chronic second division ball will
embitter most any fan, and few cities
would have remained as loyal to its
team as Cincinnati has been to the
Reds. Let the Reds win only half a
dozen straight games and the town
is willing to burn red fire. :
Some other Cincinnati teams have
kicked up quite furry in the springs
notably the team of 1912, comma nded
by Hank O'Day. But the present Gin
cinnati team really looks the goods
and is the team the Giants must beat
out for the flag. And if Toney pitches
for the Reds all season this may be
quite a mans sized job. :