The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-23
FAMILIAR FACES
OUT Of BASEBALL
comino Season OF 1918 VIII See
Many Of the Favorites Of Peace
Times In Khaki
Clothes
ANyoNE's RACE NOW
While White Sox and Giants Are
1Eoonseded to be rs~s.sses -at,tt
Stove Fans, Others
Have Chance.
iTBy I'll. c. Hamilton, United Press
S-,ss Hn-ras 1nrrflsnt

iIBy II. c. Hamilton, United Press
J Staff CORES pondent-l
NEW YORK, Jan. oS--The wild
call OF spring is about TO send the
iathletes hieing southwark. And the
hieing this year Is going TO be con-
siderably more afflicted with lone
someness than al any other time
within the memory of major leaguers
and other spangied favorites OF the
populace.
The faces present, as a matter of
1 fact. will look like new layout for
many of the upper baseball class a
glance into the army and navy would
locate many of the players who last
year were among those present
| The pennant hunt in the 1918 sea
son appears from long distance
glance 10 be just as much as IT was a
year ago. Transfers that have been
made during the winter, while ben
ehirring some clubs, and laying in
jury on others, neverless, leaves
balance in both big leagues that
should make the dash. from the bar
irier TO the finish, a hot one
/ In the mind of most fans. OF course,
there viii be spark OF favorism for
THE White Sox In the America
league and for the Giants in the Nat
ional league Just as in pugilism,
baseball is prone TO string along with
the old champion until the sawdust
has been kicked out of its doll.
But there isn't thing certain in
baseball The late Harry Pulliam
made famous the remark: Take
nothing for granted in baseball /"
There are clubs in either league.
which, If given the right start, kept
free from injuries, and allowed to pro-
coed at an even pace down the field,
would be fully capable of getting un-
der the wire first Injuries TO this or
that club might intervene. Some star
might crack and leave a void that
could not be filled.
| The topnotch baseball club, as a
matter of course, must be smoothly
running machine. 1t must have mo
dissention; its players must be
| friendly and willing to pull together
at all times. Ii there Is a baseball
club not possessing these attributes,
no matter how strong its potential
| ability may make it look, lay few
ishekels that 1t cannot finish ahead.
| Mere grey-maIter ability to knock
baseballs over fences, and to field
| like demons-au are swept aside
when the worry Of grieVed feelings
creeps into a baseball club.
/, Happily, dissention has been driven
out of most clubs in the big leagues
with greatest emphasis laid on the
first division gangs. There was a
time not so very long ago when
things were not going overly nicely
among clubs that had been picked to
win remnants, and for that reason
they were left in the rear.
| It's called temperament in some
! quarters, but the real definition for
the troub1e-maker on baseball club
| is 'no-good."
/, Chicago is going to have something
to say about both pennants. st. Louis
cannot be counted out of the National
league first division, and no more can
the Reds. The Dodgers and Braves
| have added strength The Pirates,
while stronger than year ago, still
| look like a bad ball club, and the
same goes for the former efficient
Philadelphia National league club
Cleveland will not be able to pre-
sent SO strong an array this year.
Boston has been strengthened some
| in the American league, and the Nat
ional league club looks cheerier. The
Yanks, with new manager, may
start all over The Athletics and
Browns are hopeless propositions.
| The Tigers are barely weaker than a
year ago.