The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-04-04

Two weeks from tomorrow tho l1Is
baseball campiign viii get under way iu
the American league Unless 10 falls tu
pieces. the machine that tutmplrd upon
ell opponents last year. the chicago
White SON. will win tho prunhnt once
more. Indeed, there are signs In tho
sky that Indicate n runaway race In both
leagues, with Chicago aud New YORK
meeting for tho worlds Championship
next October
The possibilities Of every club In tho
American league with the singlo eNrrp-
ton ot the champion White SUN, being
obliged 10 give NJ needed players Ca
Uncle sam, makes the outlook most IN.
certain Urban lnber, though now SET
back In tho dTHti, may hr taken from
Row lands team, but ~ lH likely iD come
20 hate Hs to be Of comparatively small
importance. The White sOH ought to
have the flag clnchcd By August l.
with the exception u Jim Scott, the
veteran pitcher, aud jenkins. a third
string catcher. Rowland viii have every
man In line next month that he had last
spring. They will he a year Older. which
may slow up a few such ms GHndil and
Jackson, but their experience Will also
BE- that much longer, There isn't y crack
10 DO found In any OF the machinery.
Where some teams are weak, I'm re-
serve power. the white SoN are strong
They hsve high class Substitutes for
WV INNANlNNA WV NNf N'NNNN n ~
are facing possible injury beCtlfo ~
experience, such NJ Gundil with his weak
knee, Rowland has a capable player
ready 10 step In
Cicotte. Fnber. Danforth. Russell and
Williams ate all with the 1915 squad
They should do fully as well ms they dli
last year. Benz lH I'm better health than
ever. Wolfgang's clover pitching in
DiNielhnd has boosted his stock, Will,
Paul husser Is being grCUmed 10 replace
some OF the ailing veterans. II ~ impus-
slble TO pick a single position In tho
Chicago club which has been inluIed hy
the war. Under the same Hkilful man
agement. the 1918 bunch should walk
away will the American League p%ennnut
and then battle the National league
leaders with quite the same success they
had last fall
SCRAMBLE for Second Place.
with Uncle Sans grim visagc looming
up over the fence. MS a scramble which
team viii be ~ruuncr-up In the Johnson
ian circuit this season Already even
during the training season. some clubs
have been hit hard. The Yankees and
Grlffmen have had much-ncedSd players
ordered into military service. They may
lose more. Other clubs stand In the
same position. So far az known, the
Chicago white SoH alone stand to lose
not a man.
The New York Yankees have been
tOuted as possible c%onteuders, but they
are leaning on the good behavior Of Ray
Caldwell, the improvement In the in
field with the accession Of Del Pratt and
the absence OF that string Of injuries
that ruined every hope Bnl Donovan
ever had while leading the team. Moth.
ing can nv foretold along these Vines, aud
yet they are vital to the success OF the
Yankees.
The Detroit Tigers are also acclaimed
as penunnt Contenders, but they stand
TO lose Willie Mitchell. George Cunning
ham and DOnlc Bush n Uncle sam hap
pens 20 want them this summer Fake
that trio from jennings and he'll become
g~ray-headed over night
May Have Dlssenslon.
Another winter contender is the RoH-
ton Red SoN, but the TIP Is out that dis
sensions are likely TO cut into the sue
cess Of the former champions, interiors
Ing with their work In the field
Ed Barrow liz n driver. So Is his first
lieutenant, Johnny Evers. Can they get
anywhere with their style Of ocidity
when some Of their best players, those
most necessary TO the welfare Of the
team, have Just graduated from that
smooth, calm. diplomatic sChOOl conduct
ed hy Connie Mack
The strength NJ the Red SoN is In the
box. Ruth, Mays, Bush and Leonard
form q marvellous quartet, but they must
have runs 10 win. The team looka like
n hitting aggregation on paper. hut there
10 nothing especially brilliant about It's
fielding ability. Strunk and Hooper are
Outfleld stars. Scott is a brilliant short
stop. But no other member Of the team
Is remarkable for his fielding post
tlon Mclnnls is n truly great first base
man, but he is playing third this year,
an experiment that may be dangerous
Boston fans look for n winner, This may
bring about just those dissensions pre-
dicted. Adverse criticism will not 20
well with such pepper boxes as Barrow
and Fvers.
Browns Show 10 Better.
The - Louis Browns show up better
this srrlrg than they have since Fielder
Jones took charge NJ them The laugh