New-York tribune., 1919-10-06
Chicago Hitters
Must w Wake(Jp.
Declares Rice
White Sox Pitchers Have
Done Fairly Well, but
Offensive Has Been Weak
By Crantland Rice

BY Grantland Rice
CHICAGO, Oct. 5.-lf the rain which
fell to-day and wiped away the dust
on the ball field also will erase the
dust which has gathered in White Sox
batting eyes they may still have n
chance to emerge from the sombre
grotto which now surrounds their
failing nope
Sundays rainy rest gives Kid
Gleason's pitching staff tidy breath
ing spell and practically insures fine
pltching for his next three starts. He
VIII nave claude Williams ready and
rested for Monday, Dick Kerr poised
and primed for Tuesday, and Eddie
Cicotte ycarning for revenge on
Wednesday, all with suitable per cent
OF reposc for their left and right Wines
These three Sox pitchers in their
last three starts have held the Reds
to twelve blows, an average of onlv
tour > the afternoon But even CAV
ana gaudy pitching isn't going to mat
Ter very much unless the once famed
SoX attack can break its wav THROUGH
the Red defence, which So far has s
held the SoX struggling vainlv in the
outer meshes OF the barbed wire en-
tanglements
Only One Earned Run
mere have been many varied and
subtle reasons offered for the White
SoX disaster Up to date, but the main
reason is as clear as a rugged noun
tam peak outlined against an autumn
SKY. m their four starts the Sox have
earned exactly one run a deprcssincr
average OF one-fourth Of one run TO
each contest.
with this sordid and impassive fact
con- rontlng you. why look deeper for
MINOR lI,, sideilghts that mean but little.
men Bail club can earn only one run
every fourth game it has about as
mue4 ra chance Of winning as the 5lst
Landwehr replacements had of driv-
ing the LIST Division out of Cheppy lust
q year ago to-day.
:, me KEGS have rolled up twenty tai
.les out OF four games, where the Sox
nave gathered six, and of these six
precisely five were pure and uncon-
,amlnated gifts. To win now thew must
oag tour OF The next five games and the
oniy sure way Of turning this festive
crick is to 60 out and get few runs
lor Williams, Kerr, and Cicotte as they
take their respective stands in front
of Red bats
IL requires no world beating brain
to suggest that the Reds now have The
calI; they only need two Of the next
ave games, and they have Ruetbar
Ring, Sallee, Ellor and Fisher in fine
condition to handle the assignment
These have been quite sufficient Ia
hoiu the SoX attack in check so far
out You can never tell when slurring
OUTFIT such as the Sox have always
peen VIII suddenly wheel and begin
bo k,l1
Sox Sluggers Helpless
Before the series started it was
mainly question as to whether Kid
Gleason's pitching staff could stand
the test. No one fretted much over
the ability of Eddie Collins, Joe Jack
son. Hap Felsch, Buck " Weaver, etc. to
step forth and pummcl few runs
across. But since the series opened
the dope has Topped one of the best
things the dope does when the cage
door is opened and it is allowed to
roam at will. 1t is no longer ques-
ton of SoX pitching but of Sox bat
ting, for the Indications now are that
Williams, Kerr and Cicotte will turn
in their share of the stuff through the
rest of the series.
In chiding the So,l for their ability
to break through. it is just as well
not to overlook the rare praise due
the Red defence for its fine pitching
and its sharp support in the field
The SoX attack hasn't got started
for the simple reason that Red pitchers
and Red helders have risen to cham
pionship heights and have offered far
greater resistance than quite NUM-
Der ever gave them credit for pos
acssing.
Ruether, Ring and Sallee held the
-,
Fisher only permitted one untainted
sally. Salloe was hit harder than any
OF his mates. but the ancient Sheriff
has q way of rising in the nick of time
TO suppress run. lie will have a
harder time his next appearance, de
spite the rest he has drawn
Those who are supporting the Sox
still have this hunch to work on
there has only been one nine-gam
world series on record, and in this Sc
ries Pittsburgh won three Of the FIRST
who rallied, got going and bagged four
Of the last five starts The SoX cause
isn't any too bright, but it isn't nearly
as desperate as many seem TO figure it.
If Reds Lose-N how.
Williams. Kerr and Cicotte primcd
have an excellent chance Of bagging
two Of the next three games. This viii
leave the Reds leading by q margin OF
four games TO three II they should
lose then what terrific squawk there
would be from Red rooters over the
extension Of the series from seven to
nine games. You Will hear it from
California to Florida, and the raising
vail Will break in upon the Jazz melody y
of Broadway and the autumn music Of
the Oregon pines.
The extension of the series to nine
games now favors the Sox, which shows
again that YOU can never tell what
the future Will slip you when fate gets
to work. The Reds are working their
way in the general din of triumphal
march. They have played great base
ball and have deserved every game they
have won. But they still have to win
two ball games from a fine ball club
that is now thoroughly aroused with
three fine pitchers to help out the
rally.
The Reds can only do this by main
tanning the swift pace they have set
from the start. They are not going TO
drift into the winners end unless we
have badly misjudged the general char
acter and ability of the Sox machine
This machine has been badly outplayed
through the greater part of four
games, but it is about due to rise upon
its hind white legs and begin display
ing the stuff that drove back Cleve-
land, Detroit, New York and Boston
hn Iou