Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1919-10-09
GRIFFITH SAYS S0X
SHOULD WIN SERIES
Washington Manager Puts in
Boost for Chicago Team.
Not League Loyalty, but Opinion
Formed Upon Careful Study Of
BasebaI-Tigers Had Hard
Luck at Start of Season.

Manager Clark Griffith of the Wash
ington American league team, in dis
cussing baseball the other evening eX-
pressed the belief that the White SOx
would defeat the Cincinnati Reds and
gave his reasons for his choice. 1t
was not league loyalty in any sense,
but an opinion based upon careful
study of baseball that the Washington
leader gave.
ITO begin with" said Griffith, 81
have not seen the Reds play this sea-
son. l know some of the older men
and know what they can do. l do
know the White Sox and l know what
they can do. l have had practical
demonstrations of what they can do.
The White Sox have every essential
of championship baseball team.
They have whirlwind attack, won
derful defense, and every move they
make is directed by keen baseball
brains.
"There is no fluke about the posi-
ton Of the White Sox. 1t is true that
the Tigers had a bit of tough luck in
the start of the season, but, just the
same, the Chicago team is a real,
blown-in-the-glass club. They lead the
league in hitting, base running, scor-
ing runs, extra base hits and every
thing else. When they set the highest
standards in those things we can only
conclude that they are champions.
"Just take their batting order first.
Memo Leibold is a lead-off man of the
type. He is hard to pitch to and has
a good eye. If the balls are bad he
won't take a cut at them. If they are
in he is as liable to crack it for two
or three as he is to get single. Then
there is Eddie Collins. Collins is
about the greatest second-sacker that
the game ever produced. He is a
great hit-and-run man; or he can
stand in and slug. You know a good
hit-and-run player does not smash the
ball when that play is on. He meets
the ball and punches it. Collins can
run the bases, too.
Then there is no less a person than
Buck Weaver. Buck is about as good
as Collins. l think he is the greatest
third baseman in the world today.
He can go and get a ball, he can
throw, he has fine hands and is smart.
Then comes Joe Jackson. Jackson is
hitting $50, and is liable to bust one
clean out of the lot. Happy Felsch is
hitting about .260 now, but he is a
dangerous factor. Chick Gandil is a
hard hitter and is playing wonderful
ball right now. Don't let any shallow
skulls tell you that Chick is not a
good player.
ut has been said" continued Griff,
that if it were not for Eddie Cicotte
and Claude Williams the SoX would
be nowhere. Perhaps that is right,
but you can take it from me that if it
were not for the White SoX Cicotte
and Williams might not be anywhere.
When pitcher can go in there and
know he has the sort of team that if
the opposition makes three runs his
mob will make four it gives him the
heart to do big things. That is the
type Of men the White Sox are. They
never stop fighting.
"Defensively the Sox are marvels,
and nothing less. l am going to tell
you something now that may surprise
YOU" said Griff earnestly. 81 am going
to tell you that Happy Felsch is the
greatest center fielder in baseball"
''But there is iris Speaker" protest
ed the writer.
81 know there is Speaker" replied
Griff. II know all about Speaker; he
is a great ball player, but he is not
one whit better than Felsch, and 1
think that Felsch is just a bit better
than he. Mind you, l am talking of
defensive work now. 1t is practically
impossible to hit a ball over Felsch's
head. He is ball falcon in fielding
the ground hits, and he has one of
the most marvellous arms that ever