Evening star., 1919-09-22

the problem he made a pennant con-
tender of his club from the very start.
The great Chicago club of 1917 had
been considerably shot to pieces when
Gleason took charge. There was much
doubt as to whether Gleason would
be able to adjust the many differences
that existed on the club. because of
wartime conditions and other rea-
sons. and instill4a fighting spirit that
would be able to do. They solved
every problem that confronted them,
and by the time the season was six
weeks old each Club was being given
q look-in as q pennant possibility.
Two Game Clubs.
The Cincinnati and Chicago clubs
were able to accomplish remarkable
things In 1919 under adverse condi-
tions. simply because each team was
game aggregation that did its best
work under the hottest FIRE. What
could possibly be greater test of a
teams gameness than to be forced to
play three double-headers in as many
days, withits strongest contender. on
a foreign field. before a hostile crowd
of $4,000 people? The fact that this
series in a measure meant the break
ing. up of either club also tended to
heighten the strain and put a more
severe test on the gameness Of the
competing teams. What the Cincin-
natl Reds did in that series is now a
matter Of history. The men of Moran
took four out of six. widened their
and took much of the fight out of
McGraw's players: The result of that
series really marked the passing of
the. Giants as real, sure-enough con-
tender.
During the final two months Of the
~,
lieved that the Sox would wilt under
the strain of fighting it out with only
two first-string pitchers. Since the
very; start of the season Gleason has
worked under the handicap of having
only two star regulars. The failure
OF Faber was a big blow. to him. 1t
made 1t necessary for him to juggle
with the rest of the second-string
pitchers to the: best possible advan-
tage. That he did his work well is
proved by the showing Of the club,
and that neither Williams nor Cicotte
appears to be in the least overworked.
Sox Wouldn't Crack.
The Chicago club simply refused
to crack, because it is a club that is
not built along these lines. From
the top to the bottom of the lineup
the White Sox are money players.
Three or four of the players have
always shown to far greater advan-
tage when big things are at stake.
It strikes me that the 1919 series
is going to be a battle of two game
base ball clubs. There have been
world series where certain clubs have
been accused Of curling up and quit
ting when it seemed they. were out
classed, but don't look-for any of
that in the coming series. No two
ball clubs in the business have come
from behind oftener than the Reds
and the White Sox this year. and for
that reason every game in the series
win be fought out until the last man
has been retired.
It will be q meethg Of two great
ball clubs, and, since one team must
win. one Of those game clubs must
step aside. But feel that at the finish
there-will be no dishonor, regardless
Of who wins. T. note that Mr.. Phelon,
a Cincinnati critic, insists that the
Reds will continue to upset the dope
right through the series, and end it
in straight games. but ! hardly look
for Mr.. Phelon's opinion to be veri-
fled. It looks more like a seven
game affair to me.
(CopyriSht 1919, BY W. G. Eyans)