The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03
INDIANS SEEM
STRONGER THAN
DODdER OUTFIT
Power Stands Out More in
the Lineup Of the Cleye-
land Team.
dope MAY BE UPSET
Downfall of Athletics in 1914
and Cubs in 1906 Shin
ing Examples.
ny DANIEL.

ming the worlds series? This queS-
ton is being asked not only in Brook
lyn and Cleveland. but throughout
the baseball world. Among those who
wager on ball games the Cleveland
club has been established the favorite.
at odds of to 5. That the American
League entry should be made the IA
vorite lin the fall classic Is quite Gus
tomary. This is born of the belief
in the traditional superiority OF the
American League. and the fact that
In fifteen worlds series. excluding the
scandalous affair of 1919, the Ameri-
can League standardbearer has been
victorious ten times.
1t Is true that the dope" seems to
point to a victory for Cleveland. iris
Speakers club appears to have more
of that magic and varied quality
which is called class. The Indians
have more pitchers who stand out.
more batsmen who belong in the top
notch class, in short, more defensive
and offensive power. But that Is only
the dope" and from time to time Old
Dame Fortune takes a keen delight
In knocking it sky high.
Worlds series history shows quite
few cases In which the calculations OF
the makers of favorites and the predic-
tons of experts were smashed to smith
Green's The biggest upset in the history
Of baseball was that which was accom-
plished by the Boston Nationals OF 1914,
who first made the 1t sensational
drive In the history OF the National
League and rose from last position in
July to first in September and then de-
feated the Athletics in the baseball
classic.
Athletics Strong Favorites.
Connie Macks famous machine was
not merely defeated. 1t was routed, kept
from winning single garne--beaten
four straight. Then Mack broke up his
club ard sold his stars The Athletics
entered that series favorites at ! to 8
and ! to 4.
In 1906 the famous Chicago National
League club--the Chance. Evers and
Tinker outfit won the pennant and went
into the worlds series with the White
Sox The American Leaguers had won
the name Of Hitless Wonders. The Cubs
stood over them in hitting and in pitch
ing and in fielding excellence and went
on to the field favorites at / to 3. But
that did not prevent the White Sox from
winning their first worlds title, four
games to two. However. in the main.
form has been adhered to quite strictly
in the big series.
The Brooklyn club of 1920 Is a decep-
tive outfit. On paper 1t does not look
like a first division outfit. But on the
field it manages to win ball games, and
win them in various ways. 1t has shown
great power in the box 1t has won by
hitting the ball. and when that failed. 1t
has won by strategy and the more subtle
master of baseball in all its phases. 1t
seems to be quite as intelligent a club
as the Indians But the Cleveland team
has more color, an asset which counts
for n great deal more than may be
imagined.
Don't Consider 1910 Series.
In making an assay of the chances of
the Dodgers of 1920 we would give no
weight whatsoever to the miserable
showing made by the Dodgers of 1916
sRainst the Red Sox. who beat them by
four games to one. The Dodgers of 1916
were not as strong as the club Of this
year, either In power or morale or game
ress And, besides. do not forget that
the Cleveland club Is not the Boston
American outfit of 1916, which was COM
posed of some of the greatest money
players In the history Of the game.
The Dodgers of 1920 have proved their
gameness in many ways and at many
times They have been forced to fight
for their flag nearly all the way. and
their opposition was not of the easy kind
either In the heat OF battle men who
were not regarded as formidable players
developed into stars Olson, for whose
, release some of the rabd ones at Ebbets
Field were yelling some six weeks ago,
fought back against his detructors and
became one of the most valuable men
in the counter drive against the Giants
end the Reds. Kilduf, not so long ago
rated as "just a second baseeman." 70 nd
himself in the hot struggle and became
enc of the most timely hitters in the
major leagues.
Let us take the Dodgers in order.
There's Konetchy on first base. Only a
year ago the Braves let 1t be known that
the big Bohemian was done. Last spring
he was let loose, and when Brooklyn
sent Daubert to Cincinnati Robinson
grabbed Konetchy. That was for
tunate grab. for Honey has been playing
young mans game at first and playing
1t with far more vigor than Daubert, a
notorious batting average nurser In
Brooklyn. usually showed.
Johnston Always Dangerous.
II Honey should be kept out of the
game Brooklyn has an able, hard hitting
substitute in the person of Schmandt
At second Kilduff will hold M his end
with honors, while at shortstop we look
TO Olson to play up to his best form.
Olson was one of Brooklyn's stars In
defeat in 1916. Johnston. at third Is
not quite the finished fielder, but he Is
n fighter and always a dangerous hitter.
In the outfield Brooklyn has a form
liable array in Wheat. Myers. Griffith
and Neis. Myers Is likely TO prove the
most dangerous batsman of the club.
Wheat. as Indicated in 1916. In not
likely to shine very brightly In a worlds
aseries, as he takes the occasion too
seriously. But of course there is no
telling.
In the pitching department Brooklyn
seems well equipped. Grimes, who has
been pitching great ball all season. Is
counted on to prove the big winner for
the Dodgers. But here again the dope
sometimes is knocked awry. Critics be-
ilevo that II will be a lefthander who
will do most Of the shining for Brooklyn,
SO the heroic assignment may fall TO
either Marquard or Smith.
Neither has a very illustrious world S
series record, but there is an impression
that a good lefthander can beat the
Cieveands. Southpaws gave the In
dams a lot OF trouble in their own
league and It is felt that q man like