Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-06-21
ASSISTS FOR THE FANS
(BY FRED LANE.)

At the present time four clubs
are having it nip and tuck" for
league leadership. Cincinnati and
Brooklyn are taking turn about
holding down first place in the Ma
tional league, while Cleveland and
New York are fighting fiercely for
the top in the American league.
All four clubs are playing the class
of ball that Is hard to beat. How
ever, there are four more clubs
two in each league-that are play
ing good enough to keep them in
easy striking distance of the top
and if the present leaders WAIVER
they will be right at their heels
These four are the st. Louis and
Chicago Nationals and Chicago and
Boston Americans.
In fact, without stretching the
Imagination, it can be said that
there are five clubs in each league
that ara contenders--Sepa rated
from the top by the margin of
comparatively few games, They are
Pittsburgh in the National and st.
Louis in the American league. the
favorites, however, now hold one
two positions in each league. But
nothing is more uncertain than
baseball. Injuries to players, a
slight letting up of the pitchers,
batting slumps or wobbles of the
fielders make possible big chances
in percentage standings in few
days when the race is tight.
The Cubs, lat the present time,
are handicapped by players being
ing injured Had not whole flock
of injuries overtaken them in a
few days they probably still would
be on top or Whereabouts. And ii
the regulars get back in form soon
they will make trouble.
Every indication points to Vindl-
cation of early predictions that this
will be one of the best years, If
not the best baseball has ever eX-
perienCed. The races between the
clubs promise to be close and the
attendance records already have
been broken at numerous parks.
The American league percentage
table really looked more natural
after Detroit won from the Attn
letics and showed them down into
last place. Connie Mack's team
held that position SO long that
| the table did not seem balanced
right with any other name than
Philadelphia at the bottom 1t
sort of We'd with the National
lea,,gue percentage table where
the Phillies hold sway.
| Whether the Athletics stay at
the bottom remains to be seen
but their winning pace will have
to improve greatly over what II
has been thus far this season IL
they push Detroit or any other
team below them. Somehow Mack
seems to have hard time getting
n winning combination together.
One day his youngsters look ike
| n regular DIX ltdtp o'tiih 40 y 49,
department and the next day they
drop into the class of rank bush
leaguers. The team don't seem to
have the balance. SO far this sea-
son the Athletics have made most
every team in the league go the
limit To beat them and they arc
nearly always threatening to WIN
ont. But the punch seems lack
ing: the class necessary to make
a winning team too often Is a
minus quantity. However, we
have not lost confidence in Macks
ability to eventually build a win
ming team. If his present OUTFIT
cannot be developed he will add
new material to some of the play
ers of ability that he already mas
land eventually will forge his way
up the percentage ladder.
The thought has been advanced
by some that one of the big reasons
flor so much heavy hitting in the
! American league this year was
THAT the baseballs We're made diff
lferently from last year The COM
many which furnishes the official
ban, however, denies the charge,
saving the balls are made exactly
the same as last year.
Official averages show thirty
nine players in the American
league hitting 800 or better. In
fact thirty-eight are hitting bettel
than 800 aud the thi 'y-ninth man
is hitting an even 800.
| The Philadelphia Nationals went
strong for a time finally forging
their way to the top. After being
in first place one day, however,
they struck a losing stfkik that
carried them down"'graGAu with
out, a single victory uhtff'nthey
were entrenched in last prare, An