Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-09-06
ASSISTS FOR THE FANS
lBY FRED LANE.)

With less than four weeks of the
season remaining, the outcome OF
the races for the pennant in the
two major leagues is as uncertain
as ever, if not more so. The In
dams, White SoX and Yankees are
closely punched in the American
league, while Cincinnati, Brooklyn
and New York each have a chance
in the National.
The Giants struck q snag In
Pittsburgh when the Pirates down
ed them four times in five at
tempts. This series widened the
gap between the New Workers and
the two teams at the top-Clncln-
natl and Brooklyn. Brooklyn con-
tinues to hold up surprisingly well.
The Reds. it seems. can't get steady
pitching kind they had last
year-or they would be away out
in front. Brooklyn has been get
ting very good pitching or the team
would have slipped long ago. If
the Giants brace up in the remain
ing games they have at home they
still have a good chance. But it is
going to be hard to head off the
Reds and Dodgers.
The Cleveland Indians, favorites
in the American league race until
the fatal injury to Ray Chapman,
and who slumped badly for many
days, dropping to third place,
again gave evidence of their old
line form during the past week
md managed to climb back into |
'irst place by winning the last |
same of their last eastern trip this
eason. Their success in getting
o the top, however, was made
possible by Boston taking three !
traight from the White Sox while
he Indians bumped Washington
hree out of four. Meantime the
Yankees dropped one of three
.ames to st. Louis.
In the last invasion of the east
y the western teams Cleveland
Won seven and lost eight games.
'hicago won five and lost seven,
'hile New York won six and lost
even, That shows why Cleveland
yas able to return home in first
lace.
Babe Ruth, the homerun king,
eveloped blood poison in his right
rm over week ago as a result
f an insect bite and his absence
'om the game undoubtedly weak
ned the offense of the Yankees in
heir home stand against the west
IN teams. l
Carl Mays has been showing his
est form since his fatal pitch to
hapman, winning his first three |
2mes with apparent ease. In one
3 allowed but five hits.
Hitting and not pitching is the
lramount issue in baseball in the
linion of Walter Johnson, who
IT twelve years has been one of
lie greatest hurlers of the game.
spite of the fact that he has
AIDE himself famous by prevent
& hitting, he contends that the !
ms went to see hitting. Recently =
discussing the great amount of q
'avy hitting this year. johnson {
id:
There has been an unusual +
Mount of hitting this season but Il
is not solely because the pitcher +
mt roughen the ball and discolor I
| think the principal item that /,
rev the balance in favor of the %
tier was the cold. late spring. A
ring such as We had this year re-
rds the development of a pitch
s arm and it does not obtain its g
'ectiveness until long after the
ison has opened. Then there c
Is the lively ball at the opening
the season. No one has ever
tually announced II but it is the ca
18th. The outtielders were play ~
, out against the fences for
'diocre hitters and everyone was
out hits
Johnson endorses the rules pre-
lting discoloring or roughening
} ball. with a ball cut or dis
ored,' he says. anyone can
CHI, even a school boy"
The big pitcher says that in a Ln
Sc game with low score 1t pil