The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-10-03
FORTUNE AIDS
SPEAKER'TES
FROM START
Apparent Hard Luck Always
Swings to Advantage OF
I Final Flag Winners.

Cleyeland's dream OF years has
come true. With yesterdays victory
over the Detroit Tigers, 10 to j, iris
Speakers team has won the 1920
American league pennant, the first
TO go to Cleveland in the history OF
the league. Times without number
Cleveland has come right down the
line. only TO lose the victory in the
very last moments of tough seasons.
, But today Indian rioters are insane
with JOY, for their heroes are champ
ions. about to face Brookklyn for the
worlds title.
Luck OF an almost uncanny kind
has favored the Indians this year
In the very training camp period Joe
Harris, high-class first baseman,
quit. But Doc Johnson, aged ana
with not very strong legs, filled his
place in fine fashion. The disappear
ance of Harris has not bothered
Speaker in the least.
Jack Graney was hurt. but Charlie
Jameson hoped in and became
star in a single season, The little
fellow. dropped by Griffith and Con-
! ME Mack, now ranks with the best
outfielders in the game.
OHAPMAN's DEATH HURT.
A terrible blow was dealt to the
Indians in New York when Ray Chap
man was killed by a. pitched ball.
Not only did death remove a great
shortstop from the lineup, but for
time it wrecked the morale of the
team. And at that very moment the
White Sox weere whirling along in
such majestic fashion that 1t looked
as If they would cincn the flags in
another two weeks.
But Fortune willed otherwise at
time when nothing but terrible
slump could beat the SoX and give
the Indians another chance. Those
Sox slumped-woefuliy. Before 1t was
over they dropped from a command
ing leadership to thirdplace. once
again Fortune had smiled upon those
Indians.
Then arose the Yankee menace. The
Gotham contingent journeyed west,
smashed the Indians and romped on
to Chicago. fairly secure in first
place. If the Yankees had annexed
the series with, the White SoX they
probably would have won the flag
The only way they could be checked
and give the Indians another chance
was for the SoX to accomplish the
seemingly impossible trick of whip
ping, them three straights.
YANKS ARE OUT OF 1T.
The White Sox did that very thing
and the Yanks, demoralized by
those defeats. floundered and blunder-
ed and in few more days were out
of the race. And so the stretch bat
tie simnered down to the Sox and
Indians.
But even as the Yankees were elm
mated, the Indians suffered a new
Nit eft re-
overworked began to crumble. Bagby,
Coveleskie, Caldwell, and the others
couldn't go the route. The strain
told. Unless Speaker could get a
miracle pitcher" at once, the Indians
were whipped.
And then once more Fortune favor
I'd the Indians for she sent them from
The far West Walter "Duster" Mails,
of the southpaw arm Mails was to
help the Indians-but the only way he
could do it was to perform the
miracle of winning practically every
game he pitched until the pennant
was cinched. And Mails won seven
combats in row-the miracle was
wrought.
Meanwhile, another misfortune had
come to Cleveland--a new blessing in
disguise. Lunte, who had stepped
into Chapman's job, sprung a Charley
horse" and had to go to the bench.
And there was nothing for Speaker
to do but to send in Sewell. rookie
from New Orleans Sewell went in
and what Sewell did afterward
forms one of the interesting chapters
in the history of the 1920 pennant
fight.
SEWELL HITS WELL.
Sewell, the kid, hit close to 400
7