Evening star., 1920-06-18


Il have been misquoted many times
by the papers around the CIRCUIT 10
the effect that Cleveland had a cinch
on the flag. Talk like that Is .slmpiy
foolish at this time of the year.
thousand things can happen that
would make the Indians slip from
first to last like lump OF leao'
Failure to get the breaks of the game
is always tremendous factor. as IS
also the matter of having mishaps TO
players.
Cites Hard Luck for Griffs.
'The Washington team is a striking
example of what can overtake ciuh
in the midst of winning streak:
When we played in. Washington and
team appeared to me as one OF the
best we had faced either in the east
or west. Chances were taken by
Griff's crew that only fast aSsre-
cation can attempt, and they were
getting away with them nine times
out of ten. Then started the i'll luck
in Judge getting spiked. and in base
ball. like everything else. the mis-
haps come in bunches
shoot the same sort of misfortune
at the Indians and, although we are
unusually well fortified with reserve
players, the secondstring men are
never as good the regular boys.
There is an absence of confidence II
tHe Passing OF Signals ana thlS ls-Ck
stands out like fiashlight whenever
q hard game is on. Everybody may
be doing his best, but there is just
that shade of perfection missing that
loses ball games. Give us the breaks
of the game and I feel confident my
team is strong enough to be in first
: place when the season ends
Speaker was asked what teams he
thought would be the most trouble
some for the Indians to overcome to
Z.
somewhat startling.
Fears "weak" Teams Most.
The second division clubs always
have proved our strongest opponents
when the season reaches. say. the
middle of July, or the first of Au-
gust, and I suppose it will be the
same proposition over again this
year for US. About that time play
ers wake up and take on ne%
there is another season ahead for
them to reckon with in the matter
of contracts and salaries. They play
at least 20 per cent better ball, their
spurts are infectious and as a result
an otherwise weak team will put over
unbeatable ball.
"Overconf1dence can wreck the best
club in existence. and. believe me. l
never let an opportunity slip by with
out impressing this fact upon my
back over the games we had lost 1t
was simply ghastly and heartbreak-
ing to see the numerous contests we
had let slip away to teams that had
been considered easy picking before
we went on the field. / had list
printed of these supposed weak sis
ters with the dates and scores and
made every player on the Cleveland
team promise me he would carry the
slip around with him.
III Nat
are resourceful teams. and whenever
we run against them. will recall to
my men what they did to US last year.
and / am sure there will be no cock
sureness displayed. Whenever / think
of that Detroit punch / will try to
pull gun, as those boys are bound to
show something before the season
gets much older and the words next
year loom up before them in the
mist.
Chicago, New York and Boston are
not worrying Cleveland little bit. it
IL those supposedly weak teams that
have always played the deuce with
us and ! am going TO take mighty
good care that they don't repeat this
season"
Game Today ON Muddy Field.
The sun finally broke through the,
mass of dark clouds yesterday after
noon. but the game carded for today
between tne ITiHH1en ana INDIANS Will
be played on a muddy field. notWith-i
standing that the local management
had been working on ii since daylight.
Manager Griffith said he might shift
his twirlers and send in Walter John
SON for the opener unless large
delegation comes from Akron, in
which case Bill Snyder will work as
originally intended. The two days
1ay-off knocked the plans of the Akron
fans awry. They may wait for the
next visit Of the Nationals and catch
a double-h header in addition to seeing
Snyder work
President Dunn of the Cleveland
club called on Griff last night and had
quite a lengthy confab, but there was
nothing given out as TO what was un-
der discussion. George Burns of the
Indians also was caller and passed
the glad hand to the Griffmen he
knew. George is still bothered with
bad leg. but says he is glad he is
with Speaker.
The hotel at which the Nationals
are quartered has ID cabaret in the
basement II is known as the rain
bow room. the Eorgeousness of which
has been the talk of Cleveland for
some time Last night Zeh Milan and
Walter Johnson paid it visit, had
steak and French fried potatoes and
the bill was $40. When Zeb saw the
bill he nearly had IA fit of apoplexy.