Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-05
BASEBALL FAN" NAMES
PENNANT CONTENDERs
Selects Detroit, Cleveland, New
York and Chicago for American
League First Division.
Hi ROUNDEn,
llnirersal Service Baseball Core
Spondent)

Hf FOUNDER,
llniSersal Service Baseball Core
! spondent.)
| JACKSONVILLE. FLA, April a.
Baseball is mighty "onsa-tin.
sport. The fellows who look like
J wonders in the spring frequently
blow" before the real midsummer
fight begins. The teams that stack
up like champions in the spring
training are often trailers when the
leaves begin to turn in the fall.
But form docs count You can't
get away from tho strength Of class
in baseball any more than you can in
horse racing. Class will have its ups
and downs but when the finish comes
II invariably is close to the lead IL
Is not actually out in front
So. in sizing up the prospects OF a
oaseoail league race, one always can
depend on finding the class of the
various teams and then banking SOL
idly on that. There have been ex-
ccprons, OF course. notably the year
when Miracle Man" Staliinss led
the Boston Braves to unexpected
triumph. but they are few and far be-
tween. So far AS the American League
is concerned. there appears no chance
for anything but the real class of the
league teams to carry or the bunt-
ing.
Writer Gives Demonstrations.
Having looked tho eight teams over
with care, having studied their per-
sonnet and their past achievements.
III think I'm qualified to venture
mighty good guess as to how they
will finish. I've looked at stellar
ball clubs in action for fifteen years.
think I'm IN expert. Anyway. clip
out this list and paste 1t up until the
middle Of next October. Here's the
way they ought to finish in the
american League:
Detroit, Cleveland. New York. Chi
cnEo. Boston. Washington, st. Louis.
Philadelphia.
No serious judge OF the game will
dispute the fact that the race will lie
between the first four clubs named
They have the class. as has been
proved by their work in tho last few
years. II takes time 10 build win
ming ball club and there has been no
building by any one Of the last four
clubs TO warrant in chasing them
with the first four.
or course the Cievelands look to
be In the hunt from the start this
year They have both batting and
pitching strength of a superlative
quality, and these two qualities will
turn the trick in any team. But
while you're sizing up the Cleveland
team, take squnt at the Detroit
bunch. They have unquestionably
lie greatest smuggling outflcld in the
game. If this outfe!d can get good
pitching 10 hold down opposition
runs. 1t can be counted on TO land the
team close to IL not at the top.
Tigers to Get Good Pitching.
And the Tigers will get the pitch
ing this year, Hughcy jennings has
looked to that. Heretofore that has
been the rcd-toppcd managers weak
spot-he has not been an adept at
training or picking pitchers. Bur
this, year he has turned mat job
over TO the best expert In the game
ut coaching pitchers-the veteran
Jack Coomhs. The latter already
has done wonders in tuning up the
hevy of Tiger hurlers. And it's a
formidable bunch-Boland. Dauss.
Ehmke. Leonard, Ayers. Love and u
likely collection of youngsters. They
all are getting better under Coombs'
direction. They are taking kindly
TO his oaching md prolting from
his pointers.
So that with the hurlcrs going
Well. backed by the smuggling o: Cobb.
Neach. Flagstead. Shotten and fur
Their helped n smooth working and
nearly brilliant infield, it looks to me
that we ought 10 paste the Tigcn up
~ favoritcs.
But Cleveland must. not be over
! looked. The infield here is the bright
| particular spot with fast felders and
| unusual Eitters. Speaker also has II
| splendid outheld, but 1t hardly
matches the Tigers. Moreover. with
| Speaker "a ills pivot it may lose some
os IT'S efficiency should managerial
worries handicap the play OF the
] brilliant Iris. The bunch Is strong
in the box, too, with Bagb Cova!es-
| k.e. Norton. Caldwell. Myers and
| several other corners. but there are
! one or two OF these stars who some
| times get seriously of form. In
| which case the team is likely TO have
temporary hard shedding. But they'll
be up there all the way, lighting
hard under the leadership OF an in
/, spring manager.
Ynnks Have Hnrd Luck.
The New York team a month ago
| looked as II j; would clean up this
year. But Yankee iil-luck already
has set in. Baker won't be back,
i!odle Will be absent. Fcwster Will
he laid up with that crack he got in
the head until July. Pratt is in dis
favor and may be replaced. so Hug
Sins is up against the proposition
Of re.ramirrs his inGeld and he
lacks classy material. iis has an
able array or boxncn In Mays Quinn.
shore. Shawkey. Mosridge and Thor
mal,en. but some or these are In and
others and likely 10 slip at critical
moments Ruih vii! lie batting:
power in The outiie!d and DUFFY Lewis
can be counted on for his usual fine
game. but there il another hole to
Ill! with 10 high class tried man in
sight. The Yankees do not look bet
Ter than third.
The White Sox are likely to bc u
disappointment. The whaling they
took from the Cincinnati Reds last
fan is likely 20 make them less cocky
than they have been. Their infeld
stu is unsettled. they look uncer-
tam In the box. Their outheld is
unsettled, as {; u.ay have 10 undergo
a draft 10 I'LL a vacancy or two IN the
ini.cld. Moreover the refusal OF
Weaver and Risherg 10 report for
training Will be bad for the team
morale. The Sox probably will yet
| NJ fir al * t,,,