The Washington times., 1921-08-04


be taken for granted.
The Indians are hanging on to first
place by a mere fraction. They can
not afford to falter lest the Yankees
race away in front. The New York
club, while not supposed to be over
supplied with Imagination, might be
difficult to catch, once II romped out
in front. Even the dumbells with the
Yankees might take fire with the idea
of rolling over the line in first place
and sharing the golden rewards OF a
clash for the championship Of the
world. especially that last.
If the Yankees can maintain their
present nearness to the leaders until
they return from their third Western
tour In Septembr, they should be IA
vorites to annex the title. The East
ern clubs this year will finish the sea-
son at home. In the case of the
Yankees. this is a great advantage as
they are particularly hard team to
defeat at the Polo Grounds.
Has Steady Team.
iris Speaker has a steady team
at his command. With the single
exception of Joe Sewell. the short.
stop, every man in the regular line
up answers the description of vet
eran. In some cases, such as
Speaker himself, Joe Wood. Jack
Graney. George Burns, Doc John
ston, Larry Gardner. Ray. Caldwell,
Leslie Nunamaker, Jim Bagby and
vets of many years experience.
Steadiness, II not entailing stog-
siness, certainly does mean lumber
someness. The Indians are pretty
close to the slowest team in the
league. They require hits TO get
them around, but they have the
habit Of getting those hits. They
are right timely swatters against all
opponents.
The Indians are showing signs of
cracking. though. in the box. Jim
Bagby has not been the victorious
twirler of 1920. He won thirty one
ball games last year and looked good
to repeat this season. His failure to
come through has hit Speaker a body
blow.
Walter Mails, whose ten straight
wins in the waning weeks of the
100 campaign made possible the
pennant victory, is not with the
team. He has gone to Cleveland to
have his injured shoulder treated.
He. too, has failed to repeat his
good work of 1920.
SotI,oron May Help.
Allan Sothoron may help the In.
dams. Then again he may not
After making three excellent show
ings. the former Brownie blew up
sadly at Boston and again at New
York on this very trip. IL he fails
to show class against the Griffs in
this series opening today. his status
as an Indian will be in jeopardy.
St1n Coveleskie and George Uble
shape up like the best Jitchers on
Speakers staff. though Guy Morton
uncorks real game every now and
then. So does Ray Caldwell. But
neither does 1t frequently enough to
become a dependable pitcher on
team fighting for the pennant
against such an opponent as the
New York Yankees.
Everywhere in the West the fans
want the Indians to win. Boston fans
want the Indians to win. Philadelphia
fans want the Indians to win. II
the Grtffs can't quite make the grade.
Strange to say, nowhere around the
American league, save in New York,
naturally, are the fans pulling for
the Yanks as against the Indians.
Indeed. the Griffmen would Me
favorites semtimentally were they In
. position to rush to the front.
Washington has never. won a pen
nant in the majors. Clark Griffith
broke all records in 1912 when he
brought his team over the line In
second place.
Have Little Hope.
Tho Griffs have little hope of
finishing better than third. This will
be a feather in George McBride's
cap in itself. Eight and a half games
behind the second place Yankees,
with the same number of weeks to
70 before the curtain falls on the
campaign. the Griffs would have to
play miracle ball to turn the trick.
Few expect miracles. .....
But for their poor work In the
West recently tho 0riffmen might
today be close enough to the two
oontanders to dispute with them the
psnnant They dropped eleven
games out of sixteen played The
Yankees won ten and lost five,
which In some difference.
In order to get up to first place
the Griffs must take moro than
three-fifths of their remaining fifty
ono games. This can be done. but
It Is not likely to be done. AS a mat
ter of fact, looking lock over the
work of the season and remembering
the slow start johnson made. the
painful peeging of O'Rourke in the
early weeks, the experimenting in
the garden and the generally sloppy
work of the pitching staff. Washing
ton fans will consider their place re-
ward enough for 1921.