The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-22

1909, there will be general saticfs
veteran player, cross the line v
IT was great ball club in Pitts
burgh In 1909, with Sam Lever, Babe
Adams, again with the Pirates after
several years of toll with other clubs;
Howard CamnitZ, Deacon Philippe,
Lefty" Leifield. now assistan. to Lee
Foil with the st. Louis Browns; Nick
Maddox and the veteran Vic Willis. as
pitching staff of parts and hurting
the little old pill to this same Mooney"
Gibson, now the teams manager.
Bill Abstein, a one-year boomer
was at first base. dots" Miller, now
with the Phillies, was at second. The
great and only Honus Wagner was the
shortstop, with Bobby Byrne, a bril-.
liant fielder, holding down third base.
And In the garden were Fred Clarke,
one or the games greatest outfilders
and leaders: Tommy Leach. now man.
aging the Tampa club in the Florida
State League, and Chief Wilson, a
hard-hitting, steady outfil1er, who
never got as much praise as he de
served. II was a wonderfully balanced
machine, the Pittsburgh club of 1909,
ana II swamped the Tigers and almost
broke Hughey Jennings heart.
Old Jinx Working.
The jinx that has worked In the Ma
uonal League for years seems to be
on the job once more. A ball club not
In first place on July 4 has won the
pennant only five times in the last
twenty years in the old league.
In 1911 the Phillies were leading on
the nations birthday, only to land IN
fourth place. The Giants had that ad.
vantage in 1914. but II is glorious his
tory, the onward rush of the tail-end
Boston Braves to worlds title that
season.
The Cubs were in front in 1915, but
the Phillies COPIED the flag, and the
Cubs were forth in October. In 1912
New York led on July 4. only to finish
second to the Cincinnati Reds. A year
later the Reds led on July 4 and fin
ished third.
On July 4. 1921. the Pittsburgh Pi.
rates were leading, and for that rea-
son close followers of the old jinx in
the National League look for Gibson's
gang to cop the banner, for on the
same date in 1902, 1903 and 1909 the
Pirates were in front and finished
first. The rule has always worked
for the Pirates, as may be seen.
He's No Optimist.
And with all the dope pointing to a
Pittsburgh victory. Gibson is no opti-
mist. He says he never forgets the
Pirates of 1914. They won fourteen
OF their first seventeen games and died
on the first Eastern trip. He Is always
looking for sudden death to his pen
nant hopes as a result.
However, an outsider passes up that
idle memory of days gone by. He looks
only at the smoothly-ruuning machine
Gibson Is swinging toward the tape a
winner. He notes that Babe Adams is
leading all the pitchers in the old
league with twelve out of fifteen vic
tories, that the rookie Glazner has
won eleven out of fifteen, and that
Claude Cooper has COPIED nineteen
victories to eight defeats. In other
words, Pittsburgh has the pitching,
and pitching is the most important
part of a major league ball club.
Walter Maranville's sensational
shortstopping has marked the sea-
sons work oathe Pirates, while young
Tierney has more than held his own
at second. George Cutshaw, too, stands
ready to fill in when Tierney happens
to hit a slump. Clyde Barnhardt. a
mere kid, has made good at the hot
corner since George Whitfield went
back to the outfield. Grimm, the first
sacker, is called the best fielder among
all the old leagues first basemen.
Brottem Makes Good.
Gibson wonders how Clark Griffith
ever let Tony Brottem get away, for
the former Little Rock receiver has
done nobly since joining the Pirates.
Schmidt, the first-string catcher. ranks
with the best in baseball today. There
fore Schmidt and Brottem give the
Pirates n classy battery staff.
In the outfield are Whitfield. a real
star: Max Carey, the fleet-footed vet
eran. and Davey Robertson. who once
wanted to come to the Griffmen. All
are fast, all are good fielders, and all
are good hitters. They make a fine
gardening trio.
The New York Giants, costing a
fortune in real money and another In
players to organize, have made a hot
fight from the start. Now and then.
they have been within touching dis
lance OF the Pirates only to stumble
and fall back. Today National League
fans believe McGraw's team done.
The Boston Braves, shaping up
three weeks ago like a second 1914
miracle team. have cracked under the
strain and only another miracle can
give them the pennant.
And there you are, their nearest
rivals are too far away from the
Pirates to cause more than a warm
finish, which does baseball good.
Pittsburgh's plans for a world series
seem well taken.
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