The Washington herald., 1921-03-03
YANKS and TRIBE
THINK RACE WILL
Be DUAL EVENT
Higgins Men Bent on
Leading Champs in
1921 Free-for-all.
By JACK NYE.

The optimism of a baseball fan is
a wonderful thing. 1t furnishes the
motive power for the complicated
machinery in the major and minor
leagues.
with the athletes hard at work In
the training camps. the bugs Of
every American League city are in
dulging in the annual pastime Of
speculating on their penn a {
chances. This does not except Phil
adelphia and Detroit. For have not
the experts said that Connie Mack
is at last on the road to greatness
once more. and has not the astute
Tyrus Cobb assumed control of the
Jugaleers?
In washington a lot of faith is
placed in the ability of George Nc
Bride, and the addition of Baker
would be the only thing necessary
to make the customers come out
openly and debate the probability
of seeing the flag float from the
Georgia avenue nag pole.
Two Cities Sure Of Rag.
In two cities. however, the rabid
ones have passed the stage of spec
ulation. They are SO cocksure that
they will cover your coin before you
can lay 1t down.
iris Speaker has returned his
worlds championship intact by
some miracle and that's enough for
the followers of the Indians.
In New York the situation is far
different. Miller Higgins has in
dulged in an orgy of trading since
the race of 1920 and believes he has
added the necessary strength to put
the champions on the brink. And
the bugs who in1est the Polo
| Grounds. the widest in these our
| United States, have the same hunch.
No longer do these two teams
fear the once mighty White Sox, who
have lost their power and prestige
through the exposures of crooked
ness among their players.
St. Louis and Washington are due
to do better things this season, but
they don't cut any ice in Cleveland
or New York. AS far as those burgs
are concerned its two-horse race.
Yanks to Have More Punch.
The signing of Baker by the
Yangees and the announcement that
he will play third means that Hug
gins will be able TO present a "mur-
derers' row" which may have an
edge on his famous combination of
last season. Pipp, Ruth, Baker.
Ward and even Roth will worry
many a pitcher before the season
ends. Schang, who has just signed
his contract. gives the Yanks a ca
pable man behind the bat and an
outfield of Ruth. Roth and Meusel or
| Fewster won't be the worst in the
league by many furlongs.
Though Hug could use another
experienced southpaw. he believes
that in Shawkey, Quinn. Harper and
Hoyt he has a classy quartet Of vet
Grams and expects to pick some
stars from his recruits. Tom Shee-
han. from Atlanta. is expected TO
deliver the goods in capable fash
! ion. He was a wonder in the South
ern Association last year.
Tribe Banks on SIabbers.
the Yankees. Cleveland experts are
no less confident of leading the par
ade. They will be even better than
last year, it is claimed, because the
pitching staff will be far more for
midable
In the first place. Walter Mails
will be in the harness from the
start. whereas Speaker was without
the services of a southpaw until the
latter part of the 1920 race. Me
haus never reached his form and
was rarely used.
Two of Speakers youngsters are
also expected to come through with
their share Of wins this year They
are Bob Clark, a collegian who was
with the team last season. and
George Chle Neither of these youths
startled the circuit in 1920. but they
showed unmistakable signs Of class.
Interest is undoubtedly going TO
center on the Yanks and Indians
when the season opens. and will re-
main focused there until some dark
horse looms up on the horizon, a
thing that is not altogether improb-
able.
ST. Louis. which finished in the
first division last year for the first
time in cons, seems set on making
trouble for somebody. And it's
needless to say that George Mcbride