New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-03
Stamping Local
Teams Are Due
For Slnake-Up
Giants and Yankees Par
ticularly Are Falling Be-
hind Their Form Strength
By Charles A. Taylor

1t is high time that an inventory be
taken of the pennant chances of the
Giants and the Yankees. The wise
| acres have taken the utmost delight in
predicting that the whole world seri-
BUSINESS would be pcrpetrated on the
Polo Grounds. This stand of course,
ignores the Brooklyn Dodgers, who won
the National League championship last
year. Those Flatbushers, despite the
sterling leadership of Uncle Wilbert
Robinson, can never be taken serious
| ly, it seems.
But here we are with the fans of
the home town crying for action, and
! every mothers son in fandom. and
some of the daughters, wondering what
is the matter with their local prides.
The facts are these:
The Yankees, who were expected to
run away with the gonfalon, are not
running at all They are walking. The
Giants also are waIking-in The dust
OF the Pittsburgh Pirates. AS for the
Dodgers, that far-famed pitching staff
went awry somehow and trouble start
ed to boil for Uncle Willie and his
clan.
Locals Are "Walking'
The present situation finds the aspir-
ing Giants and Yanks some four games
in the ruck and the champion Dodgers
a mile behind. 1t is peculiar situa-
tion, when it is considered on paper
that each of these home mines should
win in romp. Of course, in the Ma
tional it is impossible for both local
teams TO score triumph but one or
the other ought to produce.
The Giants are mystery team. They
can beat the headlirers, such as Pitts
burgh, but the Boston Braves are often
too much for them. The Yankees play
their darnedest against the Clevelands,
world champions, but falter when faced
against the Senator'S and the lowly
Athletics.
The Dodgers do wonderfully we'll
in spots, but just when a winning
streak is in the otfing they seem to be
imbued with the same narcotic that
keeps all our home mines fighting
gamely but few laps behind the other
fellows.
from grandstand and bleacher that
the morale is lacking in each one Of
the greater New York teams. Of
course, the bleacherite doesn't use the
word morale, but what he says in his
insane moments amounts to the same
thing. He feels that with the material
in hand and unlimited golden dollars
ready for use the local teams, particu-
larly the Giants and the Yankees,
should be away ahead even now.
There was never better oppor-
tunity offered than that afforded the
Yankees and the Giants this year. 1t
all depended upon the aforementioned
morale and the pitchers. The morale
seemingly has vanished and the twirl-
ers, all Veterans, have been unable to
quell the depredations made by the
lively ball.
Changes Do Not Help
But the point comes up, Why are
other teams getting away with the
same conditions? Shall we accuse the
management, as eXempliied in McGraw,
Higgins and Robinson? Or is every
body lying down on his manager?
McGraw has tried shifts innumer-
able, in order to keep his team in front.
SO has Robbie, and so has Higgins.
But the results are unchanged One
day these teams play remarkable ball;
another day they play quite the con-
trary.
Both the Giants and the Yankees are
only four games from the top, not be-
cause of their good work, but Just be-
cause their leading rivals are just as
uncertain in their antics as our fell
| lows. But the main point is that Pitts
burgh and Cleveland, despite their
many vicissitudes, are still in the van.
With the season almost half over, it
is high time for the Giants, Yanks and
Dodgers TO wake up.