South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-04-12
SAYS new YORK IS
SURE TO GRAB AT
LEAST One FLAG
Gives Giants Big Edge With
Yanks and Indians Fight
ing 1t Out.
Br JACK YEIOCK

viii the big league pennants dy in
OCTOBER
Uncertain - the task OF picking
'em has always been. il was never
more difficult than now Competi-
ton promises to be so keen between
two American and three National
league teams that a pennant selec-
ton in either league Is a toss-up.
One thing seems certain-New
. York will fly one Of the gonfalons
Gotham may even succeed in cor
nering the worlds series for the first
s time in history
Giants Big Favorite.
The Giants look more pennant
i winners today than at any time dur
ing the past four years McGraw
4 has rebuilt his wobbly inheld and
put young blood into tho lineup
that has succeeded i'm plugging up
the holes through which the Giants
lost the 1920 pennant. with Kelly.
f'risch. Bancroft and Rapp on the
inield and Burns. Young. Walker
and Brown TO take care Of the out
field posts. The giants now have
balance and defensive strength.
McGraw has strong staff Of
seasoned pitchers in Nehf. Barnes.
4 Toney. Benton. Douglas. Sallee and
several youngsters. His catching
staff is second to none in the Ma
tional League. The Brooklyn
! Dodgers. aside from the addition Of
Dutch" Reuther and the loss Of
Marquard are the same team that
won the flag last season. The same
team-yes-but lacking the fine po-
litical condition that gave them an
eari5 Jump on the field last spring
Brooklyn is well balanced, too. and
has. the strongest pitching staff in
the league. But the Dodgers have
nothing of the punch that the re-
constructed Giants possess. Never
theless they figure 10 give New York
all the competition McGraw's boys
wilt care about and should finish no
worse than second unless they go to
pieces.
Pirates Loom Strong.
Last season the Pittsburg Pirates
finished fourth. This year. with
Rabbit Meanwhile to make their in
field and a finely balanced team with
good pitching and lots Of spirit.
they should give the Giants and
Dodgers a hot argument. They may
beat Brooklyn out. at that
Dissatisfaction in the ranks Of the
Reds has done Pat Moran's team a
lot on harm. And even with Roush.
Groh and Kopf back I'm the lineup
before so very long, Moran has his
VOL 80
division this year The st. Louis
Cardinals. as they stand today look
ready TO graduate TO first division
company and should be no worse
than fourth with Cincinnati and Chi
cage fighting il ont for fifth place.
Fred Mitchell should and no doubt
viii show great improvement In
the Boston Braves. Bill Donovon
has a mans sized task on his hands
ar Philadelphia. These two teams
seem destined 10 fght IL out for
seventh place
The National League team that
appears to have the best chance Of
upsetting calculations is Chicago.
There is nc telling what Johnny
Evers may get out Of the cubs. lie
may work wonders with them.
u seems a certainty that New
York and Cleveland are destined TO
right n out 20 a bitter finish fer
the American flag this year Miller
higgins has the strongest array Of
playing talent ever gotten together
by New York American League
team He has such terrific sluggers
as Ruth. Pipp. Meusel. Roth, SchauC
Peek, Bodio, Ward and perhaps
Baker 10 manufacture runs. He las
a powerful array OF pitchers in Mays.
Shawkey Collins. Harper. Quinn and
others and "a bang uD catcher in
Schang.
Yanks Lack speed.
In fact the Yanks have everything
but speed.
AFrayed against the powerful
Yanks are Iris Speakers flashy
Cleveland world champions. They
VIII enter the race with the spirit
Of victors and the confidence that
comes with victory. They viii have
speaker. one Of the greatest play
ers in the game. out there on the
field. hEhting and playing with
fhsnl Speakers ability TO handle
men and his brilliant playinE-these
ara the things that tilt the balance
slightly in favor Of the Indians this
yeaf as the writer sees it,
The 81. Louis Browns viii be
tough for all corners They have =
Yoal punch but they haven't the
pitching 20 combat successfully with
Cleveland and New York. The Foil
men should finish a strong third.
however.
Washington and Detroit seem des-
tined 20 heht IL out for the other
first division berth unless Kid
Gleason can prove himself a miracle
man with the White S0x
Connie Mack has been slowly bu,
surely IN rebuilding the Athletics
He now has a young com bination
With a lot or natural abuit, and
without "a doubt his team will make
valiant night 20 get out Of the
ruck With Hugh Duty and Jimmy
Burke running the Red Sox. Boston
viii be no soft opponent Tor phil
adelphia 10 outrun. This pair. how
ever. probably will have 20 fight il
out<or seventh place
RICEFNRACKTR III ANS FLIGHT