The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-02-26
McGRAW MAKES
NO CLAIMS ON
NEXT REMNANT
Winner Of Seven National
League Flags Silent, but
Team Shapes Up Well.
BY DAVIS ]. WALSH.

ANEW YORK, Feb. 25.-John
~ McGraw is sitting pretty be-
~ hind a world championship
ball club plus the off-season addi-
ton of Heinie Groh, ex-star Of the
Cincinnati Reds, yet he Is making
no rash prediction that might be
construed as mentioning the Giants
and the 1922 National League pen
nant in the same breath. John
wants 1t pretty generally known
that he Is not that kind Of monkey
wrench.
Ask any baseball man what he
thinks Of the National League race
this year and he'll crook his index
finger in your buttonhole and begin
to tell you in a confidential shout
that the Giants will cake walk to the
flag. Not so McGraw.
On the subject Of pennants he has
become as wary as a tax dodger and
not without reason. In all, McGraw
has won seven pennants at the head
of the Giants, starting with the 1904
"cEynpionship outfit and ending with
-r. L. n that came from the surrep-
tt.... "e>r to nip the Pirates at the
"'trN AL 2r.
IhN,r Sour Tastes.
But s1ur >. tenor's falsetto
"1gs"s = .rate IN n, region Of his
-. '7iatC ~o-hulr hinder Of
the pro-, That ne started the 1914 and
1913 30 ..r~ WI Prospective PEN
nant winL"rs sac +. shed with much
the same. yurv 'nver got beyond
the prospective &c, in spite of the
that that fhav 90 10
the class of the National League. It
was merely a case Of the records
proving otherwise.
Wherefore, McGraw has decided to
win no more pennants in mid-winter,
and If approached on the subject will
do quite lot of talking with his
mouth shut.
He discouraged all talk Of pen
nants during the off season while he
was waiting around New York for
the racing season to get a running
start in Cuba he avoided the issue
Of the sort started In Havana and
before he left to meet his players at
the San Antonio rendezvous he con-
fided to friend that he meant to do
the same among his men.
Admits Fine Infield
II pressed for an answer he will
admit that he has. perhaps the
greatest infield in baseball with
George Kelly, Frank Frisch, Dave
Bancroft, and Heinie Groh ranging
between the bags, and Johnny
Rawlings, worlds series hero, avail
able for utility roles Furthermore,
he does not deem 1t necessary to
enter strident objection II refer.
ence is made to the fact that Phil
Douglas, Art Nehf, Jess Barnes and
Fred Toney constitute something OF
pitching staff. particularly with
the addition of Virgil Barnes. who
pitched a no-hit game for Milwau-
kee last year, and Claude Jonnard
who came up from Little Rock late
in the 1921 campaign to fan seven
of the Phillies in three inninss by
way of making a major league
debut
Nor does a pathetic tear well in
his eye at the thought that he
must bear up bravely with Frank
Snyder, Earl Smith and Alex Gas.
ton as backstops Somehow, John
just can't make the rifle here, but
he will tell you that George Burns
leaves an aching void in center
field between Meusel and Young,
although Bill Cunningham and
Ralph SINNERS, the much-adver-
are, supposed to be ready for the
Job
All In all the club seems fool
proof Hence the McGraw reti-
cence. There is such a thing as
winning the pennant in March and
losing 1t in September and John
appears to know IL.