New-York tribune., 1922-10-01

AlCl dllu LCdtl are lldllIieu ana u
Excellent campaigning helped the
Yankees to their pennant this year.
The race was of the close, exacting
kind, calculated to test the morale,
skill and staying powers OF the winner,
and the strain Of the long, severe
grind was withstood admirably by the
Yankees. which was salient reason
why they won.
The Yankees, having 4 good team
spirit this year and being sturdy cam
paigners, were at their best when hard
est pressed. Ability to win when they
had to pulled them through, and it
may be remarked in passing that such
is their nature, they are inclined tc
slow down unless hard pressed and
thereby toss away games, the winning
of which would make their objective
easier to reach. But that's the kind OF
a club they are, and what are you
going to do about it?
None understands their nature bet.
ter than Miller Higgins, to whom is
due the credit for. instilling in them
much of the spirit that pulled them
through the crises. Also as a strate-
gist and tactician on the playing field
Higgins hasn't q superior. He's as
shrewd q manipulator as there is in
baseball, better at that than as a
leader.
Acquisition of Dugan
The acquisition Of Joe Dugan in mid
season was big influence in the >.-
mate success of the New York team.
The outlook was dubious at that time,
and there was a hitch in the mechan-
ism somewhere. Dugan's coming welded
the infield into the most capable in
field in the American League and he
turned out to be better player than
his previous work had indicated.
The greatly improved playing of
Walter Pipp and the presence of
Everett Scott contributed to a stronger
infield than last year, and the presence
of Whitley Witt, though not strength
ening the outfield as a defensive unit,
gave the club what it most needed, a
good waiter, fast runner and bunter
and, therefore, good leadoff man.
Joe Bush's big year in the box was
invaluable, priceless, irs fact, and saved
save a team. He had able assistance
from Shawkey, and the fact that the
pitching staff consisted of five such
men as Bush, Shawkey, Hoyt, Jones
and Mays, for the most part in good
condition, giving Huggins a staff OF
unusual strength to manipulate, was
an asset of immeasurable value.
Schang had his best year yet behind
the bat, and that came handy in a
year when the pennant was so hard to
win. Bob Meusel improved as hit
ter and fielder, and Ruth drove in a
good many runs with his big bat and
pulled out games on the critical West
ern trip, which wouldn't have been
scored otherwise. He and Pipp and
Meusel were the driving force in that
last trip.
The Yankees won the pennant on
the road this year fully as much as
at home. Their successful trips the
last two times they went West decided
the issue. Their attitude counted, just
cool resolution and. strong defense
behind good pitching, with the three
aforementioned batting in most of the
runs.
When Going Was Hardest
They played far better ball the lat
ter half of the year than the first,
being best when the going was hard
est and sweeping through the West in
face Of hostile crowds. The way they
did that the last two times showed
they had pluck and poise to support
physical ability. On the last West
ern trip, when they had to do or die
they had no helpful environment to
cheer them on. They had to do IT all
themselves, but that fact was OF SO
little moment to them that they scarce
ly gave it a moments thought. Which
gives some idea of their businesslike
attitude toward the job.
The Yanks always were in the race
never far away from first place e-but
their playing through April, May ane
June was not promising, They didn''
begin to "go," didn't play up to ex-
pectations, until the second Western
trip, ahd until the defense had beer
buttressed by Dugan. At last, ! think
they'd have won with Frank Baker a
third, for Frank is a good influence
and ii was the spiritual as much as tht
physical change which came over then
which lifted them out Of the doldrun1'
Of spring and early summer
1t WAS AZ seesaw race with the hare
fighting, haxd hitting Browns, a see
saw race with them practically all th'
way. The Browns were their real op
position, neither team cracking, ant
winning being a severe test of endur
ance the ability to stick and skill