San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-09
Even Giants, Once Irwin
chile in Training, Have
Lost-How the Clubs Are
Stacking Up at This
Juncture.
By JOHN b. FOSTER.

Copyright by The San Antonio Light
New York. April 9.-One important
fact which stands out today is that no
major league club this year has es-
capped a preseason beating. To some
of them it would be novel experience
If they escaped an early trouncing
when the major league races actually
were on. There is time, however, for
the latter event to happen and it will
In plentiful frequency when the league
starts their annual steeplechase next
week.
Years ago, before those intra league
spring competitions had attained the
Importance attached to them now-and
they have been greatly overworked this
year-the Giants were not to boast
they hadn't lost on a spring trip. They
fought minor league clubs with as
much intensity as they threw into
their campaign against their own
league rivals, and this is one reason
why they were so bluntly criticized
in the South. They would fight local
mines and local umpires TO a FRAGILE
and in those days it was esteemed to
be perfectly legitimate for home UNI
pire to give every close decision against
the visiting major league club. 1t was
a memory of the days when, even in
the major leagues, there was an under
ground impression that the home team
should always be favored on close de-
cisions. That was actuallJ dishonest.
But the opinion really did prevail, and
umpires were ragged numerically be-
cause they would not give each close
decision to their home team.
See Willie Kamm First.
The Giants have lost this year to
their major league rivals, the Chicago
Americans. and one. TO Memphis, but
they haven't been given much of
chase by anything except Chicago. The
Sox will accompany them all the way
to New York and 1t, is questionable
whether it is worth while. In this
particular instance, the fans of New
York will get peep at Kamm before
the fans of Chicago see him. There
was n time when all such little treats
as that were religiously saved for the
home folks.
In the Yankee Brooklyn series, the
Robins have made a showing of sue
cess when they could slam the ball.
But the series has proved what was
demonstrated in Florida so far as
Brooklyn was commemorative lack of
a high-class infield. Brooklyn must
have relief and strength there quickly.
That is why Brooklyn put in a long
distance call for High. If he bitches
on after hanging back all spring it's
safe to say that Johnston will go back
to third and High will play short. un-
less Robinson is convinced that John
ston can be converted into a shortstop.
The Pittsburg team is being defeated
because the pitchers are backward, and
that isn't surprising. At Hot Springs
both the manager and owner of the
club said that the pitchers were slow
because of unreasonable weather. Both
Pittsburg and the Boston Red Sox
were nearly always wrapped up two
sweaters thick on the ball field and
pitchers were not asked to show any
thing. 1t would have meant death TO
their arms.
The Cubs do not look very good.
They may not be Numbering much
but ii would appear they haven't much
TO unlimber and that the winter season
has not done much more for them than
it did for Brooklyn.
Cards Ahead OF Cubs.
III Chicago can show no more
strength than last season. the st.
Louis team will run away with it for
the fourth place in the first division.
That will leave the Cubs with nothing
better to produce than they did last
summer and, as the Sox undoubtedly
have better team than they had in
1922, Bill Killefer. manager of the
Cubs. will have 70 be up and doing IL
he expects TO hold up the reputation
that the National League club has in
baseball,
1t looks ms IL the Cubs were carried
away with the possibility of greater
future than their strength will war
rant. Possibly the season will bring
about other results. The Cubs hope so
If none of the others do.
In the first encounter between the
Phillies and Athletics, the former Won.
Both teams have had q fine spring
training and the result may be looked
upon rs encouraging for the Phillies.
II was fine game of ball. No errors
for either team, hits seven and six.
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