The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-02
Scenes OfLast Summer About to Be Re-enacted As 1923 Season Nears

NEW YORK, April was Ii yestevday or was 1t five months ago that the world series crowd at the well ''Wahoo.' and slowly sifted across the upholstered field in state of autumnal melancholy? The sea son was over and this was the end of the world and all things therein.
 And who are these now but much the same Giants and a team of Yan- kees but little changed, since the wires thrummed with the ephemeral glories of their fall-time strivinss? !?
 The infield of the Giants, rated in loose regard for the value of money at $1,000,000 consists again of long George Kelly, Frankie Frisch, Dave Bancroft and Heinie Groh The out field again is peopled by Irish Meu- sel. Ross Young and. in the middle, Bill Cunningham, with an occasional trick at the latter post for Jimmy OConnell of San Francisco. who is said to represent S75,000. Frank Snyder and Earl Smith will assume familiar outlines as they squat be- pitcher, Jack Bentley, late of the Baltimore Orioles. whose left-hand labors will be an innovation in the Giants box. He, too, is said to rep resent the disbursement of s75,000 but these magnates speak so much more loosely than they spend.
 Not Needed But sti,i S q There.
 There was stern conversation at the Headquarters here of the Yankees during the winter to the general eff feet that Erin Ward, at second, Bob Meusel in right field and Carl Mays and Waite Hoyt in the box. were non- essential characters. And yet spring finds them again committed to the American league champions and ex- erting themselves with more dili- genee than ever they showed on this team before. The trade talk appears to have had it's calculated effect of gearing them all a little tighter to their jobs. and diverting them from the diversions which all but dis rupted the club in 1922.
 The Yankees will exhibit one new player, a left hand pitcher, this sum mer. being Herb Pennock, lately sal vaged from baseball bell-box main tained in Boston by Harry Frazee. They will. of course, retain scant half dozen of their spring recruits until June. as will the Giants, too. but no prentice mitt will be tried in combat with either of these cham pion clubs when the bunting-hunt-
 
 Champs stand Pat.
 It used to be that the champions of this year were next years waifs, sold away or released or traded for the advantage of the team. But the Giants and Yankees are stand pats. The Rookie player. unless he has been purchased at a price above $50. 900 in real or theoretical money, must prove himself tWo-thirds of d new Ty Cobb or Matty to stand chance at all.
 Information from southern camps which are now in process of break ing up so that the teams may play their leisurely way home and reim- burse the owners for the cost of training, indicates that there will be a three-club race in each league favorites are the Champion Yankees. the Tigers and the White Sox Miller Huggins, manager; of the Tanks. has counted out the Browns, who he says. are ball club with only one pitcher. It was large minded of him to say that much bout the Browns. for Urban Shocllor, the one pitcher he had in mind. was once tied loose from the Yankees own pitching rack and stoned off the reservation as incom- petent.
 o O Q
 McGrnw Sees Flag.
 In the national league. John Me C;raw, traditional Vest for ante season pessimism. has all but claimed the pennant. so confident is he. The next club has the appearance Of Pat Moran's Cincinnati Reds, whose prin- cipal lack is harmony within the fold, and the third Is the Pirates of Pitts burg. The Reds. it may be recalled, nosed into second place last fall The I'ardinals are regarded as having gone bv and the Cubs haven't yet come by.
 The trip home from the south IS made in continuous sleeper-Jumps along cratic double back routes, which permit no Dixie Hamlet to escape a financia. combine by the club treasurers. No nickel so bat tered, no quarter so slick but that some ball club will welcome the