The Washington times., 1924-10-27

ASesoSOeSA AohS Ah manly AAACAA SoA
League cities, with some emphasis
on those of the Capital, took with
sour grace the remarks Babe
Ruth made Immediately after the
pennant was decided and during
the world series between the
Griffs and the Giants. Many
protests came to this office, ask
ing that some defense be offered.
That was quite unnecessary. The
Griffmen made answer to all re-
marks with their work against
the Giants.
However, Bert Walker, of Mr..
Hearst's Detroit Times, takes oc-
casion to write something about
this matter in his bright and
newsy colyum and, being a bit
lazy today, this writer is shipping
it out for you fans to read. Here
it is:
"Now that the world series is
over and both of the New York
clubs have, happily, been defeated,
it is only natural that the mem
bers Of these teams should seek
alibis to account for their fall
ures. AS several of the athletes
representing both the Giants and
the Yankees are authors during
the stove league season it is, UNI
fortunately, inevitable. that the
public must be fed up on alibis.
Zone of these which gained the
widest publicity was uttered by
Babe Ruth and other Yankee play
|ers. It attributes the Yankee de-
feat and the Washington success
to the fact that some of the clubs
didn't play as hard against Wash
ington as they did against New
York. Mr.. F. Hanauer, of 95
Horton avenue, noting this, writes
to ask if this isn't rather a cheap
'squawk,' or words to that eff
feet. To which we hasten to re-
ply that it is.
"Mr. Hanauer, in his interest
ing letter, adds:
"'In this article, Babe Ruth
infers that contending teams did
not do their best to beat Wash
ington on their last trip, while
these same teams did their very
best to beat New York. That is
my idea Of both an alibi and a
'squawk.'
"sYou will note chat Washing
ton did rot have the pennant
cinched until the game was played
September 20, and Babe must
have written his article a couple
Of days before that. Seems to
me he was in a hurry to alibi
both himself and the New York
team. He had given up hopes
before the finish. in other wo 4 !.
II think the Washington team
got all Of the opposition that
their opponents were capable Of.
What do you thing Of it? Surely,
Detroit did not use Washington
as though they were anxious to
help their cause.
In this same article Babe
Ruth calls iris Speaker, Of the
Cleveland team, "the best sports
man OF the 1874 season., ann
goes on to give his reason, which
is that iris was unable to play
against Washington on account If
injuries, and was well enough to
play in the series against the
Boston team, but stayed out of
the game when> New York came
to Cleveland for no other reason
than to give New York the same
break that Washington had.
"'My opinion is that Iris
Speaker was unfair to the Wash
ington team, as he was in duty
bound to pit his entire strength
against New York, or any other
team, and If he was we'll enough
to play himself, and felt he was
more capable Of filling the posi-
ton than his substitute was, that
he was in honor bound to have his
best fighting front in he field.
Is that not your opinion?
Somehow, the Babes idea Of
the team laying down to Wash
ingtOn. and calling Iris Speaker