The Washington times., 1924-07-26
ME n
START
TOUR
Victory Over Indians, With
Yank and Detroit Defeats,
VIII Bring Lead Back
By LOUIS a. DOUGHER.

CLEVELAND, July rs. Bucly
Harris and his fighting Griffs are
entering today upon their second
tour Of the West, battling the
Indians in the first Of four games
at Dun nFieId. These games are
Of consuming importance, too, for
the Griffmen are tied with the
Yankees for second place, but half
q game behind the league leaders,
the Detroit Jungle Cats.
Three ubs-Detroit, Washing
ton, and New York are making
the fight for the American League
championship of 1924. A small
handkerchief has covered the trio
for many days. Not one Of them
can afford to totter without giving
the other two an advantage.
Victory for the Griffs today, with
defeats for Detroit and New York,
viii put Harris and his gang on
top Of the league again. Indeed,
for the coming three weeks it may
be expected that all three con
tenders win take turns heading the
procession.
The Griffmen have won but five
out of twelve games from the In
dams this season. Four Of those
twelve defeats came during the Re-
publican convention here in June.
They made Democrats out Of some
Of the athletes, those defeats.
The last time the Indians were
in Washington they dropped four
out Of five games with the Griffs,
and this makes Harris and his
gang confident Of repeating here
ON this trim. Harris makes no
bones about saying that the In
| dams win be fortunate 70 take
one game out Of the series open
ing here today.
I'VE are better ball club any
way you look at it," is the way
Manager Harris compares his team
with Iris Speakers. 1--WE are play.
ing better ball day in and day out.
and the pitching, most important
in a pennant chase, is greatly in
our favor. That's why / am look
ing for at least three victories
here.
The Griffs win just about have
to take three out of the four games
here to keep UP with the Jungle Cats
and the Yanks. While the Griffa
are battling the Indians, the
Jungaleers have that soft chocolate
cake from Philadelphia as oppo.
nents, while the dispirited White
Sox are entertaining the New York
Yankees.
nnka1sA hA-
eleven games from the Mackmen
this season and should just about
maintain this ratio to the end. The
Yankees have done the same TO the
White Sox, and the dope says they
win continue to the end. There
FORE. the Griffmen are facing a
harder task in winning here in
Cleveland than either Of their prin.
cipal rival contenders.
Walter johnson, who lacked his
stuff In that final game In Wash.
ingt0n against the White SOx, may
mot be called upon to pitch here.
Manager Harris believes five
day rest for the grand old veteran
viii just about make him win
ner over the Jungle Cats next
week.
George Mogridge, Jezebel Tecum.
sch Zachary, Firpo Marberry and
either Curly Ogden or Paul Zahni0cr
will probably start the games here.
Allan Russell and Byron Specie will
serve as relief pitchers. Manager
Harris admits that he never selects
his pitcher until he sees him
warm UP.
1--WE were going along nicely, with
the pitchers working in rotation.
until that flock of doubleheaders hit
us" says Manager Harris. They
knocked that system askew. We
haven't quite recovered now. But Z
won't be long now before we'll have
five pitchers. counting johnson as
one Of the five, taking their turn"
The pennant will hardly be deter.
| mined within the coming throe
| weeks, but IL any one of the thu e
contenders hops out and gets q lead
of four or five games, all the rest
of the season will be required to
make amends. 1t is to get that AL
vantage that all three are now fight.
ing.
The New York Yankees have
an advantage over both wash
ingt0n and Detroit, beginning Co
day. The YanIss play Chicago
and st. Louis. AT the same time
the Griffs play Cleveland and
Detroit. while the Jungle Cats
have the Maclzmen and the Griffs.
The Yankees may gain q BIT
over the week BEGINNING tOdny.
However, this possible advantage
means little or, nothing when the
| entire tour Is considered and It IL
likely that all three contenders will
be running along neck-and.necII
when the Eastern clubs have com.
pleted this second swing around the
frontier.
! President Griffith ID al het ur
over the possibility Of winning the