The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-07-22

Right now the most interesting
thing in the big leagues is the
fight. McGraw is making to win
five remnants in row. Believe
me, McGraw is doing things. Even
II he doesn't win this year he has
proved that there's nothing to that
old wheeze about club being un'
able to stay up top all the time.
Mac keeps 'em UP there-and per-
sonaIly I'm pulling for him to
win Just because it would put the
blink on that old wheeze.
OF course, l don't know the
National League as intimately as
I do my own, but being on the
bench so much this year has given
me a chance to learn more about
the other fellows than I ever have
before. While was in New York
this spring I saw several National
League games, and the more / see
of the Giants the more respect
I've got for John j. McGraw. He's
a baseball wizard.
I'm not saying that he win
win the pennant this year. But
he'll be right up there-yOu can
figure on that. Any club that
beats him out will know they've
been somewhere. So far as 1
can see Pittsburgh is the only
one that has a chance.
A few weeks ago / didn't think
they had chance. But they've
done one thing that'H help them
q lot in the final stretch. They
went out and brought Fred CLARK
back And mark this one down.
If the Pirates come through at
the finish and win a pennant, a
lot of credit will go to- gray-haired
Fred Clark. That boy knows his
stuff. He's just the type of man
they need to get the most out of
the men. He has a lot Of pep
and fire. and enthusiasm. He
knows baseball. He's smart. and
he knows how to keep up the
spirit of his players.
Seems to me / can see a differ.
ence from the day he Joined the
club and I know that McGraw fig
ures the Pirates a lot more dan.
gerous since he Joined them. He's
got another advantage, too. He
knows the McGraw system-learned
1t years ago when he had his Pi-
rate crew battling neck and neck
with the Giants and Cubs back in
the old days when pitchers were
been heard of.
And while the Giants and Pirates
are doing their stuff in the Ma
tional League. I guess no one can
find any fault with the merry lit
tie scramble right here in the
American League.
There's two angles to that one,
for while Philadelphia and Wash.
ington are fighting over first
place, don't overlook the battle
that's being staged by Chicago,
st. Louis and Detroit. Don't for
get this, these three teams are
going to decide the pennant win
ner.
The big job for Washington and
Philadelphia is not to whip each
other. but to put the skids under
the three teams that are coming
up. They're the boys they've got
to whip. Personally / still like
Washington, and the tighter the
race the better I like 'em. I'm
not taking anything away from
the Athletics. They're a great
team and Connie Mack has them
on their toes every minute. But
the Griffs have the experience.
They have been through the grind.
They know how to conserve their
strength in one place. and when
10 bear down in another.
After all the team that wins the
pennant, all other things being
equal, is the club that can keep
Its head up down the stretch.
That's what makes the Giants
great, and that's why / like Wash
ington.
copyright. 1925. by the Christy
Walsh Syndicate.)