Evening star., 1925-05-01


Escaping from the basement in
1922, when they attained to seventh
place, the Mackmen have climbed
notch a year. landing sixth in 1928
and fifth last season, and should that
gait be maintained, they will break
into the select leading in the cur
rent campaign, but from the pace they
have set to date, it appears the AS
aspire to do more than merely edge
their way into the first division.
Fighting for First Place.
When they took the field against
the Nationals at Clark Griffith Sta
dium this afternoon, the Athletics
were but half a game back OF the
world champions, and should they
win today would vault into undisputed
leadership in the flag race.
Achievement of this lofty position,
principally at the expense OF the be-
draggled Red Sox, may be discounted
to a certain extent, especially as the
season is but little more than weeks
old, but attendant circumstances
would indicate that the work or the
Macklets is not a mere flash in the
pan and that they may be in the
process of rewarding the loyalty of
their followers, which has survived
decade of annual disappointments.
Connie Mack has expended the
funds of the club with a prodigal hand
for several seasons past in an effort
to build up a winner, having paid a
sum reported to be $100,600 during the
off season for one athlete alone
Southpaw Bob Groves of the Balti-
more Orioles-and he shelled out an
other wad of S50,00O for Catcher
Mickey Cochrane of the Portland club
of the Pacific Coast League. The lat
ter appears to have been a good in
vestment, having proved a tower of
strength as a receiver, as we'll as de-
livering handsomely in attack, but the
expensive piece of international
League pitching bric-a-brac to date
has experienced trouble remaining in
a paStime for its regulation length,
unsteadiness being his bane.
In the preseason dope the Athletics
generally were hailed as likely to
prove the dark horse of the American
League, but when First Baseman Joe
Hauser, the big punch of the team, was
shelved, probably for the entire sea-
son, by a broken knee cap and then
Fred Heimach, a most effective and
promising portside pitcher. suffered
a wrenched shoulder that may keep
him idle for months, calculations were
revised. Then, after the campaign got
under way, Bill Lamar, the Rockville
boy whose bat had been proving so
productive, was relegated to the side
lines by an injury, and Third Base
man Jimmy Dykes also was inCapaci-
tated.
Have Overcome Handicaps.
Severely handicapped though they
have been, the Athletics have play
ed with a fire and dash indicating
that when their full strength is avail
able they will prove as comparatively
formidable against the other teams
in the circuit as they have against
those encountered to date. Jim Poole,
veteran obtained from Portland on
short notice, has filed in admirably
for Hauser at first base thus far, and
Lamar'S clouting has not been missed
because OF the effective stickwork de-
Ivered by Frank Welch, who has TAX
en- his place in the garden; Sam Hale
has filed in more than adequately
for Dykes, while Groves shortcom-
ings have been Offset by the clever
curVing of Ed Rommel and Sam Gray,
each with three victories to his cred
it, the other two being divided be-
tween Rube Walberg and Slim Har-
riss, the latter the Nationals own
pet jinx.
In addition 20 Groves and Heimach,
Stan Baumgartner, first class nouns
man of left-hand propensities, also has
ed right at the top in view Of such
unfortunate breaks, the Athletics
have encouraged their followers to
believe that when the machine gets
TO hitting on all cylinders they Will
have something really worth while to
cheer about.
Red Sox Hero Sunday.
Having had their pennant raising,
scheduled for Yesterday, deferred by
bad weather, the Nationals today were
to unfurl with appropriate ceremonies
the banner emblematic of Washing
tons first base ball title prior to
starting their clash with the Athletics.
Tomorrow the Mackmen are scheduled
to appear here again, and Sunday the
Red Sox are due to inaugurate
series Of four games before the world
champions hike to Chicago to inaugu'
rate a swing around the Western Sec
ton of the circuit.