The Washington times., 1925-08-07

New York Wagering Gents
Like Comics Crew and
Giants for Victory
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER
Shorts Editor. The Times

Connie Mack's pace-setting Ath-
letics are favorites to win the
American League pennant this
year, according to advices from
New York where blokes do wager
more or less on anything and
everything. In the National
League scramble the Giants con-
tinue favorites over the Pitts
burgh Pirates.
At the opening of the big league
season the world champion Griff-
men were generally favored to re-
peat. Indeed, the chances against
the Mackmen were generally fixed
at 10 to 1. Nobody foresaw what
Connie Mack's gang would do and,
If any money was put up on the
Athletics, some fancy profits viii
be in order IN the event of Phil
adelphia pennant triumph.
Last April it was generally
thought that Washington, New
York and Detroit would make the
fight for the American League flag.
New York never got away from the
mark Detroit did little better. 10
the surprise of the baseball world.
proceeded to hit a fast pace and
eorce the going against the cham
oions.
When the Griffs fought their. way
to the top of the ladder with the
coming of July. most fans believed
the end had come. The sad slump
of the champions then set in and
the Mackmen FASTENED to take adj
vantage Of it, regaining the lead
while making their second Western
tour.
August finds the Mackmen
perched on top in the favor OF
the betting man. The refusal OF
the As to break down under the
terrific strain is the reason
Therefore, today the MacEmen are
favored to win the pennant by
those metropolitan gents who Ike
TO have something up on q flag
race.
However. being the underdog is
no new thing for the Griffmen.
The Yankees were big favorites a
year ago at this time and few be-
lieved the Griffs would ever stag
ger over the line in first place
Yet they did They hung on and
saw Detroit and New York drop |
back long enough to let them win.
Going into the world series, the /
Griffs again were on the short end. +!
After losing two Of the three games |
to the Giants in New York, the |
Griffs were generally considered out |
Of the fight for the big crown. |
Everybody knows what happened, |
how the Griffs won those last two |
games here, upsetting everything in |
the history of baseball. So, being
on the short end now will hardly
keep the champions awake nights.
Though the Pirates are leading
In the National League, betting
men pin their faith largely upon.I
John McGraws known brains and
aggressiveness. Furthermore, recent
baseball history shows that the
Pirates have a habit Of crumbling
Just when they should be strongest.
Today is Ladies' Day at the
Clark Griffith Stadium and a
single game will be played, with
Stanley COveIesIxie likely to climb
the hill and start new winning
streak.
George Sisler has two probable
pitchers in Joe Giard chats right,
Gard, not Girar0 and Milton Cas-
ton. Giard is a. southpaw who, with
Joe Bush and Milton CASTOR, fig
urged in the Urban Shocker trade.
He easily defeated the champions
the last time they were in st. Louis
and may get the call today.
When the Cleveland victory was
posted on the scoreboard at the ball
orchard yesterday the fans went
wild and much of the enthusiasm
was waited to the Washington
bench. Throughout the afternoon,
whenever a player turned in a good
play, his mates surrounded him
and slapped him on the back. 1t
was the old rah-rah stuff with a
vengeance and it went big with
thnOa fans ahIa IN into