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

Dutch Is Harris Choice to
Start Against Chicago
-. White: Sox
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.

by LOO1S "A. OOOOAAAAS"
CHICAGO, July -7.-Bucky Har-
ris, and his gang of fighting
Griffs, champions of the world,
open. their second, tour of the
West here today in the first of
four games against the White
Sox. They are leading the Phifa-
delphia Athletics. by two and a
hall. games and hope to better that
lead before leaving New York late
this month. -.
Fifteen. games are scheduled for
the champions out here in the
West on this trip. Then come
three with the Yankees in New
York. before Harris pilots his
gang back to the wide spaces of
the Griffith Stadium. Winning
ten out of their, fifteen games.
the champions will be but main
tanning their present pace. That
will be moving along at speed
of .667, while their average for
the season to date is ..676.
The Mackmen, because of In
clement weather on their first swing
out through the. West, have. two
postponed games to play. one in
Cleveland and one in. Chicago. Until
they have won those two games,
they cannot bank on them. It is
always possible. for them to lose
them.
The. spirit ofSfhe champions coald
net be better. There Is much sky
laFking and, high jinks follow every
snappy play on the field. Now that
they have wrested -the lead away
from the Mackmen,- the Griffs 40
not see how they will ever be over
taken.
The Mackmen were leading the
Griffs by three games on May 90.
That was Immediately after the first
Western trip Of both clubs. Later
the A s added another game to
their margin, and Philadelphia fans
began planning on a world series.
Down through June both teams
hattled tooth and nail, the AS to
maintain their lead, the Griffs 10
overtake them. ,.,..>
Finally CAME those five games
between the cOntenders, the first
two IN PhlIadelphia; johnson was
victorious, but. Zachary was de-
feated: Over to Washington went
the teams for three more battles,
all Washington triumpKls, and the
world champions had taken the
lead away from their rivals.
Today the champions are leading
the Mackmen by two and one-half
games. In five weeks they have
gained five and one-naH games on
Connie Mack's crew. This explains
the confidence expressed by every
TVaAnaHoT. nf the ThsaU haNa
overcome the strongest kind of OPP
position, and they feel that no OPP
position can be offered them which
they cannot overcome:
I'VE had a hard fight to catch
the As. ~ explains Manager Harris.
They gave us all we wanted. But
now We are out in front, and, be-
lieve 1t or not, l don't believe they
will ever catch US again. Our team
knows how it feels to be IN front
and stave off contenders.
The Yankees battled us all last
September much harder than the.
AS have done this season. At that
time, too. every game meant more
than they do now: So, from our
viewpoint, we can't see why we
should fail to hold our lead. if not
increase it,
However, the pitching staff of
the champions could be improved
for this swing through the West.
Walter Johnson is at home, suf
fering from a heavy cold and his
stomach is bothering him a bit.
Dutch Ruether is nmping around
on a-sore leg. Tom Zachary is
pitching in and out baseball. OF
the first string quartet, Stan Cove
leskie is the only man rolling along
in good condition, ready for his
best work every time he starts.
Curly Ogden's excellent exhibit
ton against the Red Sox Saturday
has greatly cheered Bucky Harris.
It is possible that Ogden will
start a number Of games out here.
gradually working himself into
shape TO help out the regulars.
Ogden has been disappointing and
It has been difficult for Manager
Harris to retain faith in him.
However, the sheik of Swarth-
more seems to have reached good
pitching condition now and his
name may be seen in the box
scores rather frequently from now
70 the close of the season.
For tOday's. game Mike Martin,
expert trainer, promises to have
Dutch Ruether in good shape to
pitch. The big SOuthpaw has a
badly bruised right thigh and
limps as he walks. However,
Martin insists that Ruether will
pitch up to his usual standard,
which should be enough to turn
back the White SOx.
Eddie Collins is expected to call
fnon either Ted RlankenShin or
Roaring" Lyons to halt the cham
pions in today's opening game of
the series, Blankenship has not
been very effective against the
PLAYING the GAME