The Washington times., 1926-04-17
RIPPER 8
SLLGCERS
APPEAR
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER


Today come the New York Yam.
KEGS for their first appearance Of
the season at the Clark Griffith
Stadium and they are presenting q
team certain to be dangerous for
many weeks, IL not even months.
The Yankees once more have the
batsmen and even with q deadened
ball, hitting does manufacture runs
and runs decide BAH games.
Washington's italian colony
should celebrate for four days.
Tony Lazzeri, one OF their fellow
countrymen, Is playing second base
tor the Yanks and "Sopra e mural
should be heard whenever Tony am.
bles up to the platter. Further
more, Tony always threatens to do
that little thing, which is shove
the ball over the garden wall.
Lazzeri Is one Of the new players
with the Yankees this season. Last
year Salt Lake in the Pacific Coast
League used him at shortstop. but
Miller Higgins In his wisdom has
moved him over to second In order
to play Mark Koenig, bought from
st. Paul, In the shortfield. Both
youngsters seem to be making good,
though, il is early yet for such
statements.
The one real veteran In the Yam.
kee infield is Jumping" Joe Dugan.
who Is playing third base despite
q trick knee. Lou Gehrig, who
ousted Wally Pipp from first base
only last season. is the regular first
sacker now and doing well, thank
you, one and all.
The outfleId has familiar faces.
though, In Bob MeuseI. Earl
Combs and the uncomfortable
Babe Ruth. It In rumOred that
the BambinO promises to be .
good boy this season, thereby
earning his present StupendOus
salary and making it possible that !
he may continue to draw IL In
the future.
Behind the bat Higgins may call
upon Pat Collins, a newcomer from
st. Paul, but Pat formerly warmed
up the st. Louis Browns pitchers
and did some effective hitting in
the pinches. so he can hardly be
called rookie. Pat is a sweet
batsman and. 50 long as he can
keep up his speed, should do most
x
IL a better receiver, but does not
fail.
When the training season opened.
the Yanks were a scoffed at out.
ut. One travelling critic went 80
far as TO mention that they cared
more for real estate than for base.
: ball and were not to be considered
seriously. That was a couple Of
months ago. Today things are diff
ferent.
Many shrewd baseball men be-
lieve that the Yankees will give the
Griffmen, AS, Browns and Tigers
all the fight they want, doing most
Of 1t with their bats. It cannot be
denied but that a hitting team is
always dangerous, requiring air.
tight pitching to stop them.
The strength Of the Yankees
this year Is hardly to be found
ON the mound, though PennOclx,
Bob Shawkey, Sad Sam Jones
and Urban ShOcker are members
Of the staff. The alleged "five-
star pitching staff" Is not the
power Il was not 50 long ago.
The edge now swings TO the
hitteFs.
Until the pitchers all around the
league settle down to the grind in
real earnest, the Yankees should
be most formidable. Whenever a
pitcher has to face Combs, Gehrig,
Ruth, Meusel. Lazzeri, Dugan and
Collins in succession, he has a per-
feet right to play a little. Those
seven gents are always planning
murder to opposing hurlers.
The Yankees have four games to
play here with the Griffmen, clos
ing their initial visit next Tuesday
and moving on to their own
stadium in the big town to enter
tain the Boston Red Sox.
Next Wednesday the Griffmen
open their first series with the Ath-
letics in Philadelphia. Recalling
the rigors OF their last visit, when
they were booed and Kissed and in
suited from the moment they ap.
peared upon the field until they de-
parted, the Champions are not likely
to spare their enemies IL they can