Evening star., 1926-04-11

diamond doings for 1926
With dope treacherous, form un-
certain and luck fickle the role of
base ball prophet has fallen into in
creaSing disfavor with the years. Oc-
casionally some hardy soul will bob
W with iat-footed prognostication
naving to do with daily competition
covering a period of half year, but
when 1t isn't case of merely shoot
ing at the moon" it may be suspected
that the author is confident no one
will remember what he forecast any
way. or care. 49,
However, as this is the open season
for speculation and there is no harm
involved in expressing an opinion it
Is ventured herewith that Washing
ton and Pittsburgh win stage the
world series games again this year.
The fact that champions usually are
the favorites makes this a view easy
to reach and it also has the advantage
of entailing no strain on civic loyalty
Completion Of preliminary work
by the clubs due to engage in the
struggle lasting from April 13 tor
September 20, has disclosed no
good reason for believing that
either the Griffmen or Pirates will
fail to make as gallant a bid for
top hOnors as they did last year,
and the stufdier opposition they
are due to encounter should serve
: merely TO make their tasks
tougher.
Stanley Harris will be bossing what
seems to be the most formidable ag-
gregation that ever represented
Washington at the start of season.
Ee will have a larger number of
pitchers of established worth and
greater reserve strength in both the
garden and infield.
The Athletics, who loom as the
most serious contender, seem stronger
only because of the experience they
gained during last years campaign
when they f1zzled out in the stretch
run. and by the acquisition in Kid
Gleason of a coach calculated to help
their morale, but the very fact that
they need some one to inject fighting
spirit into them is significant.
Sisler, with his heavy-hitting array
of Browns, looks to have the best bet
for the show money and If he gets as
many as four of his hurlers working
in their best form and can keep them
going at top speed the Mound City
entry may prove genuine sensation.
EUidence of kdping successfully
plugged the holes around the EeU-
stone sack By the acquisition of
Koeni0 and LtZerri has caused the
stock Of the YGnkeeS to soar after
being. '1cGy beloto par during the
early 1ceekS of the training season.
IT these youngsters hold their olcn
AH4d he 4,1.> =
the limit of their cGpd biIities, Hug
gins has the punch to do better
than merely attain first diviSion
berth.
Until it has been demonstrated that
Cobb has solved his infield problem
ard that old Everett Scott can carry
on and fill the bill in teaming UP with
Eddie Collins, neither the Tigers nor
White Sox can be rated as having
more than an outside chance of prov.
ing real contenders, while neither the
Indians nor Red Sox can be conceded
as able to do more than scrap to stay
out of the basement. 4
National League Outlook.
nITTSBURGHS run of bad luck
in having half a dozen regu-
lars incapacitated during the
training season may prove blessing
in disguise, for nearly every club
suffers from accidents at some time
or other in the course of year and
with the Buccaneers having had
siege they may be exempt the re-
of the Sunmer. McKechnie,
in addition to the array that wrested |
world championship honors from
last Fall, seems to have |
landed in Waner and Rhyme a pair
Of performers who will prove reallyi
helpful.
There is little doubt that Pitts
burgh's most stubborn opposition will |
come from the Giants, who have boil
stored weak spot In the garden by |
picking up Tyson, and who once again |
appear adequately supplied with
pitchers.
III any team succeeds in making |
a three -c0rnered struggle of it in
the National League the Cardinals
deserve the nomination on what
they. have shown to date. Led by
Rogers Hornsby, the best hitter I'm
haee ball today. The Cards not only I
.e.s,.,..'ten t>+,ef ~ @',a np- .yOiycr- /
Al. s.ugg-.-s 0usl.s ~ .Le game. !