Evening star., 1926-06-16

The Braves suddenly have started 10
knock the Stufiing out of the ball. Lat
tie Andy High, former Brooklynite.
started 1t. High got into the Brave
lineup when the midget Gautreau
failed to solve the mysteries OF big
league pitching. Andy hit with such
fervor that soon it became contagious.
and NOW the entire Boston team is do
ing it.
Bancroft'S pitching also has perked
up. His big three are Genewich.
Cooney and Benton, and it took the
trio quite a spell before they hit their
stride. Three pitchers, two right
handlers. Rudolph and James, and
southpaw, Tyler, pitched the Braves
TO their famous championship in 1914.
But it is too early to tell whether the
present Boston drive will last.
Cardinals Also Squirt.
The ST. Louis Cardinals also have
taken a decided squirt. and have made
a strong impression in the East. If
Hornsby and Bottom.ey ever hit their
real batting stride this team will have
Il lot to say about the 1926 National
League pennant. While | have them
listed fourth in this weeks pennant
percentage table, u pretty good hunch
says they'll be second. picked them
third at the start of the season.
Cincinnati took decided flop, los
ing six straight before they checked
their losing streak in Brooklyn. Their
loss of four straight to Boston was the
biggest upset Of the year. The Reds
have their drawbacks, but so long as
they have RiXey, Donohue. Luque,
Roush and Critz they will be up there.
Pittsburgh took full advantage of
Cincinnatis six straight reverseS.
snatched the lead for a day and then
developed more engine trouble. They
lost disgraceful game in Philadel-
phia last week. piling up an early
9.to-0 lead for Meadows. their star
pitcher, who up 10 that time was un-
defeated. Yet the Philadelphia tail
enders were permitted to pull out the
game, 13 to 8. The next day the foolish
Phillies doWned them Is to IL. But
the Pirates are there. and each pass
ing week makes the 1926 world series
look more like Pittsburgh and the
Yankees.
Giants Again Slipping.
After pulling themselves together
sufficiently to win 10 games out OF IA,
the Giants again are on the toboggan.
The New York team expected to pick
d
home stay bat the Giants are finding
the Western teams as tough at home
a they did on the road
With "Dazzy" Vance once more
whipping over his strikeout ball.
BROOKLYN fans again are full OF optl-
mism Robby has sufficient pitching
strength to stick around abe 800 mark
and his club will be troublesome all
the way. The Cubs now are coming
down fast. The Chicago team put
up a noble fight. but it was playing
over it's head and was bound to hit
a reaction. The Phillies continue TO
inhale the cellar damp of last place,
but they wouldn't feel right if they
were elsewhere. The cellar has come
to be home, sweet home" to the
F1etcherites. Even at that they gave
Pittsburgh lot of trouble.
That Western trip, which was to
be the acid test for the Yankees. has
not found Higgins slugging array
wanting. Apparently those biting
Yanks can slug and hit 'em over the
house-tops on the road the same as
at home. Sturdy Yankee pasting COW
ers up a multitude of Yankee pitching
sins, though Pennock and Hoyt con-
tinue to stand out.
May Set New Record.
At the rate in which the Yankees
are driving them out of the lot they
threaten to establish a new team home
run record. In 1921, the year the
Babe whaled his SO. the Yankees hit
1873 home runs. Up to June II, in
elusive, they had bagged 81 in SO
games. At this rate they should go
around $50 before the season is over.
The Athletics continue to plug
away, and in looking at the averages
one must wonder what keeps the club
UP. They remain seventh in team
batting, while Rommel is having an
Indifferent year. Grove pitches
good game every time out. but has
lost several real tough decisions. Gray
is not going nearly as well as he did
a year ago. and Harriss has won only
three out of eight Venerable 41-year-
old Jack Quinn is Mack's pitching
ace, with eight victories against three
defeats. After hitting only .206 In so