Evening star., 1926-04-21

lldltdSVt with the DeSt pltChlng VIII
A year ago Barney and Covey won
IL. 1t they can do that we'll again, G
Cold weather in Boston raised havoc
with Huggins' veteran New York
pitchers. The first two games played
by the Yankees used up all of Hug
gins former tive-star staff-Shawkey,
Shocker, Jones, Hoyt and Pennock.
IN the first game against the lowly
Red SoN the Yankee staff almost blew
a 10-run lead, and the Yanks lust
mana ged to squeeze through by II to
II. The next day the Yanks We're
keeled over. to Z.
New York hit as hard as | figured
IL would, but the pitching, which
stood Brooklyn and other National
League teams on their heads while
the Nanks We're piling up their t6
straight training trip winning streak,
collapsed when it got into real league
competition. But the pitching talent
" there, and / am not vet ready to
weaken on my Yankee forecast.
Chisox Start Well.
Eddie Collins White Sox got off
we'll with their two Teds. Lyons and
Blankenship. both of whom had no
trouble in holding the Browns. Toward
the end of the training trip l came to
The conclusion that the Browns were
quite an oVerrated team. The pitch
Ing staff is too inexperienced, though
the club has a lot of batting strength,
which eventually should manifest it
self
Cleveland was held back lot by
cold weather, but the return of George
Uhle to his former form will mean a
lot to Speakers club. Uhles opening
dag victory against Detroit was the
best game pitched by the former sand
!Otter in two years.
Detroit was showed out in so many
games that it was a difficult thing to
get line of the Tigers. though I
know Ty Cobb was dissatisfied with
his pitchers when the season started.
The Athletics started to show some
class after dropping two games to
Johnson and Coveleskie. Mack showed
that using French, the former West
Point foot ball star. in right field was
more than q training camp experiment
and Waiter has been doing well.
The Red SoX, with their lineup re-
cruited from all points of the minor
league compass, played the Yankees
hard, and have shown surprising ag
gresSiVenesS. However, the club still
looms as a hopeless tailender.
The Cardinals have shown enough
pitching in the first week of the sea
son to warrant the belief that they
will be stubborn Contenders and will
make it tough for Pittsburgh and
New York all the time. Vic Keen, the
former Cub, came through with
pretty 2-to-0 shutout against the
hard hitting Pirates. Keen always ap-
peared to have the stuff while he was
in Chicago, but there seemed to be
something missing from his makeup.
Perhaps Hornsby has brought it out.
Pirates Due to Revive.
AS in 1925. the Pirates were not in
the best shape when the season
started After leaving California
they repeated last years experience
of keeping idle for full week after
crossing the Rockies Pittsburgh also
is bound to feel the absence of it's
brilliant veteran, Capt. Max Carey,
but by middle May the Pirates will
be showing the way.
The Giants still seem to lack their
2ld-time punch. While the club was
handicapped with injuries last year,
the biggest factor in its decline was
the slump to seventh place in team
batting. McGraw has a prize collec-
ton of right handed pitchers, but with
the season only a week old it already
is apparent that weakness behind the
bat will be a great handicap. Not only
has Frank Snyder slowed up most per
oeptibly, but he also has lost his
knack of hitting.
Cincinnati hasn't shown q great deal
so far. Luque's operation of late last
Winter has held back the Cuban, while
Rixey was q holdOut until after the
club left it's Orlando training camp.
C'afl Mays, after showing fine form in
the training season, was knocked out
Ii, 81 Nv l1p NH
Hendricks now is playing Sammy
Bchne, former second baseman, at
shortstop, while Rube Bressler, vet
eran utility player, has been placed
IN the outfield in order to give the
club more hitting strength.
Braves Overrated.
Like the Browns in the American
League. ! believe there was a strong
tendency to overrate the Boston
Braves. I may have been guilty of it
myself History already has repeated
itself as far as the Braves are con-
cerned. Last season they made Il lot
Of trouble for New York, Pittsburgh
and Cincinnati. the top-notch clubs,
but We're soft picking for the feeble
Phillies. The Phlhes already have
knocked them back in an entire series.
A chain of boils kept "DaZZy" Vance.
Brooklyn'S pitching ace, inactive, but
Robby has shown some pretty good
pitching. The Dodgers have q slow
old club, but any manager with a
pitching staff of Vance, Grimes. Petty,
Barnes and McWeeney is bound to
win some games. The famous Brook
lyn veteran, Zack Wheat, started off
with Il rush of base hits, getting six
in his first seven official times at bat
against Giant hurling. Rabbit Maran.
Vile is playing as good as ever for
Brooklyn III the field.
The Cubs seem like an improved
club, and Joe Mccarthy. the new man
ager, apparently has aroused fresh
,,,,hificp in last seasons tai1and.Ar