Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-04

VI Oll July :.
The Reds are coming into the otfine
in the National League with lead
that is smaller than the Yankees by
several molecules. The Reds lead
might almost he called leading ele
ment. but they are entitled to the
honor of being considered seriously as
possible champions.
The percentage of hope in favor of
the YankS as champions, as against
the July 4 percentage of the Reds. is
about to /. But neither team may
finish on top. Old July may be clear
out of his prophetic beat this year.
If the Yanks can be slammed for a
consecutive series of games. not fewer
than five, they will come back into the
field with such rapidity that they will
be only a fighting element as against
a leading element.
The Yanks have been dropping for
some time They seem 10 be winning,
and the relative number of games
won and lost has not changed much.
but they are reaching that. stage in
base ball race where defeats mean
terrific shrnkage in percentage and
victories mean only "a few slender
points.
The only way to defeat the Yankees
Is for at least three clubs to lead
combined attack. That hasn't de-
saying it can't develop. Something
may happen to the New York team to
cause first one cog, then two cOgS and
then a third TO yield under the strain
of grinding the grist-and then the
leaders may find that a crippled wheel
can wreck al. the machinery.
New York Attack Tells.
The great attack possessed by the
Tanks has held them in the van. II
the attack should stop when the err
rors collect, this team may have to
WELD the most valiant stick it ever
tried to WELD TO win another Amer,
can League pennant. Its geatest good
fortune has been that the team which
it finds so hard to defeat, the Ath-
letics, has found it harder To defeat
other teams. If the Athletics had run
as wild against Washington as they
have against st. Louis ii might nave
been different.
In the National League the July 4
tradition isn't worth much more than
the copper dust which flies off penny
when rubbed With flannel.
The Reds are Just about where the
Pirates were last season. although
they havA been up longer than PITTS
burgh was up. 1t was on the week
end of July 4. 1925, that Pittsburgh
first reached the top III the National
League. CinCinnatiS TnSt week Snu
Of proud possession this year was on
May Is.
Last year Pittsburgh dropped from
first place the first week III August,
and many fans said it was the old
story of the Pirates getting something
they couldn't handle. But they came
back. Fred Clarke was with them
and he had lot to do with bringing
them back This year they haven't
got up. And if they don't fling their
tootsies with more abandon IN the
base bali Charleston, they are going
10 he another one of those teams which
find the task of winning one pennant
about all they can endure for few
years.
This July there will be most
dangerous dark horse snorting in the
National League stables. II goes I'M
der the name of Cardinals, and 1t Is
full Of spirit, like all famous black
chargers.
Managers who have been through
the base ball mill would prefer to be
where the st. Louis club sits than on
the Cincinnati perch. because they
always figure the waiting team has
little better chance than the throne
team. The players on the leading
team are nervous and play under a
strain A team in the lead must have
lots of reserve, and somehow the team
which is on it's heels always seems to
be bubbling over with reserve.
fCOpyright 1926