The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-17
BUGS FAVORED
TO WIN TITLE
BY LUMINARIES
Eight of Dozen Stars Boost
Pirates-Three Declare For
Giants, One For Cards
CUBS NOT CONSIDERED
Chicago Team Has Shot Bolt
Is OpiniOn-Strength Lies
With Pitt 8
BY BILLY EVANS

With four teams racing neck and
neck, which club will win the pen
nant in the National League?
Just prior to the departure of the
eastern clubs Of the National League
for the final and all important in
vasion Of the west, dropped line
to dozen stars Of the National
League, with whom | am on friendly
terms, and asked for confidential
expression. Of their opinion, no
names to be used.
(Which club do you think is tn"
strongest team in the National
League and why?" That was the
gist of the QUESTIONABLE | sent out.
Favor BUGS
Eight of the stars to whom | wrote
came out flatly in favor Of the Pitts
burgh Pirates. Three Of them liked
the chances of the Giants to win, de-
spite an unfavorablc schedule. One
still figured the st. Louis Cardinals
as the best bet. Not one picked the
Chicago Cubs, favorite with fan,orl
to capture the National League flag.
Perhaps it would be fitting and
proper for me to state that the IL
stars to whom | wrote for an expert
opinion were not members of the four
contending clubs. My dope was OBJ
tanned from the outstanding players
Of the second division, the also-ran
clubs.
Greater batting power and good
pitching staff were the two real rea-
sons assigned for the preference
shown the Pirates. The offensive
strength of the Giants had d stron..
appeal, but the. feeling was prevalent
that the pitching wouldn't hold up.
The pitching strength Of the Card
inals found favor with most of the
stars, but the unsettled condition
OF the infield was regarded as too
great handicap.
Not one of the stars gave Chicago
a first choice rating to win the Ma
tional League pennant, despite the
fact that the Cubs have been in front
most OF the way. That was regarded
as against them.
Cubs Have Shot Bolt
THE Cubs have made a great fight.
Personally. / would like to see them
win, for it would be Il good thing
for baseball, but l believe they have
shot their bolt That was the way
most Of the renlies to my query
started. Then they would 20 on to
tell why they didn't think the Cubs
could win.
Out in front too long; a tough
break in losing half dozen games
IN the final inning on the last east
ern trip, too much Of strain on the
pitching staff that all year has been
forced to go the limit to win close
score games, and a certain lack. Of
the poise that comes only with ex-
perience and is licking on the rath-
er youngthful Cub team--these were
reasons used against the Cubs.
The. dozen player-expcrts regarded
the chances of the Pittsburgh club
as by far the best In figuring the
New York Giants, all of them ex-
pressed wholesome respect for the
managerial ability Of John McGraw.
Most of them seemed to think that
i. Bob O'Farrell had had Tommy
Thevenow at short all year, things
might have been different.
All seemed to think Pittsburgh,
st. Louis and New York are better
teams than the Chicago Cubs. Ar
inspired team that got great pitchin,!
and was well managed, is the way
the fine showing Of the Chicago
club IS explained.
Figure New York Second
If you are willing to take the opin-
ION OF the twelve stars Of the Ma
'tional League whom have consulted,
Pittsburgh will win the pennant.
New York be second, st. Louis third
and Chicago fourth, when the final
curtain is rung down.
The first of the games plaxed in
the west gave bit Of emphasis to
the belief Of the players whom /
asked information Of.
The Pirates won all their games
from the .Phhlies. The. Cards swept
their series with the Dodgers. and
the Giants maltreated the Cubs
enough to send them three and half
games behind the league leading
Pirates. '@''>'''.''
It is true that expert opinion often
goes wrong and the Cubs may cross
the twelve wise men. tried and TRIO
and win out
But, and this is what makes base
ball such an interesting game, you
never can tell.