The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-23
TITLE TAKING
PIRATES HEAD
PENNANT LIST
st. Louis. Chicago and Ne"
York Clubs Offer Chief
Opposition
TWO OTHERS IN RUNNING
Cincinnati and Boston May
Furnish Upsets - Others
Have Cellar Ranking
TWO OTHERS IN RUNNING

New York. Jan. 23.-lP-A win
ter season that saw some of the
games most prominent stars
bought. sold or traded. apparently
has set the stage for another free
for-all scramble for National
League pcnnant honors next sum
Mcr.
The sensational player shifts OF
the off-scason have left four clubs,
end possibly six, to be rcckoncd
with in any discussion Of cham
pionship potentialitics.
Heading the list are the Pitts
burgh Pirates. defending title hold
ers. DOME Bush. seeking his sec
Ond pennant in as many years at
the helm of the Corsair crew. prob
ably will find chief opposition com
ing from the st. Louis, Chicago
and New York clubs. Cincinnati,
on the strength Of fine 1927 fin
ish and Boston, with Hornsby. also
are considered in the running by
observers. Brooklyn and Philadel-
phia, on the basis Of their records
last year, and their present "paper
power" seem slated for second divi-
sion bcrths although both are
strengthened.
A month ago the New York
Giants were conceded as good a
chance to win the flag as my Of
their rivals but the Hornsby trade
has upset these calculations. The
deal which sent McGraw's field
leader to Boston in exchange for
Hogan and Welsh, strengthened the
Giants behind the bat and in the
outficld, but left q gaping hole at
second base with Andy Cohen, an
untried minor Lacquer, as the only
stop gap in sight.
The Pirates completed only one
trade Of Importance but that one
brought "Sparky" Adams, crack
second baseman Of the Chicago
Cubs. to Pittsburgh to solve Bush $
infield worries. The loss Of Xxi
Cuyler leaves Bush with the same
0utfield that won the pennant last
year. Pete Scott, who came with
Adams in the Cuyler deal, now can
take Kiki's place ION the wood if
he fails to land Z regular assign
lnent.
Barely nosed out in the fight for
the flag last summer, the st. Louis
Cardinals, led by their new man
ager, Bill, McKcchnie, have high
hopes Of beating the field to the
~-ire in 1928. Cardinal fans feel
that Bob O'Farreli, untroublcd by
managerial worries, will return to
form behind the bat and that the
infield, with Thevenow back, again
will compare favorably VIII any in
the circuit. The pitching staff
nee!s to do no better than it did
last year, when it outshome all
rivals.
Cubs Are Stronger
The Cubs, sensations for time
last year, appear to have added
strength in one spot only to take it
from another. With the addition
of Cuyler, Joe McCarthy's fly chas-
ers should compile many base hits
but the loss of Adams has weak
ened q none too strong inficld. Nc
Carthy is banking on Freddy Nc
Guire, Toledo star, to fill the hole
Jack Hendricks stands pat on
his Cincinnati lineup which closed
the season in 1927 with a fine
brand of baseball. If the club gets
off on the right foot, Hendricks
feels that he will be in the thick
Of the fight all year.
The fans up Boston way are hop.
ing for another miracle team,' un.
der the Braves new manager, JACK
Slattery. With Hornsbv to supply
the spark in the offensive and lcat
the infield at the same time, the
Braves figure to be the "darl
horse" Of the pennant struggle
Strength needs to be added. how
ever, in the outfield and in the re
ceiving department.
Robins Outlook Dismal
Brooklyn has gathered togethel
some minor league stars and Dave
Bancroft, former Braves manager
to back up the superlativc work Of
Wilbert Robinson's mound staff
the Robins probably will have :
tough row to hoe to finish higher
than sixth.
Burt Shotton, who starts thu
first year Of two-year contract
rs manager of the Philadelphia Ma
tionals, apparently is foredoome(
to the second division and perhaps
the cellar position. Numerous re.
cruits will make the trip to the
Pills training quarters but it re-
mains to be seen whether they car
enable the club to, climb ous Of the