The Washington times., 1928-08-09

Started the Team winning ana
win keep It winning.
The As are q fine team until
they go up against New York
and Washington" says the first
camp. then they curl right up
end die. That sort of 4 team wins
no pennants."
Benching Cobb, Speaker. Hauser
and Hale was the best thing Connie
Mack did" says the opposing camD.
That gave him speed and class
and plenty OF fighting spirit, the
things the team needed most
There's no reason now why the As
cant 80 on and win the pennant.' =
In other words, fandom here Is
split into two sections, one hoping
for a pennant and the other scot
fling at the idea. The series opening
hers today should flatter one side or
the other, for the Griffs are tough
gang for the AS to tackle.
The Mackmen went sailing
through the west to win twelve
out of fifteen games played. At
the same time the Griffs were
winning eight and losing ten to the
same teams. The Macknen were
setting the league afire. The Eriffs
u
on the chin too often for comfort.
Nevertheless, the AS don't look for
ward to this series with any great
joy. They know too well that they
play their worst baseball against
the Yankees and the Washington
Griffmen.
The Mackmen today are four
and One-half games behind the
Yankees. The champions won
six and lost 10 games in the
West and gave every sign Of
cracking under the strain.
They may gather little con-
fidence in Boston. but that is
no certainty.
Bill Carrigan's tailenders have
disconcerting way of kicking over
the traces when least expected.
And don't forget that they have
won five out of 10 games from the
Yankees this season. They may
hand out some bitter plums to the
Yankees within the next few days.
PhiladeIphians. however have seen
the AS flash so often, only to fall
back into the ruck. and so they
may be excused for restraining
their enthusiasm. In Jacks, for in.
stance. on Seventeenth Street, a
gathering point for sports, wagers
are being made that the AS will
never come up even with the
Yankees.
They did better than expected
to pull down the Yankee lead as
they have" is the general idea at
Jacks. II they can come up even,
II viii suit most of us, even though
they eventually fall back. The
Yankees are too much for them
when it comes to the pinch"
Up around Shibe Park the feeling
il a bit different. There most of
the players are known and are
being supported strongly. Mike Xii.
roy, for instance, at Twenty.first
and Lehigh, can see only the AS
to win the pennant. His explana-
ton is that of most Mack fans.
Benching Cobb and Speaker. who
!. were too slow. and putting Orwell
Z and Foxx into the lineup, turned
: the trick" says the genial Mike.
1 Cobb was hitting well enough, but
he couldn't move. Speaker was
slow in the field and wasn't hitting
for 500. Hauser has been a failure
anu orWoH, Wnlie green, is much
better.
FOxx isn't a third baseman
now, but he will be and he's
got 1t all over Hale as . hitter
and q scrapper. Connie should
have made these changes earlier.
He might be In first place now,
Il he had. But the AS will get
there /"
At Pat McCeol's. another sports
hangout at Cumberland and Syden.
nam, not far from Shibe Park. but
Etill nearer the Phillies Bailiwick,
the feeling Is a bit tempered. There
the fans were merely hopeful that
the As might get somewhere.
There is rejoicing over the fire
showing in the West, but there are
no mysteries.