The Washington times., 1928-08-17

1l1I hOnOrS OF finishing sixth Q
of the year to the Capital tod
The Tigers have three games to
play here, closing their visit on
Sunday. They have won six VIC
tories from the Griffs thus far this
season and have been whipped
nine times by the Harris gang.
10 come to a tie they must sweep
this series, something that prob
ably won't happen.
Like the Griffs, the Tigers have
been rude disappointment to their
followers this year and for many
weeks the rumorbund has been
flooding the land with tales of
the decapitation of George Moriarity
and the selling or trading OF this
PLAYER and that.
While official deniaIs deserve
small credence, nevertheless
Frank Navin has denied that
MOriarity Is to 60. He may
deny this denial By the time
snow flies
When the Griffs were recently
! In the West they read stories to
tbs effect that Moriarity would be.
come manager in Washington in
1923, with Bucky Harris replacing
him in Detroit. just how much
halief is to be placed in that story
is q personal matter for each in.
dividuaI, This writer has little.
the Tigers are to be rent
asunder and given a new leader
4 may so happen that Bucky Har
ris will find himself playing second
. tase at Navin Field and directing
the team. But that Moriarity is to
come here as 3 manager is some
thing else again.
This writer believes that, III Mory
is to lose his managerial lob. he
will bob up as an umpire. The
caliber of the umpirinr in the
American League would be dis.
tinctly raised by the acquisition
Of Moriarty. He will NOT have
been the first umpire to fail ~
i1iaIaager and return to his old love.
either.
Az for the Tigers, they prob
ably win be shaken up consid.
erably. Most Noticeable Il their
lack Of speed. The heavy
y as - oAW&SCES TO longer Sl1lV9F
the fences with their waIIOps.
but they do shake the ground
more and more in their trudg.
ing l1ifher and y0n.. Speed isa
browning necessity i'm baseball
today and the Tigers haven't
got IL.
At least two players stand out
beyond the others on the Detroit
club, Owen Carroll and Charlie
Gehringef. Carroll was a whirI.
ing demon at Holy Cross College
and he Is on his way to become
ancther in the big show. Gehringer
is q mighty fine young infielder.
wherever he plays. They will un.
noubtedly remain with the club
thro n even cataclysmic
snakeup.
The Tigers have several young
players coming up for trials and
they may add to their speed by
playing some OF them here and
there. 1t is sluggishness that ruins
their chances more than anything
else, sometimes mental In addition
to physical.
When it comes right down to
cases, the American League TODAY
has two good ball clubs in New
York and Philadelphia and one fair
club in st. Louis. The other five
are sadly in need Of reconstruction
II there is to be any real competition
next year.
II it were not for the AS this
year, all interest in the race
would have vanished by July.
Only the sudden squirt Of the
Mackmen In the West has
brought even passing interest.
New York and Philadelphia have
good home attendance. and both
clubs draw Oh the road. They
are the only clubs in the cir.
cult Of which this is true.
The American League losers have
long been slammed but now the
criticism has reached the old league.
with the genial Uncle Wilbert Rob.
inson the target because his Brook.
lyn behemoths are doomed to a sec.
ond division berth. Uncle Robby is
being banged and belted by the
Great American Order of Pro Bono
Publico. Yes. and Rogers Hornsby's
position in Boston Is not so soft,
either.
Some stories have Hornsby going
to Pittsburgh next year, though
DOME Bush still has the inside rail.
The Rajah's fancy salary is a heavy
burden when the team is distinctly
low grade and so Boston may ar
range a deal sending him to the
Smoky City in return for much
needed athletes.
Sir Mique Martin 1infment king,
daring motorist and former may9f
of Cherrydale, Va, is due TO lose
his veteran tonsils today and will
be unable to enjoy a good juicy
steak for a while. This IL good
time to- invite him to q beetsteak
party.