Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-15
GIANTS, CUBS HEAD
TEAMS IN NATIONAL
Pirates and Cards Due to
Provide Chief Opposition
for Pennant.
BY HERBERT w. BARKER,
Associated Press STAN Writer.

n YEW YORK, April 15.-The Ma.
N tional League starts fight to.
morrow that won't be decided
4 one way or another for six
months or so. Some critics
contend that the 1929 pennant WON'T
be clinched definitely much before the
closing day of the season, october 6
In league as well-balanced as the
National, experts forecast the eventual
result only at their own risk. Most OF
them have contented themselves with
stating that four clubs-the New York
Giants, Chicago Cubs, st. Louis Cardi-
nails and Pittsburgh Pirates-are the
outstanding contenderS. so closely
matched that no one Of them can be
selected as a favorite. This quartet
is almost unanimously picked to take
the first four places. Differences of
opinion creep in when an attempt is
made to predict IN what order they'll
finish.
OF the four, the Giants and Cubs have
received the most preseason support
John McGraw, a driving leader of men
has well-rounded team of Giants with
good pitching and a powerful attack
Second base may prove to be the
Giants undoing unless Andy Reese OF
Andy Cohen come through.
Hornsby to Help Cubs.
With Joe Mccarthy at the helm and
Rogers Hornsby, league batting cham
pion, at second base, the Cubs are look
ing for their first pennant since 1918
and many observers think they are 60
ing to get it. Much depends upon
whether Charlie Root, crack right hand
er, can perform as he did in 1927.
Billy Southworth and DNnie Bush,
managers. respectively. Of the Cardinals
and Pirates. are In somewhat similar
positions. Southworth has q new in
field combination TO work out and so
does Bush.
The Cardinals plan to play Bottom
ley, Frisch, Colbert and Haney in their
infield. If this solves the problem South
worth's only worry will be over his aging
pitching staff
At Pittsburgh, Bush has Shelly, Bar
tell Adams and Traynor for an inf1eld
and a worry. Outside of that the Pirates
look extremely good. They have an un-
questioned batting punch and as strong
pitching staff as there is in the league
These four, then, should fight 1t out
for the pennant unless the dope Is all
wrong, as 1t sometimes Is.
Reds Best Of Others.
vi the remaining lOuE HlculUCIS, JdCA
Hendricks Cincinnati Reds appear
much the strongest. Although several
of his rockies have played passably well,
Hendricks plans to start out with q
veteran team little changed from last
year. If the Reds can escape the injury
jinx they may make it unpleasant fol-
the big Four"
Until Glenn Wright can get into the
lineup, the Brooklyn Robins may find
themselves hard put to keep ahead OF
the Phillies and Boston Braves. With
Jess Petty gone, Wilbert Robinson's
pitching will not be as strong as usual
although it will be good.
Bert Shotton has hopes that his Phil
lies will show considerable improvement
over their usual form despite the loss OF
Tommy Thevenow, injured in an auto
accident.
The Boston Braves will have one OF
the oldest infields in base ball with Sis
Ter, Mcguire, Meanwhile and Dugan
Whatever the Braves gain in wisdom
they seem destined to lose in agility.