The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-03-25

Pick Athletics American Loop Champs
Philadelphia Club Has Winning
InfieId Combination From
Last Season

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New York, March 25-(R-The Phil-
adelplaia Athletics. class OF baseball
in general and the American league
in particular for two years, will start
the 1881 race favored to make it three
pennants in q row
The odds in support Of the AS may
not be quite as long Is they were q
year ago, after their 1929 stampede.
Observers have detected a few creak.
ing parts in the worlds championship
machine guided by 68-year-old Con-
ME Mack.
The probability is that the Ath.
letics, as a club, are getting no bet
ter. They were at the peak when
they led the Yankees to the wire by
IL games in 1928. Last year they
were pressed to finish eight games
ahead of the surprising Washington
Senators. The margin may be slim
mer this year, if an upset is not C
tually sprung by one Of the other
contenders, but there is no substan-
tial evidence on which to dislodge the
AS as favorites.
Is Winning Combination
The champions will go into action
two weeks hence with their "big five'
still the greatest winning combina-
ton in baseball, assuming that Al
Simmons is persuaded to sign his
contract In time to support the efforts
Of Grove, EarnShaw. Cochrane and
Foxx. They have an infield combl.
nation whose ability to continue at a
nh ~,p,30vachin vnn00 $e Y9Ssr11aNao${Nol
but the essentials Of punch and Pitch
ing remain.
Washington and Cleveland, the Sec
ond and fourth place clubs last year,
if they fulfill early prospects and con-
tinue the development manifest last
year, figure to help make the race
closer and more interesting than it
has been in years.
The New York Yankees. under Joe
Mccarthy for the first time, will be
dangerous at any time because Of
their tremendous punch, but their
pennant hopes depend on finding the
ent pitching.
Detroit Strong Contender
Detroit may turn up as a fifth con-
tender for first division honors, at
least, especially as Bucky Harris
seems to have developed some fine
new material. The. prospects are
that the Boston Red Sox, Chicago
White Sox and st. Louis Browns will
have a party Of their own in the C
ond flight.
At least five of the eight clubs have
shaken up their lneups to such an
extent that only the campaign itself
will show how effective have been
efforts to tighten up the circuit, so
completely dominated for two years
by the AS.
The pennant bee is buzzing busiest,
perhaps, among the Washington Sem
ators, whose drive to second place
under Walter johnson last season
furnished a sensational surprise. Like
the AS, WASHINGTON depends on the
ability of a number of veterans to
continue imbibing from the fountain
of youth. A superlative pitching staff
and brilliant defense, plus the. all
around play of Sbortstop Joe Cronin,
features the senatorial threat.
Cleveland, stressing a stronger at.
tack, also banks on the work Of q
fine pitching staff headed by Wesley
Terrell but has a hole to plug at third
base, vacated by Joe Sewell.
Sewell May Help
Sewell, oddly enough, may be the
solution to the Yankees infield prob
lem, having shown every intention Of
staging q comeback with the New
Workers. If so, the warclubs Of Ruth.
Gehrig, Lazzeri, Combs and others
will contribute to q lot Of havoc in
the forthcoming scramble.
Detroit's chances seem to depend
upon the ability Of outfield newcom.
ers to come through with the neces.
sary batting punch, something the
Tigers rarely have lacked over q
long stretch Of time.
The White Sox have q heavy
enough hitting outfield, with q star
youngster, Mel Simons, supporting
Smead Jolley and Car Reynolds, but
the clubs infield worries will continue
unless recruits at first and short full
fill DOME Bush's expectations.
The Red Sox still have q fin Pitch
ing staff, with MacFayden, Morris,
Russell and CASTOR supported by Sc.
eral capable newcomers, but the sup.
ply Of base hits is not likely to be
adequate.