Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-17
SECOND DIVISIONS.
TO SETTLE ISSUES
40-Game Advance by Lower
Group in Either Circuit
Means Hot Scrap.
BY GEORGE CHADWICK.

n JEW YORK, February IT,
M Speculation in the base
/ Y ball markets is enjoying a
brisk revival as the major
leaguers prepare to entrain within
a fortnight for their Spring train
ing camps. Everybody taking part
in the present tanning bee is
hopeful that close races will de-
velop in the 1881 big show. SINH
lar to the sharp struggle witnessed
in the National League.
It all hinges on what the second
division clubs in both major circuits
can provide in the shape of husky COM
petition. Only little matter like win
ming 10 more games a piece than they
did in 1890 will serve to throw q lot
OF excitement into the coming cam
paignS.
The standardization teams of the
American League won 253 games last
year and lost 1863. The figures should
division clubs. Now If you add 40
victories to the total of the second
quartet, their winning figure would be
293. That would probably bring a
shift of at least three clubs from the
first to the second division.
Hard Work for Lower Group.
To obtain a marked readjustment Of
the race in the American League the
second-division clubs of 1880 will have
to do the hard work in 1891. Other
wise the race again will resolve itself
into struggle among the clubs that
now constitute the first division. They
are well qualified to undertake 1t. At
the top is Connie Mack with the cham
pion Athletics. Then come Washing
ton, New York and Cleveland.
The Washington team lost its oppor-
tunity to win in 1880 because 1t made
two bad road trips. There were two
spells when it had base ball fever and
ague. The physical condition Of the
players did not preserve itself. Their
own manager is authority for that. II
players cannot be kept in form, those
who falter on team that has cham
pionship hopes will undo the work of
the others.
Detroit, Chicago, Boston and st.
Louis formed the second division In the
American League in 1880. Detroit and
Chicago are certainly more promising
for the coming season than they were
year ago. That throws the brunt
of the other heavy work on Boston and
OlI OG LOUIS, anu VI LIl6 Two Boston
may be better fitted for it than st.
Louis.
Apt to Be Close in Old League.
In the National League, If the second
division teams win 40 games more in
1881. the race will be so close that
the positions of the first four may
change all of the time. In 1880 the
Nationals standardization teams won
26l games and lost 355 With 40 more
| victories in 1881 they would have
total Of 301, while the first-division
teams would have BIS. What a race
that would be-!
The National Leagues first-division
teams of 1880 appear perfectly quail
fed to make the fight in 1881. st.
Louis, New York, Brooklyn and Chicago
are ready for the fray. But how much
strength can Philadelphia, Pittsburgh.
Boston and Cincinnati show?
Look for plenty from three of them.
Boston, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh
will make it a harder year for the
first division next season. The Bos-
ton club has possibilities, the Pitts
burgh club may crowd some team out
OF the first division and the Philadel-
phia club, with its present batting
power and perhaps greater pitching
strength, is almost sure to win more
games than 1t did in 1880.