Evening star., 1932-07-05

n JEW YORK, July 5.-Now
N that the Fourth of July
4 Y games have been written
into the records of the
major leagues, two main facts
stand out above all others. Unless
the New York Yankees slump SO
badly in the American League
that they withdraw into their
shell until not even a scalp lock
protrudes, they will uphold the
old base ball saw which says that
the leading team of July 4 will
win the pennant.
On the other hand, it is equally
obvious that most the national circuit
teams may make shambles of the old
saw before their season ends. SO close
Is this race that any club in the league
has chance to take the flag.
This month of July in the American
League, as the schedule is arranged for
this year, Is strongly favorable to the
Yanks.
The Yankees have managed to accu-
mulate and cling around 700 percent
age mark almost from the start Of the
season. They have disorganized the race
TO an extent even more pronounced
than was the struggle at this time in
1881. Had they played with the same
success in Boston on their last visit
as they had been playing prior to that
series, they would have had the remain
der Of the league groggier than it is.
THE Western teams of the American
l. League are coming East to make
their second trial of the year. To
date the Yankees have won 20 games
and have lost to Western teams. The
showing of the West against them is
almost pitiful. Detroit, Cleveland and
Chicago have won only l game each
from New York, and St. Louis 2.
Should this continue throughout the
remainder of the season the Yankees
could win the championship this year
by an unprecedented total of victories.
Any estimate can be made of that possi-
BILE total, because almost anything is
possible to conjecture with the teams
rating as they now do.
The Yankees hold the record for
winning the most games in any one
season in the American League with
their total of ITO in 1927. Unless there
Is very pronounced falling of in their
play they can tie that record and do
better, because they are about finished
with their Eastern rivals from whom
they have won 80 games while losing
1S. That Is percentage Of .652. Their
winning percentage against the West
has been 800. so big as to Ee almost
ridiculous. They have about score Of
games left to play the Eastern teams
and more than twoScore to play the
Western teams.
The remainder Of the race In the
American League, except for a New
York slump. vii be race against the
record Of the past
THE next fortnight's campaign In the
l. National League should be every bit
as interesting as the part already
played. 1t will be a splendid opportu-
nifty for the Western teams to make
hay at the expense of the East, II they
can, If they are unable to do so the
National League race viii exceed in
closeness OF opportunity any that has
been played through the month OF July
and viii continue in that way.
There have been instances OF an ex-
citing race between three National
Clubs down to the very finish OF the
season, but there has been none before
IN modern times in which any one of
the eight clubs at the beginning of
July held an opportunity to finish first
at the end of the season.
Cincinnati Is not to be counted out.
It's total defeat at present hold it to
the bottom Of the race, but 1t has
played more games than any other team
IN the league, and when the postponed
games are played of there is a chance,
and 1t is not wholly remote, that Gin
cinnati will have evened matters with
some of its rivals.