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Millions of Fans Await Opening
W?xk STribimt
SUNDAY', APRIL 10,1921
_... er-. ?
of Banner Baseball Season
Next Wednesday
Close Races Are Predicted
In the Two Major Leagues;
Interest Is at Highest Peak
Grantland Rico Looks for Three-Cornered Race in
Each Circuit; New York Has Three Strong
Candidates in Giants? "Yankees and Dodgers
By Grantland Rice
The tumult and the clouting starts, .
The captains and the camps arrive
On Wednesday of this week an explosion will take place affecting the
destinies of 10,000,000 members of the human (at times) race in this1
impassioned commonwealth.
This explosion will be the first base hit that opens the two major j
league pennant jousts where, for the next six months, the atmosphere wfll
be rife with the roar of the bludgeon and the battle howl of the clan.
Exuding- pink from every pore, the long parade of earnest athletes ,
with sun-blistered necks is now forming for the inspection of the4fanati
cal array.
Here they come?-"Babe" Ruth, the Big Blooie; Tris Speaker, Ty ;
Cobb, Grover Alexander, Ross Young. Eddie Collins, Buck Wheat, Rogers
Hornsby, George Sisler?an unending line of talent comprising more than
four hundred entries who will unfurl their daily wares beneath the Big
i
Tgnt of the game. - ,
On Wednesday more than two hundred thousand beauty and chivalry ,
will sit in on the eight opening contests that now forecast the greatest
season's attendance in all baseball history.
The hope that springs eternal in the baseball breast may begin to
?lumble and fade out in ten or twelve cities by June?but this is still
Young April, where they all start from scratch and the big thrill has yet
to be nipped by the frost of numerous defeats.
Big Moment in Life of Nation
The start of the baseball season is one of the big moments in the life
of the nation. It may seem unimportant to a number of unimportant
highbrows, but any event that adds to the weal and woe of from ten
million to twenty million souls is no part of a minor m?'ier.
"A nation's wealth."- says Adam Smith, "is" measured by its happi
i,ess," and as the arriving campaign adds vastly to the happiness and
!t*creation, although of a passive type, to at least one-sixth of the popula?
tion of these United States, the country at large is that much richer from
Apr\l to October, whatever the money market may have to show. Sr
mere is no fake overproduction of the gay and giddy,, hip-hip whicl
;>ccompanies the oj?ening of the two big races and the countless minoi
ones that bubble up in almost every hamlet and state.
For six weeks now sixteen managers have been grooming theii
? liaiges for the big assault. They have' now brought their sun-bakec
hired men north for the main test which in addition to gold and glorj
ihrough the year, has a World's Series reward of ,$5,000 for each m?mbe
uf the victorious cast. This is something to shoot at beyond the acclaim
lug racket of the fickle hordes.
Sixteen Clubs Face the Barrier
Sixteen clubs" will face the barrier on Wednesday, but from this fielt
? niy five or six are given a chance to win. The American League face
;? warm thTee-eornered race among Cleveland, New York and St. Louis
with the "first two favored.
The National League is in for another three-cornered affair with Ne3
York, Brooklyn and Pittsburgh looming a few notches above the other.?
Of the four leading contenders in the two leagues greater New York i
favored and flavored with three strong candidates in the Yankees, th
Giants and the Dodgers, who, if Cleveland can only be stopped, have
striking chance to hold an exclusive World's Series right here at home.
On this account, baseball interest in greater New York has surpasse
the interest of all former April operitngs. For, after all, it is the winne
that lures the. fan from his accustomed haunts and starts his pulse t
jumping sidewise.
Greater New York, slang for Bi*r Town, has never luid three sue
pennant chances before. Last fall she had one winner and two clubs a
high as second place, but these two clubs have been bolstered and strengt!
ened, and to-day they look fit to rise up on their hind legs and go sonn
where. They are all dressed up and they have a spot picked out to go 1
shortly after .some official's rusty right arm has tossed out the first ba
of the year.
Interest in Three Home Clubs
There has been unusual early interest shown in the progress of tl
three home clubs and various rivals, but the big moment doesn't come unt
the fans can get close enough to the athletes to hear the bubbles pop i
their brawny necks.
Once again there will be added interest in following "Babe" Ruth
dramatic career as he stars in the melodrama known as ''Over the Fen<
and Far Away." Fifty-four last year! But how about 1921? The w?
fortunes of the Sultan of Swat, the Big Blooie of the Battlefield, will be
six months' topic, whether ,he rises or whether, through surplus flesh, r
skids from glory back into the mass.
Whatever happens, it's all back again- the enraged bark at tl
umpire?the yelp of "Sign him!" when some non-combatant catches a fo
fly?the clamor that follows the home run- the bitter anguish of defeat
in short, the Big Awakening.
On with the prance, and let those who are without sin curse tl
first bone.
Speaker Looks For
Indians to Repeat
??By Tris Speakei
Manager Cleveland India//s
The old jinx is right on our trail
again, but if omens mean anything we
are in for h good
.?.?*&?&....<J?i........ ? season. It is said a
poor start means a
good ending. We
are getting off to a
poor start, with
?:' Is three of our play
?.???<ers on the injured.
P} list. But I would
prefer to see the
mishaps come now
.?i rather than later
: on. when the race
is closest and when
it is much harder to make up lost
ground than it is uow.
I think our prospects for another
championship are as good as they were
last year. Our pitching staff, which was
froing so well at the close of last sea?
son, is intact and again in good form.
We shall have better pitching from the '
start this year than wc did in 1920.
My line-up will be the same a? that
which played in the world's series, and \
that team wag .better than any in either j
league. I
Ij Mclnnis Is Back;
Red Sox Hopes Rise
I1-By Hugh Duffy-i
Managei' Boston Red Sox
.Vow that "Stuffy" Mclnnis ?a with
ua once more you may ligure us as p
contender. T h i ?
/>W^#.-|fH8H? "" infield that ii
*'..'4 ^^fSI ?H "'"' "'' t'lf' best ;'
f;^W|B the league, wha
.^S with Pratt at sec
.*.''.'? ***^ ^HMR shortstop and Vit
' * m mF is a K??d one witl
- ?viSfct :~? ?rid capable, on de
fens?. If o*u
pitcher? come through we shall be u
there with the leaders. Euol is a fin?
young catcher who is going to her
the team and the pitchers consider
ably. /
Sam .(ones, Pennock, Joe Bush an?
Thormahlen are all tine pitchers whei
going right.. They have shown goo
form in spring practice, and if the
continue to pitch as they have bee
doing we shall enjoy a good season.
Kverything considered I think w
have a tine chance and I am lookin
forward to a prosperous season.
__H
eavy Artillery and Pitching Aces of Yankees
League Chiefs
Predict Close
Pennant Races
Heytller -, Says Fans Have
Not Lost Faith; Johnson
Also Has Optimistic View
By John A. Heydler
President National League
The coming baseball season should
be interesting and successful. The
fans have not lost
faith in the hon?
esty and integrity
of the sport. The
o il m p e r attend?
ances at the ex?
hibition games in
the South prove, I
think, that interest
is quite as keen as
at any time in the
h i s t o r y of the
sport.
The game funda?
mentally is in
splendid shape ami
under inspiration
of independent semi-public control it is
bound to retain the confidence and good
will of the American public.
The National League will begin its
forty-fifth season next Wednesday with
: the brigthest prospects for a goo?! race.
Keports from the ''South are agreed
? that our clubs have, uncovered a num?
ber of players of unusual promise,
, some of whom have already won their
way into the regular line-ups. If we
j can instill into these young men the
right club spirit and loyalty to the
I communities they represent we will
call 1921 a success in advance.
This year, in my judgment, will mark
a new era in the game. On the playing
field it will be an era in which the line
i type of enthusiastic young player will
', predominate. *
I believe the National League field
will be better balanced this year than
for several Reasons. A champion must
always command respect, but I shall
be surprised if Brooklyn wins as
easily as last year -or any other team
for that matter. The (Jiants seem to
have been greatly strengthened, while
Pittsburgh lias a young club that will
bear watching. - ^?
1 am sure it will be a great season,
and that N'ew York will see some great
basebalJ in particular. There are
three wonderfully strong clubs in the
Greater eitv
Ban Johnson Looks
For Open Struggle
By Ban Johnson
President American League
The American League race this year
as is generally the case, seems to bf
?havj an acfVantag?:
?uit, but it remain?
Four clubs will
begin the race under new leaden
Keen interest will oenter around T
Cobb and nis Tigers. Detroit's ne1
matiatrer has the skill and daring c
leadership and if his patience is nt
lacking in the handling of men the
his success seems assured.
Xew York, with its array of battin
strength, must be conceded a ' hi<j
ranking, but St. Lowis. Detroit a*
Washington should not be linderest
mated. The latter three will all I
handled by new. skilled and ambitiot
managers.
Above all things it is to be hop?
that every player, manager, umpire ai
owner in the American League wi
enier the championship race this ye?
with the single thought and purpose
making it an ideal contest?pleasing
the public and free from any blemii
that might tarnish the good name
our national gam,?.
Fohl Is Concerned
Over His Boxmen
Fohl
pitching, and we'll
Manager St. ?.oui* Browns
It's up to my pitchers. Granted irood
'*"' give tH-em a fitrht
before the sea?
son's over. I'm not
claiming any pen
11 a m t for the
Browns, but. if
S.h otkc r. Davis,
S o t h or o n and
Bayne or one or
two others come
through we'll be
up around the top.
The way my team
shapes up now 1
can't see anything
lower than third
place for us.
1 have some con
base, where the
Chattanooga graduate, bill Gleason, is
stationed, but ray pitchers hold my at?
tention. Xo need to worry about the'
team's batting. With George Sisler to
lead them the Browns should prove. a3
good a hitting club as they were last
season. I would not be surprised if
their hitting is better than in 1920.
The team is well fortified in the field
and behind the bat. Wc have plenty
of speed. So just l?^t the pitchers de?
liver regularly ?.n? the Browns will
be counted in the money.
cern about second
J-1
Gleason Says Team
Will Be in Fight
1-By William Gleason-?
Manager Chicago White Sox
Count us in. Just because we los'
several players does not mean we shal
not be in the run
'? ning this year. We
intend to be very ,' ' ' ;
. much in it, and we ^?S^^^SwL *'
! even ligure that ^j^^^^?^fo^
our chancas f?tr tin? fll'%P?Pr^^^^\_ ; ?>
? pennant are bright f&ft ?aX>:
I indeed. W? ^? *%
As long as 1 have a p :?
Schalk and Eddie n^i.?w^Jfc : -=i
Collins [ have at I :0^'-.
least half a ball! ?f**?*'. .
team. But 1 have j I *** -. ?V
other good ones, ?j fe|^fe|' 1
too, who have tilled''?jfEiJ...
up the vacancies.te""" ?3&??=
Sheely at first base.
for instance, is a star, and Johnston i
shortstop will do. McClellan at thir
rounds out a fine infield. We have
good outfield, and our pitching staff
very capable. Kerr should enjoy h
best season. Faber is in fine conditio
and Wilkinson and the others ha-i
shown to advantage in the sprir
games.
Best of all, however, there is a ne
spirit in the team. The men are a
pulling together, which is worth moi
than having n team of star? playir
without any enthusiasm.
l'A /OCA eV
to H or9
O?/ez /^K-s
Senators Bolstered
For Coming Season
By George McBride
Manager Washington Senators
I believe wo have the best chanc?
in the race this year we have ever had
o u r team will
again be ?ne of
the li e s t-hitting
clubs in the circuit,
I'm sure, and this
year we .should yet
g o o il pitching,
s o m e t h i n g w a
lacked last season.
It was unfortu- ,- '"
nate that Walter |l"
Johnson s h o u 1 ?I ?
have been disabled I
last year when the L: ;
boys were hitting ! l_
so well, but this !~- -
year the big fel?
low's arm is again in condition and he
should show his old form.
; /
ia3^z=
Mack Aims to Quit
Position in Cellar
-?By Connie Mcick
Manager Philadelphia Athletics
After six years of residence in .lie
cellar the Athletics are going vto get
out of last place this year. Few fans
will recognize my present team. All
the players of last
now imbued with
a fighting >pirit
??nil we s'n,nild
finish better than
fifth,
Kra?l. Brazil 1,
one of the bat- .....
ting finds of the p*fi
year, makes my 45?;
infield, He will 1"
'no stationed at
first base. Dykes
will continue at
second and Joe
Dugan at third.
Both Dykes r.nd
1rs t t-iiiii are
*a&': ".''
Dugan are greatly improved players.
Sixth Place Will
Satisfy Tiger Boss
?By Ty Cobb-^
j
Manager Detroit Tigern
If the Tigers finish the season in sixth
place 1 shall be satisfied. If it's fifth
place I shall be
pleased, and if our
playing boosts us
to the leaders of
the second division,
I shall be delighted.
We were seventh
when the 1920 sea?
son closed, and if
this position is bet?
tered this year, ?
shail consider that
I have made good.
We all will be play
: me; for sixth place,
and if we finish abov that, we take
just thai much more credit. I am satisfied
every member of the. Detroit team will
give his best,
Huggins, With Strengthened *
Line-Up, Expects Yankees
| To Be in Fight Throughout
Midget iManager Believe American League Permit
Race Will Resolve Itself Into a Struggfe Retwc u
His Club and the Champion Cleveland India ??
By Miller Huggins
Manager 'Neiv York Yanlc&e*
Baseball being so uncertain, I will not make the statement that ti <?
\ ankces will win the pennant this coming- s?ason, hut ? will say that if
tlie best team I have ever managed in New York, and, given an ?
r-hare of the breaks of the game I thin!; that the prospects of rg
1 ing out on top are very bright indeed. I am
i well satisfied with the results shown on the
I recent training trip, and I am convinced that ?
! the club is stronger than it was last season. ?
It lias shown considerable improvem ni u ,?^ai?I???|&,
many departments, ?-specially the catching 44 ^^^^J^^^tj?^
pitching staffs. The team has more speed than ^^^^B?S^Sk^?S^^si
last year, not so much on the bases, but both ? ? ^^?
as base running is concerned, there 47 no team Jy#?T*| W^*' "?J
in the American League that is oaiticularly * 'V *" W
good in this respect and the Yankees will fl. " f^^f? \ \\
flash as much speed on the basts as most of "* ^? <
our rival clubs. .' ??SA******
It is my intention to start my infield ofT with ^y$mm..r
I Pipp, Fewster, Peckinpaugh and Wati!. Baker ??fo&tW' I >
j will be a very valuable player to have o.u hand ^^^^^?^ '??? \
! in case of emergency, and will help no con- I y^^^?.} ...???'' ?
I siderably as to my club, but I am not figuring 1'. -1Z^^^^^^~~~
on using him at the start of the season at " " ~~
! least. Chick Fewster is playing a good article
of ball, and seems to show no ill effects from his accident of last v' .'?r.
' Ward's experience last year has made him one of the best second basemen
In the. league. It would be very hard to keep either of these youngsters
cut of the line-up. I am well fortified with reserve matorial for the ?field
! with the acquisition of young Johnny Mitchell and Mike McNally.
I believe that the pitching staff will prove 'stronger and more depend?
able than last year. For the first month or two of the campaign 1 intern!
to work Shawkey, Mays, Quinn and Hoyt in regular rotation, and I will
icly on these four to stand the brunt of the mound work for that period
; at least. Harry Harper is a late starter, and ? am not figuring on using
\ him regularly until the season gets well under way. Shawkey. .Mays ;:rt
Quinn have rounded into good shape, and Hoyt ought to have the bos'
season of his young career. Hoyt and Collins will far more than ?offset
the loss of Thormahlen and Mogridge. The relief pitchers also shoui'i
show up better than last year, for I now have four very promising you?;
twirlers in Piercy, Ferguson, Clifford and Sheehan. I Would like 10 hav<
; the services of another reliable southpaw, but I am satisfied that the fit? ?
'ing staff as it now stands will fulfill all requirements.
The make-up of the outfield still remains more or less of an tinccr
tainty, on account of the injury to Bodie last year, and the injury to Koth
Ruth will most likely patrol left field, and the choice for the other tw.
; positions in the outfield lies among Bodie? Roth and Meusel. Meus?al hai
: not only displayed tine form at the bat, but he has also shown improve
ment in the field. I would like to make use of his batting power if I cfii
I find some way to get him into the line-up, but of course Roth and Bodi
I have had inore experience.
Giving all the clubs their just dues. I am of the opinion that when ti*
final drive cnnips. it will hr> bet vvppn ?''.lpv<d?ind and MV ball rlnli.
! 'Babe' Ruth and Other Slugger?
Counted On to Capture Bun tin??
leam Owned by Two Colonels Expected to J'ae.
Hard Fight in Holding Place at the Top
By R. J. Kelly
From present indications the American League pennant for thl
: season of 1021 will come into possession of fch? Yankees next fall, i'h-'
New York players arc sure to encounter some strong- opposition, but '
can safely be said that they have a better chance of finishing at the he
The Yankees at this time are more
formidable, than they have ever been
in the ?last. The three trades en?
gineered by .Manager Miller Huggins
; since the end of la.st season have
: brought added sjjrength to the club in
' every depar.tniejit. This fact was
clearly demonstrated on the recent
. training trip through the South. The
team has more speed than ?ast year,
its defense has been improved con?
siderably, and even its powerful bat
ling record o? 1920 gives promise of
being surpassed in the approaching
i ace.
The Cleveland Indians and the Chi?
cago White Sox furnished the mosf
: opposition for the. Yankees during the
last pennant chase, and the New Turk
ers finished third to these two clubs
just three games behiml the presen
champions of the world. The recen
world's series scandal has weakene?
the White Sox to a deplorable exten
and has eliminated them from con
sideraci?n in the outlook fo% this sea
son.
Cleveland Strongest Rival
This leas-es the Cleveland club a
the most serious rival of the Yank
although several other teams, notab!
the Browns, Senators and possibly th
Tigers, are likely to prove strong?
than at present anticipated.
Not only are the Yankees likely I
encounter some serious oppositic
fro-nrT'the Indians, but they may 'me
with unexpected competition from se
eral other clubs. The St. Louis Brown
who have been a serious sturnbih
block to the ambitions of the loe
playera in the past, are equally
strong as last season.
The Washington Senators have bei
rounded into a well balanced team ai
ought to have a good season, partie
larly if Walter Joh?ison i success?
in staging a comeback. The Detr?
Tigers have all the earmarks of
strong contender and may prove t
surprise of the year under the ma
agement of Ty Cobb,
If success at the bat were ale
necessary to capture the flag t
Yankees would be a certain winn
They are easily the class of the leag
in hitting. Last year their heavy b
ting was nothing short of phenomer
and even that phase of their play 1
undergone a noteworthy improveme
The acquisition of Willie Schang i
Bobby Roth and the return of J. Fra
lin Baker have added greatly to
offensive power of the club, and th
players, with Babe Ruth, Wallie Pi
Bob Meuse!, Ping Bodie and Ro
Peckinpaugh, have made the Yank
the heaviest hitting team in basebal
Perhaps the greatest improvem
since last year haa been brought ab
in the catching staff. For years 1
has been on? of the weakest dep
monts. Last season the catching
den was shared bv Truck Hannah
Muddy Ru.'l.
The former was a heavy-footed, s
moving individual. The latter
much fa *ter both mentally a:.d ph
cally, but was not strong enough
stand up under the .rigors of a strc
cus campaign.
.Vox
?owever, the i'anks
of the best catchers in basebai
Person ol WaLMe Schaft??-, acquired
the Boston Red Sox. Schalle no?
knows how to handle a citcher,
oats li-ajm either side ol th?
?s a hard and timely hitter He
? one of the best throwing arma in (
majors.
In addition to Schang, Manager H <
gins will have Fred Hofmann, a ? .'.
c atener of rare promise.
riie Yankees ought to obtain at
results from their present imclm!*.
.Klan". They are particularly well fiDC? ."
m right-handers, and if Harry Harjiei
lives up to expectations the southp . /
twirling will give added strength. '1 hev
have (ail Mays and Hob Shawkey, tw.?
of the best boxmen in the league.
Mays won twenty-sis and l<?st onjv
eleven games last season, while S'ra
key compiled a record of tweni
lories and thirteen defeats. In audi?
tion, Shawkey allowed the remarkablf
low av? raire of 2.46 earned runs a gan??
Both of. these twirlers are in th? Dea
Of condition.
Besides Mays anj Shawkey ttugfl:ns
also has the veteran .lack Quinn aud
young \\aite Hoyt. Quino ft*a w**
in the game for mor* than a d?cada,
but he stil! is able to >!and the .-'.rai"
of a.'.other season ,,r two. Hoyt, on i
twenty-one years ol?. hac had consid
crable experience in fast company and
is only beginning to attain the heigh
of his form.
Collins Shows Much Promise
There is also Rip Collins, who can
take his turn in the box with the other
twirlers.
The infield, wit!; ?ftpp a* fir.-: basa;
Fewster at second, Peckinpaugh m
shortstop and Ward at 3hird. bus been
playing a brilliant game lor the pas'
month and gives every indication <?;
being one of the most potent factors in
the Yankees' tight for the pennant.
These four iuflelders comprise a
smooth-working machine and have bee
going along at a dixzv pace, particular?
ly on the defense. **? \
Huggins also has Home Run Pake?
who has already proved that a**- e*n
step into the line-up whenever the ?oc?
casion requires it; Johnny -Mitchell,
the sensational youngster obtained
from the Yernon club, and the experi
enced Mike McXally, formerly of tb?v
Red Sox, ^
