Cardinals Will Be Hard Team to Beat, Foster Says; White Sox Also Dangerous
By John B. Foster. (Copyright, 1926.)
NEW YORK, April 19.—The St. Louis Nationals, perched proudly today at the top of the heap, thus early have proved that they have a legitimate right to sign their baseball correspondence: "Please give us your respectful attention."
It is a long way to the end of the season, but no longer than the way of any other season. The Cardinals may be tossed here and there on the curling white caps of a pennant race, but they never will be submerged until the other chap has been ducked too.
If the Cards hold their physical strength they will be a rod in pickle for every National League team right down to the finish. They have shown that they can handle the Pirates in an early season series, and Pittsburg cannot say it went to St. Louis in poor condition. Nor did the Pirates go without warning, for there were some chaps who even ventured to wager Fred Clarke that he would leave St. Louis with his top-knot tingling where he had worn his scalp—and even so, it was.
White Sox Formidable.
The Chicago White Sox slipped through their series against the St. Louis Browns without losing and lead the American League today after dividing their first two games with Cleveland. Only three games were played against the Browns, but the result might have been the same in four because the Browns have weaknesses which have not been corrected.
Scott played in all three games against the Browns and between Collins and Scott there was no gap of immediate urgency. The chances accepted by this pair were not unusual in number, but there was no aching void where one had been, nor any other kind of void. It is a pity that Brooklyn did not add Scott to its team, even if the Robins are not speed dogs.
The White Sox pitching has been admirable. Look out for the Sox pitchers. As great are those of the Washington, the White Sox may be still greater at the end of the year if Blankenship and Lyons come along as they promise to do.
Infielders Give Fine Support.
Pitchers of both leagues thus far cannot complain of the quality of the infielding. Stanley Harris of the Senators leads them all with 11 chances accepted at second base in one game against Philadelphia.
It is evident that the Athletics haven't quite added the needed punch to get on top of this Washington crowd, with its enduring pitchers. The champions must be slammed at a vital moment to be licked—and that means by batters who can crack out a pinch hit against Johnson, Coveleskie or Ruether to say nothing of pitchers less conspicuous, if Joe Bush can be called such a one.
Sand of the Phillies twice accepted ten chances at short against Boston. Harris of Washington has a record of ten in addition to his 11. Friberg of the Phillies has a ten and so has Wright of Pittsburg. Scott of Chicago has ten. More than a half dozen have nine chances. Fast work, all that, in the opening series. It shows how well the players trained to get into this baseball race and how fit they were when the battle started.
No player, manager or fan can complain when the fielding is as expert as that. It is a bit better than the good work of 1925, which was much above the standard that was generally credited to it.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 19, 1926, Page 18. Digitized by the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) Digital Newspaper Collection.Original Archive Link
