Champtown Chatter May 5, 1926

Champtown Chatter

By Edward F. Balinger - Pittsburgh Post May 5, 1926

HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

To cross the street a man will risk his neck,
Although in no more hurry than a toad.
And yet, we wonder why the blooming heck
A poor old chicken runs across the road.

HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

After exhibiting their world championship prowess at Columbus, O., on Monday and beating Beattie yesterday, the Pirates returned home last night for a prolonged sojourn on Forbes Field, during which they will be hosts to their four rivals from the East. The Boston Braves will be here today with the hope of squirming out of the uncomfortable depths of the cellar, but their ascent will be disputed by the locals, who seem firm in the faith that if any uprising is to take place, they are going to do it themselves. The Bucs believe they are headed for higher spots and recent signs of improvement cause the fans to cherish thoughts which run along the same line.

Neither Captain Max Carey nor Third Baseman Pie Traynor were taken on the two-day exhibition trip. They were advised to rest up for the approaching series which will begin at 3:30 o’clock this afternoon. Manager Bill McKechnie may not decide until just before game time upon his pitching selection, for nearly all his hurlers have had two or three days of idleness and he might depend upon almost any one of them. Lee Meadows or Emil Yde probably will be the pair from which he will choose for the first clash with the Braves.

The Boston club is off to a bad start, having dropped 13 of the 19 games played this far, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that the Corsairs can count on anything easy when they step out today to meet these tail-enders. An outfit that has been losing steadily often braces up in its first clash with a classy foe. For that reason McKechnie will do his best to keep the champs keyed up to their best pitch, with the one aim—to underestimate nobody and to go right after everybody.

Bob Smith, who was converted from an infielder to a hurler, may be tried in the opener with the champs. This right-hander took the Buccaneers for his first victim at the time he was graduated out of the sacking ranks and enlisted in the artillery. From that day to this he has been more or less effective against McKechnie’s boys. Robert, however, has not reached his stride this spring, and Larry Benton, another right-hander, may draw this afternoon’s assignment.

Fred Clarke, who sports three important titles as a Pirate official, yesterday dispensed temporarily with the dignity of assistant to the president, and took a workout on the ball field. Scouts Chick Fraser and Bill Hinchman also participated. Fred recently returned from South Carolina, where he watched a bunch of young Pirates open the season in the Sally loop, in which they are playing under optional agreement. Clarke, Fraser and Hinchman were together in Oakland, when Bill naively suggested that some exercise wouldn’t hurt any of them.

BROOKLYN, May 4.—(A. P.)—Jacques Fournier, first baseman of the Robins, and Walter Gautreau, second baseman of the Braves, were injured in a collision during the fourth inning of the Brooklyn-Boston National League game today.

In sliding back to second base after hitting a double, Fournier, who leads both major leagues in home run hitting, tumbled Gautreau to the field grounds. Fournier sprained his right ankle and was carried from the field, while Gautreau was assisted to the bench with a spike wound in the foot.

Mamaux Hurt

BUFFALO, N. Y., May 4.—A. P.—Al Mamaux, Newark International League pitcher, is suffering from concussion of the brain and a possible fracture of the skull. He suffered the injury in Saturday’s game with Buffalo when a seemingly harmless foul tip in the third inning hit him on the head.

Stunned, he was assisted to the dugout. He returned to the mound and pitched well for five innings, although he had virtually lost his memory and had only a hazy recollection of what happened.

After the game the X-ray disclosed a possible fracture and he was ordered to bed. He is still under the care of a surgeon, although his condition is not considered critical.