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Robbie should have had fewer corrections at home this year than ever before. Not since 1920 has he won a pennant, and never a world's series. This year, consistently in the race for first place, his team is built around a fine pitching staff. Young Raymond Phelps has been doing well and aging Arthur C. ("Dazzy") Vance still has control, though he tires more quickly than he did two years ago. Shortstop Glenn Wright could not throw straight a while ago but an operation adjusted slipping muscles in his arm and he is playing better than ever.
Not a great ball-team, but certainly a surprising one, the Robins have shown amazing faculty for winning games that seem lost. On the whole it is better balanced than the Giants— whose pitchers have not kept things safe even for such able batsmen as Memphis Bill Terry, league leader, or slugging Third Baseman Fred Lindstrom. The Cubs, pennant winners last year, have three pitchers (John Blake, Charlie Root, Pat Malone) as good as the Robins staff, and they hit as hard as the Giants. Outfielder Hack Wilson had hit 41 homeruns up to last weekend; Kiki Cuyler's average was .356. Sometimes ability seems to desert all parts of the Cub staff, but when this happens they often win on luck. They have a reputation as a team that "gets the breaks."
American League. Fox-faced, silver-haired Connie Mack's champions were so far ahead last week that barring injuries or sickness affecting half the available staff they are practically sure to win the American League pennant. In second place was Washington, in third New York.
International League. Three sturdy Rochester batsmen (Worthington, Southworth, Collins) have led the league in batting almost all season. Well supported, they have given the club a decided though not yet a safe lead over Baltimore, with Montreal and Toronto well down the list. Most notable man in the league is First-Baseman Joseph Hauser of the Baltimore Orioles—the club whence Babe Ruth rose to fame. Last week Hauser's 54th home-run put him six behind Ruth's 1927 total and eleven ahead of Ruth thus far this year, despite the fact that Ruth is ahead of his own best pace. The Chicago White Sox last week offered $50,000 and a first baseman for Hauser, but other managers were skeptical because Hauser has had numerous trials against big-league pitching. Before retiring to the Orioles, he played with the Senators, the Athletics, the Indians.
American Association. Louisville's right fielding and adequate pitching has sapped the ambitions of slugging opponents and made its own batting sallies count double. Toledo and St. Paul have been running close for second place; Minneapolis, Kansas City (Little World Series Winners), and Columbus have slipped steadily further behind; in the cellar are Indianapolis, Milwaukee.
Pacific Coast League. Since early season there has not been much chance of Los Angeles catching the Hollywood Stars. San Francisco or Missions might still take second place. Seattle, loudly touted in May, trails miserably.
Southern Association. Memphis has first place safe. Deadlocked for second are Birmingham, New Orleans and the Atlanta team for which Golfer Bobby Jones, vice president of the club, sometimes opens the season by driving brassie shots from the home plate out of the lot.