Ring Lardner

The Tampa Tribune/October 4, 1922

Last year’s Series Was Conquest Of Mind Over Matter, But This Time Nothing Is The Matter

In the last 24 hrs. the telegraph office at Great Neck has been swamped you might say with telegrams from baseball fans all over the country wanting to know who have I bet on in the world serious in order to win the little woman the price of a costly fur coat. 

Well friends as I have not got no broadcasting station in our little home, why I guess the easiest way to satisfy the nation wide curiosity in regards to my choice is to make my announcement through the press and I realize that this announcement is going to come like a big surprise as a great many people thinks I am crazy.

Well friends I have bet on the Yankees.

Further and more I would not be throwed into no fever of excitement was the Yankees to win in 4 straight games though I have not bet no fur coat on that kind of a proposition.

I hope they won’t be no National league fans in N. Y. or elsewheres who will take offense at these here statements and I want to assure one and all that my attitude ain’t been influenced in no way by personal animals as some of my best friends is in the National League and my favorite athlete from a stand point of good cheer is young Mr. Stengel.

Not only that but I won a very small wager on the Giants last fall and therefore feel sympathetic towards same. But a man can’t let their sentiments run away with them when their Mrs. is hollering for a flea skin coat. 

Now I suppose my readers who is reading this article will no sooner read which team I have picked when they will want to know the reason why. Well friends I will exclaim in a nutshell.

The serious last yr. was a triumph of mind over matter but this yr. they ain’t nothing the matter. 

Blame Frazee for One Weak Point

The Yankees went into the serious last yr. with the Babe crippled and only 2 guys that could pitch. Bob Shawkey who is one of the best pitchers in the league looked like the game of baseball was to him a new toy. Well at this writeing they ain’t nothing the matter with the Babe and Shawkey is his old self and as for the rest of the pitching corpse, you can realize the difference between last fall’s and this fall’s if you stop to think that Carl Mays, who everything depended on him last time, may not even half to warm up.

Further and more the weak spot of the 1921 defense which was the left side of the infield is now being took care of by the best pair since Weaver and Risberg on the other side. Pipp and Ward are at least as good as ever and Whitey Witt is a pillow of strength to the outfield as Lou Richie used to say and all and all you can’t find no weakness out side of the lack of a good left hand pitcher which of course is Harry Frazee’s fault not mine.

Giant Fans Needn’t Write

Now then how does this season’s Giants compare with the champs of 1921? Well they have got Heine Groh who is good enough to help any body’s ball club, and they don’t miss Geo. Burns on acct. of the way young Stengel is going. 

But when old Shuffling Phil wrote that mash note to his dear friend Les, he not only wrote goodby to his own big league career but also a fond farewell to the Giants’ hopes of repeating. Under good management you can stagger along and win a pennant without pitchers a specially if the competition is weak. But a world serious is something else. 

These is some of the things which has caused me to rely on the Yanks for the madam’s eel skin coat and while I am predicting will also state: 

(1) That the Babe will hit at least 3 out of the park. 

(2) That Joe Bush will pitch at least one shut out.

(3) That people who never seen Shawkey pitch except last fall will be surprised. 

This is how I feel about it brother and of course I may be wrong which won’t be the 1st. time. But if I am wrong it won’t be necessary for Giant fans to write and call my attention to same. The Mrs. will let me know in her own way.