In the greatest pro league race on record, Bethlehem, Boston and New Bedford are today in a triple tie for top place, each having garnered 41 points in 28 games for a percentage of .732. Each of the three leaders completes its schedule in the three games carded to be played in New York and Newark this weekend.
The Giants have the honor of entertaining New Bedford and Bethlehem on successive days, the Whalers supplying the opposition Saturday with the Steelmen visiting the same enclosure, Starlight Park, Sunday. The Giants have been almost unbeatable on their own pitch this season, their list of victims at the Bronx Stadium, including the three leaders, Bethlehem, Boston and New Bedford.
Displaying consistently brilliant form in recent games, the Giants will undoubtedly go all out to duplicate their previous performances against the Whalers and Steelmen and incidentally improve their own position on the league chart. The New Yorkers will play no favorites for they realize that every point gained in this half may prove invaluable in placing them in a play-off position in the second portion of the schedule.
Boston, in tackling the skeeters at Newark, has an equally stiff hurdle to surmount, a team which has caused no end of trouble to the topnotchers in this and previous campaigns. Boston has yet to gain a convincing triumph in the New Jersey city. Last season, the Hub team scraped through in its first visit there but wen down to defeat a few weeks later at Newark, and Boston admits a lucky victory in its only appearance at David's Stadium this season.
One other game, omitted in error from the previous announcement of the league games scheduled for this weekend, will be played at Mark's Stadium, Tiverton, R. I., where Fall River and Providence will complete their first half schedule.
Should all three leaders win needless to say the present standing will not be effected. Should Boston take over Newark and the Giants defeat New Bedford and Bethlehem, the Hub City eleven would gain the crown. Should Boston and New Bedford lose the Steelmen would win the crown. And again should Boston and Bethlehem lose the title goes to New Bedford. That in brief is the layout of what may be expected as the outcome of the weekend battle.
While it is very probable that neither of the three leaders will be defeated, Bethlehem and Boston are conceded the best chances of coming through with a victory. The Giants have more than the two points to be garnered at stake in the New Bedford game for this replay is the result of a protest entered by New Bedford and upheld after the Giants had defeated the Whalers. The game involved was a great battle waged quite rough and in which the referee, and official by the name of Dempsey lacked the courage to inflict and enforce decisions and through his lack of courage the Giants and Whalers must play that game over again.
After a grueling contest with the Whalers it is reasonable to believe that the Giants will be somewhat spent for their engagement against Bethlehem the next day. Then again a victory over New Bedford may tend to inspire to the Giants to [ . . . ] effort in their quest to dispose of two league leaders in as many days.