Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-08-17

NE Ndtiohdi ltdbut Ddbeudll
race has developed into one Of
the prettest battles Of recent
years. Seldom has the season
N progressed to It's present stage
with a majority Of the teams
within striking distance Of the pen
nant sals state of affairs makes every
game played Of peculiar interest, for
percentages are so delcately balanced
that the winning or the dropping Of TWO
or three contests win materially affect
hopes Of annexlng the championship
Close followers Of baseball are find
ing much Of significance and interest in
the manner In which the pennant strug-
gle is working out. Baseball, amateur
as well as professional, has long been
conducted on scientific principles Man
ayers and captains, as rule, are
wise" to every move and variation Of
which the game Is possible and they do
not often go wrong in their calculations
This year, however many genuine sur
prises have been sprung, and the sharps
have had manifold opportunities to
make valuable additions to their stores
Of green diamond lore.
The wholesale injection Of young
blood into certain teams caused a deal
Of comment early in the season, and
opinion as to Its advisability was some
what divided Many authoritative
judges stated that lots OF new blood
was the medium by which the national
pastime was destined to be uplifted. "A
few lively youngsters scattered among
the seasoned professionals will make
the old timers look like small change"
was the remark heard made by a man
who buys "A season ticket TO the New
York Polo grounds every year And
another veteran fan" replied. Young
ball sharps soon shoot their bolt.
Things cant come their way too fast
for the first month or so. But when
hot weather soorches their necks they'll
lie down, and the steady going veteran
whose head never swells takes up the
running and finishes strong"
The uselessness OF preponderance Of
youngsters has been practically Illus
trated by Captain George Davis and his
tattered Giants. George considered him !
self ace high" in the pack of man
ayers when Christy Mathewson Phyle, |
Nelson and others Of his colts" began |
to cut wide swath. But. oh, what a |
difference in the morning! The Giants |
toppled from first perch TO the second /
division. with It's all too familiar sur
roundings. Nelson had to be used as a
bench weight. Mathewson the mighty |
was knocked out of the box, and Phyle |
lost his good eye" presenting passes |
to first base in lunches Pittsburg |
Brooklyn, Philadelphia. st. Louis and /
Boston paraded past the Davisites, and |
they win probably remain in the second
division for the rest OF the season.
Manager Ned Hanon's trolley elud-
ers have won admiration from all quar-
tiers by their masterful squirt toward
the top Lurking In the tall grass at
the lower end Of the list during the
opening days, Captain Joe Kelley and
his hard hitting crew were thought TO
be dlstanced. Hot weather loosened
the joints OF the veterans, and many
peculiar things happened to some Of
their overconfdent opponents
Indeed, the showing Of the "old men"
OF the game has been a startling fea-
ture Of the years play. Several Of the
bali tossers who have been cavorting
between the sacks ever since the eight
les have been putting up Silt edged ar
ticle during these strenuous times. Van
Haltren. the outnelder Of the New
Yorks. is setting his fellow Giants a
shining example Of how baseball should
be played Van is hitting the ball like
n demon. and his base running Is
speedy and heady, Van Is now about 10
years old, but he gambols on the green
like an ambitious young colleglan.
Long OF Boston Is another rejuyenated