The Washington times., 1907-10-01
DETROTTS GAr1ENESS
WINNING THEHEARTS
OF TRUE SPORTSr1EN
Many New Rooters for Tigers Gained by Display
of Nerve in Philadelphia Jennings Defends
Umpire O'Loughlin- -WaShingtonS Surprise
By THOMAS S. RICE.

I switch. SO do thousands Of others.
For various reasons my personal p,ef-
erences in the American League race
were Chicago Philadelphia. Cleveland,
and Detroit, in the order named. To-
day it's the Detroit Tigers for mine.
That wonderful exhibition OF game
ness the Tigers gave in the seventeen |
inning TO game In Philadelphia yes
terday was not only enough 70 win
the heSrt Of any man who likes clean,
gritty sportsmen. but was ample evil
dence that the Tigers are there with
the goods to uphold the American
League end in the struggle with the
Chicago Cubs for the worlds champion
ship Many fans and students of the
game have been influenced in their
preferences by The idea that the Chicago
Sox were the only men Who could lower
the colors OF the Cubs, and that the
Tigers. even # they won the American
League pennant. would be a sort of
flash in the pan. and would not be able /
20 stand the grueling Of world S cham
pionship. That idea is now dissipated. !
If anybody can go the route it is the
Tiger crew and Hughey Jennings. its
noisy, nervy leader
Ccmiskey Early Favorite.
Because Of Comiskey's generosity to-
ward his men. and on other good /
grounds. scores Of professional ball
players were for the Sox. Last night /
even those who did not care much one
way or the other were wildly enthusi- /
astic about the Tigers. The seasoned !
professionals unanimously declared the
Tigers were the best ball team in the |
American League and fully deserved the |
pennant
The Athletics. on the other hand. areS
not considered game as whole, by the /
men who have faced them on the dia-
mord all this season. They tell Of some
of the leading members of Connie
Mack's squad who were pale, and SO
nervous they could hardly handle a ball
fl that second game In Philadelphia on
Labor Day. after Washington had won
the first game. Naturally good per-
formers, ard aided by splendid pitching,
the Athletics have come to the front. but
thrCughoUt the American League there
IS a belief that IN a pinch they will go
20 pieces. as they have done in several
Of their recent crucial contests.
Game at All Points.
on the other hand, the players tell
Aow, even when things were breaking
the worst for the Tigers and Sox. the ,
members Of those teams were too cocky
fto associate with o. ldinary mortals. and
met all attempts 10 Kid them with a lin,
of sass" that would make a hshwoman
blush. There's the difference, and it's
one that appeals TO every American.
Also. it is one that VIII tell a long tale
when the American League pennant-
winner lines Up against the team which
made runaway race for the National
League
Manager Jennings and his men arrived
at the Arlington last night tired and
worn, but clipper and aggressive ate
Lhelr long game and the tiresonle ride
rom philadelphia. BY all the rules the,,
should have slept until noon. preparins,
1oI me hrst game with Washington,
Wnlch beSlnS at .. m. today but fhe1y
were mostly up and about by m
ana ready TO tell anybody who wanted
,He iattSt news. exactly why they were
nLevitaoly pound to get that bunting. II /
WAS 4 pleasure 70 hear them babble
Jennings Defends Decision.
Speaking OF the decision in Pbilade,-
phia yesterday Of SILK OIoupl1li,
which kept the Athletics from winning
Hughey Jennings said:
OLoughlin could do nothing else
under the circumstances II was nIajn
that the onicious policeman deliberate /
~ butted in on Crawford for the mr.
pose OF making him drop the nv in the 1
fourteenth inning. Under insfrt,c+{o,,s /
sent out by President Ban johnson Of /
lne American League. Interference Of 1
such sort by an outsider Is to count &c /
II made by player on the orI3osing I
team Ana this came directly wfthin /
that ruling.
1T is the duty Of tne home club to
police the grounds and prevent specta /
tors taking hand in the prOce edlnps
IN any way. Every club is supposed to 4
nave character and strength enough 10 1
MAKE etective dTran gements for giving I
Ihe visitors every possible show to play /
without hlndrancee. II such treatment I
IS not accorded the other fellows. then I
II is presumed the home club Is conniyr- 1
Ing at the acts of the buttfnskv rooters
and the umpire decides accordingly.
Red Letter Day.
1 think that game yesterday was a
record contest for the Tigers since they
have been in the American League. De-
troit has played a fourteen-inninR tie |
with CdicagO. and thirteen-inning games |
with St Louis and Boston, besides sew /
cral ten and eleven inning contests but |
that yesterday took the cake.
1 haven't selected my pitcher for to- /
day, but he will be Siever. Killian or |
Mullin. in the order named. with 1
Schmidt catching. Charley .O'I,earv was
hit on the tnstep yesterday by a batted /
ball, and was suffering last night TIE 4
PEDAL was hurting this morning, but /
am too young 70 die just yet. so 4
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