The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-23
STILL IN DOUBT.
The Race in the Big American
League a Hummer.
Two Weeks Left Of the Season
With Athletics Ahead.
DETOIT is CLOSE UP.
Sporting Writer Murnane Can't
Understand Situation.
One of the Western Teams
Should Lead, He Thinks.

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Boston. Mass, Sept. 2s.-Tim Muir
name says: Two weeks left of the
American league season, with four
clubs still in the race.
What one of the Western clubs will
now show staying powers in the East,
where the teams have improved until
soft snaps are a thing of the past?
The Athletics are far from an ideal
ball team, not to be compared with
the three Western teams who have
made the race this season, depending
on the very best pitching staff in. the
business. The Athletics play. their
best games on the home ground, while
long drives count doubIy on the very
small grounds.
1 saw the Athletics play eight games.
last week and came to the conclusion
that inside ball was not their long suit.
In fact, 1 failed to note a clever move
by the Athletics players The old
style game from start to f1niSh-bang
away and take chances. Little bunt-
ing and less sacrifice work with the
hit and run, their faVorite play when
at the bat. Eight players out of the
nine each day could hit; five of the
men: were long drivers, with the two
best 1eft-hand pitchers in the business,
in Plank and Waddell, and two clever
right-handerS in Bender and Dygert.
These men are on edge and Boston
had the satisfaction of sending all but
Eddie Plank to the stable. Double
headers had the slab men guessing,
but clever Connie Mack was always
using his head to good advantage.
don't know what the Athletics would
do without this delightful character.
Never ruffled under the most trying
circumstances, with a good word for
all. The Athletics are fast for large
men, but need warm weather for their
best work, therefore making the
Quakers a poor choice for the big
honors in the world series. -
Most of the Quaker players have
seen long service and need warm
weather to timber up their joints /
am satisfied they are game, and in
player, a great ground coverer and
batsman. Jimmie Collins is limping
about with a bad knee, but strong
man with the stick and as game as a
red hackle. AS the weather grows
colder the EXPLOSION man is likely to
slow up and lose out on hunts
While the. Athletics lack the swell
form of the ideal ball team, they will
make a great stand on their own, park
The men are working like beavers and.
the crowds are with them.3 I look for
all of the western teams. to play fast
ball in the Quaker City, and Connie
Mack tells me that he breads st. Louis
more than. any of the others, although
most for finish.
The attendance at the games in
Philadelphia is remarkably large;
475,0O0 paid people had witnessed the
games up to September IA. With the
most interesting games to come the
100000 should be broken with ease.
Several times already the gates were
closed long before time for the game.
With good accommodations feel GER
tain the Saturday games and the
double headers would draw out 49,
900, as many fans remain away rather
than crowd into a ball park like hens
in a barrel. And yet, when it comes
to pay double price to see the world
series of games. you will find plenty
room at the Quaker park, for the fol-
lowers of Billy Penn detest paying
long prices for baseball or amuse-
ments of any sort.
1 think it would be different at De-
troit or Cleveland, and I know from
experience that good old Chicago will
stand even grand opera prices for the
big series-as would New York and
Boston. When it comes to real big
money for baseball games New York,
Boston and Chicago are in a class by
themselves, with the metropolis in the