Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-10
WORLDS SERIES STARTS IN DETROIT TODAY.
: TIGERS FACE CUBS FOR BASE BALL CHAMPIONSHIP

The beginning Of the end Of another
base ball season is at hand. Next week
will expire the greatest base ball year OF
history. The closeness of the races
not only In both majors but in the ma
jority Of minor leagues has this year
been sensational in the extreme. 1t re-
quired a post-season struggle to deter
mine the pennant winner in the National.
The American League nag was decided
on the closing day of that circuits sched-
ule.
Yesterday a pail of gloom obscured
Gotham fandom. Everybody had had
enough base ball. But it will be different
today. For the annual struggle between
the champions Of the two major leagues
starts this afternoon.
The eyes Of the sporting world will this
afternoon focus on Detroit. Here for the
third season in succession will the Cubs.
three-time National League Champions.
make the third successive bid for the
greatest honor In base ball.
Fair Field, No Favor.
It will be the first time of recent years
that the respective teams have fought it
out on q fair field with equal advantage:
In the recent past the American League
representatives have entered the lists UNI
der a handicap. Blown from nerve
racking finishes. the junior major has
been forced to line up against an adver-
sary we'll rested for the fray. The runa-
way races in the National League prior
to this season have indeed made the path
one of boulders for the American League
entrant. But things are different this
season.
It would be hard to select two classier
league representatives. The worlds cham
pion Cubs have proved beyond doubt
that Pulliams pennant went to the most
proficient machine. Machine. indeed. best
expresses the aggregation which Frank
Chance will lead against Hughie Jennings.
Courage is augmented by perfect team
work. deadly to any but the most agrees
sive offense. Nor Is 1t alone fielding abil-
ity which strikes terror on the mention of
the Cubs.
Not a man jack Of them but is s,-ift as
an antelope on the paths. and with the
speed is combined cunning. The Cubs
have but to get on to get around, and
while the aggregation is not one of slug
gers, there are many fine hitters on the
club. The hitting ability, too. is we'll dis
tributed, and the champions are versatile
in the little arts of craftsmanship.
Tiger Warriors Game.
Now as to Detroit, the club upon which
the American League relies. Never has
been seen a gamer collection of spiked
warriors than the Tigers nor a more de-
termined leader than the sandyhaired
Hughey Jennings. Unlike the Chicago
manager, Jennings has been forced to
binary material. The Cubs are naturally
great.
Detroit's chief strength is in the out
field and In batting. Seldom has there
been assembled under one banner such an
array of marvellous batsmen. Cobb, Craw-
ford. Rossman. Mcintyre and Schaefer-
who has not heard of their prowess. The
inheld Of the Tigers is but fair at best.
Rossman's eagle eye redeems with the
stick many faults of fielding. He is not
finished first baseman. Schaefer is Of
sterling ability in every capacity, and
though shifted from his regular position
at second to third base. will hold his own.
But here we must stop: Downs has shown
sticking ability, but is far from a fin
ished second baseman. and O'Leary, the
regular shoytstop, must get into the
worlds series with a crippled hand. Young
Bush, the American Association recruit.
whose grand work at this position aided
the Tigers in the stretch run, has been
barred from the championships.
Toss Up in Box.
As to the battery departments Of the
prospective gIadiators it is about tossup.
with a shade in favor of the Cubs. Dono-
van of Detroit will match Brown. the
better southpaw than Pfiester. Mullin
when right is scarcely as effective as
Overall. Reulbach of the Cubs is un-
doubtedly stronger than Willetts. the SEN
sational young hurler of the Tigers, in
50 far as experience Is concerned. Frank
Chances pitching department is in better
shape right now than that Of Jennings
AS to the receiving end the Cubs have
every advantage. There is but on Johnny
king.
1t should be great series. Detroit will
undoubtedly make a much better show
ing this year than season ago.
Schmidt is a fair catcher and he Is In
pretty good shape. Last year he was
forced to work with broken finger. Like
the Cubs, the Tigers are exceptionally
fast and clever on the bases. Their hit
ting ability should counterbalance infer
for fielding skill, and. perhaps. slightly in
ferior battery work. Detroit has the adj
vantage of beginning the series before
the home crowd. though the schedule is
well arranged In that on Sunday the