Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-12


together and impressed on them the sig
nificance Of this announcement There
fore there is reason TO believe that Stats
Davis days in the Western league are
numbered. The Western league and It's
loyal supporters took the president at his
word and have accorded him the most
courteous consideration all season. They
come In now for consideration, and belle re
they will be done unto as they have done
toward the man vested with power and
authority 10 rectify a situation that is
menacing the best interests Of the league.
TO argue here the merits Of the Stats Davis
case would be superfluous. II should be
sufficient merely TO recite the fact that
three teams in the league, Lincoln, Des
Moincs and Omaha. have entered formal
protest against him. The Western league
cannot afford to retain Davis. The case
is too broad and too deep to be argued
from the standpoint Of a single team. Let
the larger interests Of the league and base
BAH as a great national institution be con-
tidered. No team can endure and no league
can survive while an umpire of this char
scter is In authority. BY the nature OF
the game Il Is necessary to clothe umplres
with Immense power; few men are vested
with more autocratic authority. Therefore,
the most jealous care should be exercised
in the choice OF umpires and no man of a
character unable to resist temptations such
as come to many should be allowed TO
hold the scales OF justice in such a posi-
ton. This policy pursued will wreck the
game-that is the logical sequence, but
fortunately, as we all know. that policy
VIII never be pursued to this extent.
The big leagues have crossed the meridian
OF the 1903 season, half their work is over
and the races are still tight and exciting.
In the American league four teams, St.
Louis, Detroit. Cleveland and Chicago, may
be counted as on even footing still for the
%pennant, while Philadelphia is by no means
out Of the contender class. The National
league pennant probably will be won by the
Cubs; at least events of the last two
weeks have gone far toward the support
Of that theory. Crippled beyond the record
of years, to the extent of being able Ia
play but four regulars in any game for a
week and seriously afflicted all season
the Worlds Champions nave still main.
tanned first place and that. too. in fac,
OF the additional fact that P%ittsburg, theii
chief rival, is stronger than it has beer
for several years and New York also Il
strengthened. However. both these two
80 NNeAAAH low q 1AAbANN " WIN AAN Aa5
Cincinnati, having made It's squirt, prob
ably is down and out Of 1t. The dlsap.
pointment Of the season is the failure OF
the Phillies to make good. II was gen.
orally believed they would give the Cub:
a desperate fight.
Let every loyal fan who loves a clean
sport and fine sportsman, turn out Wed.
nesday to the Graham benefit game al
Vinton street park. Lincoln has generously
donated its services with Omaha for q
game, the proceeds of which are to go &c
the benefit of the brilliant young Graham
whose injury in the performance of his duty
is keeping him out of the game this season
The park should be packed, and IL the day
is bright It will be. Omaha fans love the
game and Graham too well to fail to seize
such an opportunity. This day should be
made memorable in the base ball history,
mot only of Omaha. but Of the Western
league. Such patronage will go a LONG
way toward aiding George Graham in his
recovery and will shorten the distance be.
tween this and that long-for-day when he
may be seen once more at second base
contributing his vast share toward the
success Of the Western league champions.
The JUDGMENT of the public and not tina
of Mr.. Farrell IT. the selection OF Elber
field az Griffith's successor has been vlndi
Gated. New York has scarcely won
game since the belligerent Kid" took tn,
reins OF manager. The continued fall o
the team cannot be laid entirely at Elber
fields door. for, while he is no man I,
be In charge of a team, the hospital lis
has been piling up in proportion to the los
OF games since the managerial exchang
was made. Many careful observers admit
that II any one man is more responsible
than Griff himself for the latter's down
fall as a manager and the downfall Of hi
team, that man is Jimmy McAleer, VIII,
persistently got the better Of Clark in tn
winter trades. II has been wisely said tina
II McAleer could meet with the same sue
cess on the diamond as IN the trade mart
the Browns would never lose a pennanr
In the meantime. poor pld Highlanders.
Tennis has again jumped into the lime
light OF the summer sports. The women
tournament just completed was most sue
cessful. both in the number of players en-
iered and In the quality Of tennis played
The next tennis event on the tapis win b
the city tournament, which will open ou
July Is. This Is an annual event at tn
Field club. that club being sponsor becaus
OF the more numerous and better courts
A cali has been issued to all the othe
tennis clubs Of Omaha TO send in the entr
list. The promoters OF the city tourns
ment would like to have the entry list a
large as possible and all clubs are invite
TO Join In making the city tournament
great success. The city tournament Is hel
IN advance OF the Middle West tournamen
which is an annual event at the Oman
Field club courts. Tho city tournament
a great stimulent for entries in the large
tournament.
Prohibition Of gambling has done niue
to make base ball the clean and populs
game II is. Job-lot traffic OF games b,
tween a constituencies umpire and a K
OF hard-up gamblers will certainly not /
tolerated in the Western league lonI
Each club owner and manager has a dut
In this connection. Every one has II
power to prevent this sort Of thing an
II he fails to exercise that power he
particeps eriminis.
The record made by the Chicago Nj
tionals with but four regulars In the teal
is the best tribute TO the ability of Fran
Chance as q great nag Himself an
moat NJ the stars ouH NJ the game -