Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-27

and performances III the Staiiudtu III aiiC''-
es of sport that have ever been cnron-
icled Base ball. the most famous and
American of all sports: track athletics
pugilism. rowing. foot ball shooting, golf
and motor car racing during twelve
months. have left a trail strewn with
broken records remarkable triumphs. un-
expected form reversals and noteworthy
performances.
Base ball furnished the two greatest
struggles in the history of the game In
the National and American leagues.
Both contests were bristling with bril-
liant performances. not the least note
worthy of which were six games III
which one team did not make single
hit
Track athletics were enlivened by the
greatest Olympic meet since the revival
of these historic contests. From pure
ly track-and-field standpoint America
gained a notable victory, though on the
basis of all sports England claims the
horors. The games, while productive OF
many fine records. also brought ABOUT
athletic estrangement between Eng
land and America. The intercollegiate
meet. the Pennsylvania relay races and
the Western Conference meet all pro-
duced athletes who stirred the world.
In the field of pugilism Tommy Burns.
the American heavyweight, continued MS
victorious career abroad and won without
weight championship changed hands.
while the middleweight title did q double
change act. On the Pacific coast the m
terest continued great. while 1t held It's
own in all other parts.
College foot bali teams in all parts OF
the country showed a finer grasp OF the
possibilities Of the new game This re
suited in keener contests. prett1er game
for the spectators, and consequently was
the means of drawing greater crowds.
Yale fell from It's pedestal for the nrst
time in number OF years, and Pennsyi-
vania and Harvard divided the eastern
honors. In the west Chicago was su-
preme.
America came into the limelight again
as an automobile racing center, through
the holding of at least three great events.
together with number OF minor contests
such as Neutrality-suspicious. races, hill
climbs and endurance struggles. The
premier events were the Vanderbilt cup
race on Long Island. the grand prize
contest at Savannah, Ca, and the 10
mile road race in Fairmount Park, Phila-
delphia. Pa. Two Of these fell to an
American driver.
There was an increase in the interest in
golf. particularly among women. and this
led to the enforcement Of new women S
champion. Rowing and shooting under
went big boom Tennis. billiards and
swimming showed a deterioration over
the previous year, wlrile horse racing,
particularly in the line of the running
horse events. received it's death blow in
certain quarters. notably In and about
New York, and was seriously impaired In
other sections.
Chicago's Victory.
For the second successive season the
Chicago National League club wound up a
season by victory in the worlds base
ball series. again the defeated club being
Detroit The margin was almost as great
last year. the Cubs taking four games
and losing one, as against four victories
and one tie in 1907.
The base ball season was productive of
record-breaking crowds as whole in each
league. the sustained interest OF a long
and trying season with both league pen
nants undecided being the cause.
Six pitchers performed the wonderful
feat Of shutting out an opposing team
without hit during the 1908 season in
the big leagues. while many instances
could be cited among the minor bodies.
This is far in excess of the usual num-
Der. Four pitchers made this record In
the American League. namely, Joss and
Rhoades of Cleveland, Young of Boston
and Smith of Chicago. The two to make
their marks in the hall of fame of the
National League were Wiltse of New
York and Rucker of Brooklyn. In the
National League Hans Wagner again led
all the batters with a big average. lie
also led in number of other depart
ments. Ty Cobb OF Detroit, for the sec
ond season. was the real leader of the
American League batsmen. though the
official figures give the credit to Dode
Crisis. the smuggling utility man of the st.
Louis club.
The thirty third annual campaign Of the
National League. beginning April IA. and
ending October Z. with the Chicago and
New York teams tied for first place,
furnished an unprecedented state Of af-
fairs. This was due to the fact that the
New fork-ChicaGo game of September 23
ended In tie by decision OF Umpires
o'Day. and Emslie. owing to a base-run-
ming lapse by Player Merkle of New
York, which deprived his club OF GER
tain victory. President Pulliam sus-
tained the umpires' decision. and on the
appeal OF both clubs to the National
cision was rendered. Then. matter
of justice. the directors extended the sea-
ono day and ordered the two teams
10 play off the tie game. The game was
accordingly played off in New York Octo-
her $ and resulted IN a victory for Chi
cago, which team won the championship
for the third consecutive time thus equal
ing previous records of Chicago, Boston.
baltimore and Pittsburg. Incidentally
each club played out its full quota of 1J4
games-an unprecedented event.
The American League race was again a
thrilling contest. but even better than In
previous years. Starting April II anC
winding up October with Detroit a win
nor for the second consecutive year the
race was the closest and hardest in the
leagues history. Detroits victory but
American League pennant winner since
eSpansion-the Athletics, Boston and
Chicago having each won the pennant
twice
From the start CT the season six clubs
we're in the race to the halfway station.
After that the eastern teams were elm
mated. and the four western teams had q
iierce, fuctnating fight down to the last
lap OF the long race. Within two weeks
OF the close Detroit. Cleveland, Chicago
and ST. Louis were running neck and
neck, and another week elapsed before
ST Louis was thrown out of the race.
The wave OF clcse races extended all
over the country, and afforded some re-
markabie races. Nashville won the
southern League pennant by beating New
Orleans on the last day and gaining the
honor by two points. Indiana polls in the
American Association, and Baltimore in
the Eastern also had close struggles
The list of pennant winners in all the
minor leagues follows:
Pennant Winners.
LEAGUE. WINNER. MANAGER
Eastern. Baltimore Jack Dunn.
American ASS IN indianapolis. Charles Carr.
Pacific Coast. Los Angeles. Henry Berry.
Western. Sioux City.....W. Holiness
Southern. NaSuNllIe- W. Heruhardt
Tri-State. ...... Williamsport. II. Wolrerton.
Northwestern. " ancouver. a. X. Dickson.
New York. Scran- on. .....M. kittridge.
New England Worce ster. j. Burkett.
Connecticut. Springfield - % Neil.
Central .Eyausfeld. +. Knoll.
Ind H.. Iowa. Springfield. - A. Mccarthy.