The Washington herald., 1908-01-01


cessful seasons during 1907.
In Washington the coming of Joe Can
tillon was easily the most prominent fea-
ture Of the sporting year, and although
the local club. as usual. finished in the
ruek, the earnest efforts made by the
management to get players drew unusu-
ally large crowds to National Park. Can
tillon obtained more than fifty players,
and of these Walter Johnson, the Idaho
pitching phenom, was easily the best.
Instead OF having too many leagues, as
in 1906, amateur baseball in this city was
practically restricted to four organiza-
tons. At the end of the regular season
the pennant winners in the Departmental.
Capital City. Marquette, and Sunday
school leagues met in a championship Sc
ries, and Trinity, of Marquette, returned
the winner.
Local Colleges Split.
The biggest surprise of the intercone-
giate athletic year was the failure of
Georgetown to win the annual game of
football from George Washington. Fol-
lowing this contest the Blue and Gray
severed all relations with the Hatchetites.
on the ground that the faculty and stu
dent body had been insulted by the
George Washington students who carried
offensive signs to Georgetown Field
1ralre- -fHz1~
big relay race from Virginia at Conven-
ton Hall, and had fairly successful
baseball season. but the Blue and Gray
basketball team was beaten by George
Washington, and at Poughkeepsie the
Georgetown crew brought up the rear
Aside from the fact that her football
team held Georgetown to 0 TO 0. George
Washington earned recognition by good
work on field and track and in basket
ball
In high school athletics, Central, IS
usual, walked away with the field and
track meets. In football. Technical came
TO the front with a rush, and, putting on
the field one OF the heaviest teams that
has ever represented a Washington
school, won the title with ease. For the
first time in the history OF the school. the
baseball championship went to Western.
AT the national regatta on the Schuyl-
kin in August the crew representing the
Potomac Boat Club sprung a sensation
by finishing second to the Canadian eight
in the event for senior. thereby winning
the championship of the United States
for eights.
Bowling basketball, golf. and other
sports had good seasons in Washington.
American Athletes Supreme.
Rapid strides have been made in the
United States in every branch Of both
outdoor and indoor sports, and not the
least interesting fact in connection with
their development in this country is that
American athletes, too frequently for the
comfort Of foreign competitors, surpass
the best men on the other side of the
ocean.
The past year has been essentially a
national one. The absence Of any event
of great Importance has enabled our ath-
letes 10 devote more time to perform
ances on this side of the water. From
a record-breaking standpoint. the year
has been a phenomenal one. Figures that
have defied continued efforts to better
them have fallen before the vigorous on
slaught of our athletes, and this applies
TO almost every department Of sports and
pastlmes until the American athlete is
not only respected but feared whenever
foreign foes are met on an equality
In baseball the year 1907 was the great
4l.-
tendance Of spectators at games, unofficial
figures making the total upward of
100000 for the National and American
leagues alone.
The worlds championship was won
by the Chicago club. Of the National
League. which beat the Detroit team.
winners in the American League. four
straight games after opening the series
with a twelve-inning tie. The Chicago
team made something cf a runaway race
Of it for the National pennant. but things
were very different n the American
League. where the finish was even closer
than usual. and there has been little but
close finishes since the American expan-
sion into National territory, eight years
ago.
Keene's Stable Best.
The seasons records for turf perform
anees are held by James R. Keene and
his stable. The season was remarkable
IN many respects, while all the tracks
were well patronized to the point Of es-
taplishing new attendance figures. and
the stockholders in the various racing as
sociations were enabled to secure more
valuable dividends than in previous years
the chief interest in the campaign center |
ed in the wonderful achievement of lanes
r. Keene's stable. which won in stakes
and purses a trifle more than S4O2. 900 he
tween April 10 and November L. This |
marks new world record and far exceIs
the former figures held for nearly ten
years By the Duke OF Portland The
amount also breaks the best previous
American figures, which were s27s. ass
Mr.. Keene's champion Commando-Pas- /
torella colt. Colin the unbeaten two-year- 1
old, enjoys the unique record of being
the greatest money winner on the turf /
his winnings aggregating Sl35. .29O for The
racing year Walter Miller again heads /
the jockeys, although he did not meet
with the same success as in 1906. He was
closely pushed for premier honors by E. |
Dugan and j. Notter.
The harness racing season, like many of /
us predecessors, presented varied and pc
eaiiar phases throughout the country.
In The trotting division. of the seventeen
best records of the year eight are also |
NoFids records, showing never before [
known in the history Of the trotting turf
Sonoma Giri is credited with the worlds
record AZ the fastest green trotting mare
IN an actual race in addition to being
the biggest money winner. Sonoma Glrrs
TINE was 2;e5A. General Watts is the