The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-04-23
CHANCE BLOW BEAT
TIGER S, SAYS
{. W|LLETT
Smiths Hit, That Broke It UP
Yesterday, Unexpected BY
His Rival On the
Firing Line.
Edgar Disdained Offers of Help, Con.
fdent of Being Able To Win His
Game From Sox.

CHICAGO, April 23.--Although Id
gar Willett lost his first game OF the
season here yesterday, his defeat Ivy
ia. Sox y sClng h's team In a lie win
New luk 'oi the lPegue lead CO es-
iahlish.d a record for gameness winch
woi tho admiration OF the local hrts
Willetts desired IT distinctly under
stood that he was willing to stand or
fall on his own ability and turned
down two offers OF assistance
Had he been less confident his rec
ord might have been enriched with a
victory instead. Nevertheless the big
man from Kansas struck II out BY so
doing he showed himself in most
favorable light, for II Is a doubtful
matter IL the batting rally In which
the Sox won the game would not have
occurred anyhow.
Nc Help Wanted.
The first time that assistance was
offered Willett was in Detroits half
OF the second inning Wilietts here
came To bat with the bases full and
one out. There was some talk OF send
ing In Davy Jones to bat for the pitch
er and Mullin was being warmed up In
the background. TO take Willett bur-
den on the slab. Edgar waved them
away and took his place at the plate.
He tried hard to put the ball out or
the field OF play but missed three con-
secutive swings
During the first seven innings VII.
lett and Smith battled on even terms.
neither side being able to score. In
the eighth Bush walked, took two
haSaa IN Cra wforhta ainoIa and SCORED
the first run OF the game on Cobb's
fly TO Dougherty. II looked like the
game. but the Sox came back pluck
lily.
Isbell cracked one safely into right
and Cravath sacrificed. Atz singled
and Parent smashed one through Bush
on which Istell scored the tieing run.
WlIiett Wanted to Stay.
Mullin was warming up again and
tho Tigers neld a consultation. Capt.
Schaefer proposed that Mullin take
up the burden OF pitching but Willett'
entered an emphatic negation. The
tail end OF the Chicago batting list was
up and he felt certain OF fooling them.
His earnestness convinced Schaefer
against his own better judgment. and
he left the kansan in Sullivan smash
ed hard arrive into left. which Nc
Intyre captured. Tannehill got in the
way of pitched ball and walked to
first base
The sacks were full and II was up to
Smith Had he been retired. the Tig-
ers still had a chance. Smith has
been hitting well all spring and found
his batting ability of great value in the
emergency. He caught one of Will
lett underhand curves squarely for
single to center on which two runs
came Gathering In.
Willett insisted last night that II
was a chance blow. II was a knock
out, all right, at any rate.
Manager Jennings of the Tigers,
still views the situation with equanim-
ity, however
GLAD us New York.
I'm glad said he this morning.
that New York Is the club fighting
us for the lead. The Yankees were up
here al this time last season, II you'll
recall Don, forget that they have to
come west pretty soon. I'm not wor-
rying bit about the Tigers. They
aren't hitting at their true gait just
yet and we've had TO depend on our
pitchers TO win for us. Well be Civ
ing them more help when our wreck
ing crew gets going at It's normal
clip
.Mullin, who pitched almost an en-
tire game yesterday in warming up, Is
due TO take the mound against White
today
The Whitesox players are anxiously