The Detroit times., 1909-02-23

Although the Detroit Tigers nave
now won the American league pennan'
for two successive years and are abou'
TO start training for their third sea
son under the management OF HusI
Ambrose jennings. with an admlt''u
~ much improved lineup, they are MOI
being generally picked as the 1909 pen
nant winners by the wise men who ar
supposed to be qualified to predict the
possibilities in sport.
THE CLEVELAND CLUB WILL
START 1909 THE FANORlTE WIFI
MOST CRITICS OF THE RACE, Sc
lections that are coming 20 light AL
over the American league circuit seem
to agree along this line. particularly
since the deal was pulled on at On
cago in which the Maps secured the
venerable Cy Young from Boston. m
exchange for a couple OF singers VINO
had neither of them demonstrated As
of much account.
Hugh Fullerton, the Chicago expert
who makes the annual pickings for the
Examiner. is one OF the latest TO GO
ON record with prediction.
Fullerton. in common with others
picks Cleveland TO finish first, though
he does concede Detroit the best
chance Of being the runnerup. The
other clubs he places as follows
Boston. ST. Louis. Chicago. Washing
ton. Philadelphia Athletics, New YORK
II has always been difficult matter
for the average American league critic
to "see" the Tigers.
When they won their first flag they
came from behind in most astonish-
ing style. after having been freely
picked that spring to finish anywhere
from sixth 10 third. a place in the first
division being the nearest 10 the top
which was claimed even by the De
troit writer's
When they took the field for their
second campaign under Jennings they
received considerable attention but
were forced to occupy secondary po
sition in the concensus prediction OF
the writer's at large. who were usually
OF the opinion that the Chicago club
would cop the bunting.
And now il is Cleveland.
Oh, Very well,
But. II every sporting writer in the
country would rise up and declare thai
the Tigers. according TO his judgmen
hadn't a chance 10 beat out the Maps
or any of the other first division clubs
OF last year. there would be no STAN
rede in Tigertown. for the fans are
unanimously OF the opinion that they
will set a new American league rec
ord this year by winning their third
pennant straight.
The players. too. while recognizing
that in all probability Cleveland has
been materially strengthened. are not
of the opinion that the Maps are quite
good enough To deliver the goods.
Admitting the fact that there 10
plenty Of opportunity for argument il
wouldn't be a real baseball race were
u settled ahead of time in a manner
anywhere near coneIusive-the Detroit
fan figures that, IL Cleveland is the
club which Detroit must beat to win.
the flag is as good as Hopping on Ben
nett parks pole right now.
There is something about the tribe
of Larry which has always made il
fall little short of first class. Ever
since the management secured La
joie and Flick, away back in wartime.
Cleveland has had the most danger
Gus lineup of any of the American
league teams. Often IL has led the
league race for weeks at time and.
on three or four occasions il has pill
ed up margin in mid-season which
seemed 10 make the result OF the com
petition a certainty with Cleveland
the leagues representative in the
world series.
BUT THE MAPS HAVE ALWAYS
FALLEN DOWN.
The worst sort of a baseball disap-
pointment Is a team that, on paper
exhibition by all odds the greatest
strength, fails miserably to come
through a winner. and this is the fix
In which the Cleveland public has
found itself each season.
Hsrd luck has often been alleged
as the Cleveland excuse. But this is
not available as a satisfying explana-
ton. In fact. ii is doubtful If the
club, managed by the ex-king OF base
ball has really been up against any
more misfortune than the average
American league organization. The
Maps have been, perhaps, bit more
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POOL
Lou j. Laubscher will play p Degen.
a match game Of 100 balls at Elmer