The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-07-07
WAS c. 0'LEARY A
] MASCOT FOR THE
! TIGER TEAM?
Tigers Have Lost Three Out of -Four
Since Hughie Jennings Broke
Up His Winning Com
bination.
One More Game in Cleveland and
Then the Bengals Return To Ben
nett Park for Long Series.
BY PAUL n. BRUSKE.

lulce times out VI the lNNi NNS~
sions on which the Tigers have TAX
Ell. the field on as many days they
have been forced To bite the dust.
The enemy hits the Tiger pitchers and
the batters whose names once struck
terror TO the hearts OF the hostile
beavers now assail che sphere With
puny blows which recall the sound
made by weary man oelaboring a
carpet.
And the wise ones-or those who
think they are wise-are pointing ON
inously 10 the fact that the change IN
the Tiger fortunes dates from the day
when Hughie Jennings committed
that cardinal sin OF breaking UP his
winning combination. benching Char
lie OIeary and sending out George
Moriarty with the announcement that
here again was hts regular team
Wise Change, But
There is no purpose TO question the
relative merits OF these two grand III
fielders. OLeary never claimed To be
a third-baseman, though ne had per-
formed in sensational style at posi-
ton strange TO him before Ihls spring.
Moriarty is a seasoned performer at
the difficult sack and has always been
regarded as a harder hitter than the
little Chicagoan. The latter is badly
wanted as a reserve power and his
versatility enables him 10 shine In
any OF the three infield positions. All
OF this would make il seem that the
change was a wise one, but
The team was winning. and had
been eating up the rival western clubs
with avidity and. excellent digestion.
Undoubtedly II will do Sc again AMI
the present slump is baS temporary.
However, this breaking Up a winning
combination, even TO strengthen, how
ever. Is brand-new piece or baseball
tactics and those who shake their
heads do SO with precedent and the
actions OF thousands Of managers at
their support.
Hughie Jennings has dehed super
stition and. from appearance. supersu-
ton Is winning the argument.
Tlges Helpless Yesterday.
Yesterdays result at Cleveland
made the Tigers look outclassed. Ed.
die Summers was drubbed without
mercy. The Maps secured a total OF
Is hits, as will be seen by a reference
10 sthe box score, Hinchman, Bradley
and Young getting nine between them.
Cid Cy held the Tigers so safe that
the game was really not in doubt after
the fifth inning Five safe drives. OF
which Schaefer and Cobb secured four,
evenly divided. was the limit of the
Champions smuggling and five hits
against Is makes but sorry showing.
Jennings left Summers N 10 take his
medicine. The Tigers veteran right
handlers have been getting theirs in
lunches these days and he simply had
nobody in reserve who looked better.
Philadelphia and Boston are pic
nicking with New York and Washin<-
ton and have cut down the Tigers
lead until it is now but 80 points and
the Athletics may find the Tigers
within striking distance when they hit
this neck of woods.
Today Mullin and joss are due 70
take up the burden a. Cleveland, and
tomorrow the Tiges are back on their
native heath TO open their long series
against the east.
There is no denying the fact that
the other western teams are now in
far better condition 20 help the Tige3
IN their fight against the TWO leading
eastern invaders. Cleveland, while not
particularly dangerous herself just
yet. is a remarkably strong ball club
that is at last working in the form
which critics conceded she should
show at the start of the league race.
The Soxs and Browns are getting
pitching OF the highest class and the
way is sure TO be a thorny one.
As for the Tigers. they must be
doped fro mpjrecedent as being mere
ly on one of the rearward swings OF
the pendulum in which they period.
ically indulge. The regularity OF their
alternate backward aud forward pro-
grsss has been remarkably regular
feature. A lead of 100 points consti-
tutes the danger sign. When they
hare once acquired IL, they promptly
proceed TO lose a bunch OF games,
bringing them back To the other eX-
treme which may be a shade lower
than II is now before the Champs pull
themselves together, pepper up and
proceed to grab ten out OF eleven or
some other such absurd proportion Of
their games.