The Detroit times., 1909-05-05
UEFEAT OF TIGEs
KEEP THE FANS
INTERESTED
American League Race Was Rapidly
Showing Signs Of Becoming
Fatally 0ne-Sided and
Monotonous.
Week Of Play in Arctic Weather
Probably Assisted Champs On
Their Downward Path.
BY PAUL n. HRusKE.


In about a month affairs in the
American league will be on a basis a
BIT more firm and this frenzied base
ban or the early stages will have been
replaced by the safe, sane article in
which the teams take their positions
for the real long grind that is ahead.
The Tigers will settle around some
4 where between 600 and .667, New
Z York and Boston will drop back
where they belong. Cleveland will
work up a few notches and the crowd
Al general will settle down to watch
\ che struggle OF the really good teams.
The remarkable sprint OF the Tigers
Y that put their percentage up around
4 800 was the result of their unques-
\ toned superior physical condition. No
club In the world really has license
70 20 out and run up that percentage
or victories over a bunch or teams as
strong as Cleveland, Chicago and 81.
Louis when they are right. Even play
ing them at even terms, hit for hit
and error for error--conditions which
even the best batting teams are forced
TO face once In a while-so good a
bAse-r1nning team as the Tigers Is
eoing TO come cut on the short emu OF
tie deal once In while.
Luck Has Turned.
FORTUNES OF war have favored the
champs In their early games. They
won many OF them by hard. earnest
nlurrinr. They won some of the
6khers because fortune enabled them
10 get the very most possible out OF
the slips of the enemy
- I~at fxur
ewitched. They lost to White Monday
because the genial dentist kept them
from hitting with men on. They lost
Is Waddell yesterday for similar rea-
eons. the side being twice retired
Nth the bases full. On the other
hand the Tigers made their only error
"A dropped foul by O'Leary-at the
critical moment. single got away
from Cobb and rolled into the suburbs
and all the Browns hits seemed TO
. come at once, to the huge disgust OF
Eddie Summers.
4 OF course, the Tiges had 10 lose a
few games. They missed Moriarty.
Who was batting grandly. just as he
vent out. They may lose one or two
more before they finish the long series
against Mr. McAleer's wise old gentle.
men.
Defeats Save Race.
Were they to keep on winning II
would grow monotonous. As II was,
the local bugs were about satisfied
with the gioatfng Junction that-theF
were called upon to exercise almost
every afternoon. A real fight Is neces-
sary to keep up the interest In the
1eaRue race and the demonstration
that the champions, in spite OF their
'imnrovement. can yet be beaten once
hi & while Is one which viii only add
= Feeling OF anticipation to the games
that are ahead.
Nobody In Detroit wants to see the
Tiges too strong. For while they
were threatening us with this very
misfortune.
Mullins sixth Win.
Today George Mullin is booked to
take a whirl at the Mound City G. A.
r. contingent. Last time out. as Mr..
McRoy Justly ruled. George won his
ff{h Rame in succession without a de-
feat. II viii be Interesting to observe
whether or not he succeeds In avert
ing the slump into which the team
mas apparently fallen.
Undoubtedly the Tigers are at pres
eut q bit or form, on account OF the
terrific war they have been having
With the weather. For week they
have been battling all three OF their
western opponents in weather far
more fitting for Arctic exploration.
Twice the games in which Detroit was
4 participant were the only American
league contests that could be pulled
~ and on both these occasions the
vveAther was extremely ineiement
That play ON such conditions must
AVE a bad effect on the physical or
ranism of the players goes without
sayipx. The Tigers are lucky In the
z. ~ that. up to date, only one OF their
t. r,,snber has apparently suffered
enough from the exposure to put hlm
"a the hospital list.
Moriarty will probably not return
>aflhe game today. O'Leary helded his
crition exceIlently on ground balls
~ erday and his muff OF the ioul'
ontfoued above, was slip which ne
nof likely to repeat this season
+ ~ Ill probability, Mullins opponent,
80. 81 Graham, who twirled fine ball
1870 the Tigers here last Friday
~xrfva Enn1R