The Detroit times., 1909-01-26

ments. The boobl II he'd only struck
out a couple OF men In the pinches,
how different would have been the
complexion OF the worlds series!
In the opinion OF the magnates.
the treatment OF Merkle during. .ae
winter that is now coming 10 close
comes very near the ideal.
And why?
OIL Merely because the winter time
Is the date when the magnates are
signing up their men for the coming
year and the men are prone to keep
little clipping bureau OF the pleasant
things said about them. producing the
same when contraet-slsnIng day comes
round ard submitting them In tie
form OF a brief whose purpose 10 the
estortlns OF eood-sixed raise for
the season that 10 to come.
It's simply a business proposition
on either side. The player quite nat
urally likes his little salary raise.
while the manager Is just a. logically
as anxious 10 scale down the prices
as much as possible. meaning. as II
does quite often, the difference be-
tween a losing and a winning season
when the books are balanced In Oct
ober
Take the hold-outs OF the recent
Years in the American league, Haven't
they, nine times out OF ten. been the
star players OF the season In immedi-
ate retrospect
Who are they this year?
Well. foremost. perhaps. is big Ed
Walsh, over whom the winter prints
have gushed 10 a greater extent than
any OF his rivals-the iron man who
has often been styled this winter. tho
entire Chicago team Ed wants 81. 800
and says he Is really two pitchers.
And there Is Fielder Jones. who last
season enjoyed his most effective year
of recent date and whose team, though
only mediocre on paper. nevertheless
had chance for the pennant. right
down 10 the last game Of the SEIZED
ule-a feat OF which the public prints
have been singing the praises ever
since snow began 10 fly Fielder
wants $4,000 for running the Sox next
year
Nor should Lou Criger. peerless
catcher. be forgotten--he who is being
given credit for more than half OF Cy
Young's effective pitching and whose
doughty exploits In Boston's worlds
championship years are being recalled
10 mind quite frequently. Lou is also
among the hold-outs.
Walter Johnson. wonder pitcher
has Washington in frenzy over his
demand for $4,000. Charlie Schmidt Is
CfY1 Z AHl u % L.
Detroit In 1907 Charles was dubbed
crustecean by those who saw him.
only in the worlds series. This, win.
ter he has been getting credit in the
aftermath dope Don't think that
many OF these stories go 10 waste
Charlie keeps a scrapbook as do most
of the wise players.
And the hold-outs OF the past. Who
have they been?
Well, in 1907 Ty Cobb led the league
in batting and base-stealing. He was
the darling child OF the winter dope
artists. Did Ty rush to get under
cover for 1908? Or was he finally
cornered only after half the fans In
Detroit were ready 10 call in the alien
lists to pass on their perturbed minds?
Every year they were clubbing
Harold Chase the infant prodigy he
was boosting the ante and holding out
tlll ne got II The same was the case
with George Stone, after the winter In
which everybody was talking about his ,
marvellous rise from a Boston discard
10 St Louis batting king.
But why carry the Illustration snv
lurther? The star players " one year
are nearly always the most reluctant
signers OF the next spring. and the