The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-05-05
DEFEAT OF T|GES
KEEP THE FANS
y 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. 6RuskE.

III ABOUT month aHhirS In tue
American league will be on a basis
bit more firm and this frenzied base
ball OF tho early stages will have been
replaced by the safe.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
where between 900 and .667. New
York and Boston will drop back
where they belong. Cleveland will
work up few notches and the crowd
in general will settle down TO watch
the struggle of the really good teams.
The remarkable sprint OF the Tigers
that put their percentage up around
800 was the result of their unques-
TONED superior physical condition. No
club In the world really has a license
10 go out and run up that percentage
OF victories over a bunch of teams as
strong as Cleveland. Chicago and st.
Louis when they are right. Even play,
fng them at even terms. hit for hit
and error for error--conditions which
even the best batting teams are forced
to face once in while-so good
base-running team as the Tigers Is
going to come out on the short end OF
the deal once in Il while.
Luck Has turned.
Fortunes of war have favored the
champs In their early games They
won many ~ Them by hard. earnest
plugging. %Tb}y won some OF the
others because fortune enabled them
To get the very most possible out OF
the slips OF the enemy.
On the last two days the luck has
switched. They lost TO White Monday
because the genial dentist kept them
from hitting with men on. They lost
10 waddell yesterday for similar rea-
sons. the side being twice retired
with the bases full. On the other
hand. the Tigers made their only error
Ia dropped foul by OLeary-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 or
Eddie Summers.
or course. the Tiges had 10 lose a
few games. They missed Moriarty.
who was batting grandly. just as he
went out. They may lose one or two
more before they finish the long series
against Mr. McAleers 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 gloating function that they
we're eal4eA-HpeH- felse--aImnsI
every afternoon. A real fight is neces-
sary TO keen up the interest in The
league race and the demonstration
that the champions. in spite of their
Improvement. can yet be beaten once
In a while is one which will only add
feeling OF anticipation to the games
that are ahead.
Nobody i'm Detroit wants To see the
Tiges too strong For while they
rs.were threatening us with this very
mhfortune.
Mullins Sixth Win.
Today George Mullin is booked TO
fake a whirl at the Mound City G.. A.
y contingent. Last time out, as Mr..
McRoy Justly ruled. George won ms
ann game In succession without a de-
feat Il will be interesting to observe
whether or not he succeeds In avert
4 ing the slump into which the team
has apparently fallen.
Undoubtedly the Tigers are at pres
.nt n bit off form, on account or the
terrific war they have been having
with the weather. For a week they
have been battling all three OF their
western opponents In weather Tar
more fitting for Arctic exploration
twice the games in which Detroit was
participant were the only American
iearue contests that could be puiied
~ and on both these occasions the
leather was extremely Indictment.
THAT MAY on such conditions must
have bad effect on the physical or
nanism of the players goes without
savinC The Tigers are lucky In the
sact that. up to date, only one or tnei,
lumber has apparently suffered
enough from the exposure TO put nim
On the hospital list. o,,,sn
=" voriarty will probably not return
a. the game today. OLeary heided ms
y nosition excellently on ground balis
resterday and his nun OF the Ioui,
s,snt,oned above. was slip which ne
~ not likely to repeat this season.
IN all probability, Mullins opponent
ali, no Graham. who twirled me pan
aa,nst the Tigers here last FRIDAY
ssnrrh unable TO win from huu'e