The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-10-04
DETROIT PIRATES
DOPE CONF USING
Each Team Clearly ExcelS in
Certain Departments
OF Baseball.
CAN GIBSON STOP
TIGERS RUNNING
Much Depends Upon This Pitts
burg's Distance Hitting
a Menace.

The 1909 baseball race is now almost a
matter OF history. as aside from few
unlmportant games, the championship
b in both the major organizations has been
determined and only the worlds series
now remains to be played.
While Pittsburg has had the pennant
safe in the older body, il has not been
until the past week that Detroit has
been assured OF it's third championship,
a new record for the American League.
Though the race in both leagues has not
been as close as a year ago, the rest
that the winners viii get before meeting
in the worlds series should prove bene-
fetal to both. In years past it has been
said that the hard race had handicap
ped Detroit I'm the games with the Ma
tional League champions and that the
tension was too great for the Tigers to
do Themselves justice IN the post-seaSo I.
series. No such claim viii stand TINS
season, for both will have had sur
ncient rest TO be at their best when they
meet in the first game
Not Much to Choose.
Opinion is pretty evenly divided con-
corning the outcome OF the world s
series between the PittsbUrg and Detroit
teams, which starts on Friday of this
week Judging solely from the showing
Of the two teams the past season. there
is not much 70 choose, and the cham
pions Of either league look more evenly
matched than any OF the contenders OF
II must be remembered that the con-
ditions under which the games are
PLAYED. while the same as ordinary
Championship contests. vary IN at least
one important particular-there Is more
at stake FOR the players. and that viii
make them work the harder 10 win
Victory or defeat may mean difference
Of $500 or more 20 eacn man. and, there
fore, the games will be contests in the
full meaning Of the word. Measured
team for team, each seems TO have q
shade on the other IN one or more de-
partmCnts of the game.
What Averages Show.
According TO the unofficial averages,
Detroit excels in club batting. having a
percentage Of .262. while Pittsburg has
but .25S. In cluo celding. however. the
Pirates have a shade on the Tigers. the
figures being .964 to .959--not enOogh in
! either respect 10 make much difference
: in the coming series.
Whera Jennings men shine is I'M rum
ing Dases. and here they far Outclass
Pittsburg- From the figures Detroit
has stolen % bases, while thc Pirates
are credited with only III. but in the
coming ser'cs this proportion is likely
to be re yerse1 as pittsbuTg is FAR the
stronger behind the bat. and in Glib
son the Pirates have as good or bet
ter catcher than any club in the Amer
lean League.
Whether Gibson can stop the Tigers
as effec:ually as did KpHG in ;he past
years. remains 10 be scsl. but none
OF the Detroit b3ckstOps can be classed
with The Pirates catcher when II comes
10 throwing 20 bases. IN run-getting
there IS not orc Of the Tigers who
can equal Tommy Leach. The Pirate
outiieldsr IN Ia games mas crossed 'he
plate 124 times. Cobb and Bush have
! each ia runs i'm I55 games: Crawford
81 I'm I54: Wagner. % in ~, and Clarke
q. IN l47. All things considered. there
is rot a more dangerous trio IN base
bah today than Leach, Clarke, and
Wagner.
Pirates Long Hitters.
II is in long hits that Pittsburg excels
having made a total OF LIZA bases o.
drives, against 1857 by the Tigers EacI
club has two men batting above the 80
g mark. wagner and Hyast for Pittsburl
and Cobb and Crawford for Detroit
hut Hyatt has only taken part In a few
games as compared TO the others
In the pitching department Pittsbur.
mas I'm CamnitZ and Adams two with
higher percentage OF victories than an,
on the Detroit stan. Add to these WiuE
and Maddox and the Pirates have
strong quartet Of pitchers. Against thesl
Manager Jennings viii probably Deepen,
on summers Muilin, Killian and DOno
van or Willett-
Relative Excellencies.
To sum up. Pittsburg appears TO Z,
the stronger back OF the bat and II
fielding and rlIn-getting, while tn,
Tigers excel in batting and baserunning
with nearly an even break In the effec
fiVeness OF the pitchers. From thl
dope the series promises to be tn
host Yet played, but so many con
tingencies hinge on the determination
Of game that baseball luck" is ltabI
10 cut a big figure
The following tables. compiled from
the latest unofficial averages Of the tx
leagues. show az glance how the team
compare, though IL must not be over
looked that they are in different or
CLUB BATTING.
9. ABB. r. BH. SB. SH. Ave
Pittsbure. iss sss5 s7s 1 isSs ii ss s s
CLUB FIELDING.
9. Pc. A. +. TIC. Ave
Detroit 80. is 4o4S SS7 2s5 S ESQ IS
LONG HITS BY CLUB.
2B. BIB. H.R. T.B. E.B Ave
Detroit 49,. 80. 81 g 70 i Ia a 81 s5
LEADING HITrBRs.
2B. 3B- H r. T b. Ave
SSssn: :-:'..-------..' % ~ 70 20 80
$ Hss5':e + /: & & 1: 1:
LEADING 6E-STEALBRs.
StoleH
Games. bases
SoDp s----~e~z=-------s--- 100 IS
bubn ..sssS~s~~-s. s~.ss~~-s4---- 1b3 %
MORTALITY ..-..-s--.-s-s..s--.-. 18l -
wagner ...ss.ss...~-..-...-..-. 13l %
LEADING RUNGETTERs.
Games. Runs
I.each .s.........s..s..s....s... ~ 124
COBB ..........-..--............ 155 114
Bush .s-................-..-... $50 IL
Wagner ....--.-.--........... 137 80
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