The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-04-08
P8[sHGt.:::E Lost
BY NATIONALS
4 AMI" BROWNS
Games Between Teams of the Same
~ League. in the South, Destroy
p -" Illusions and Hurt
Attendance.
BY PAUL n. BRUskE.


INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. April s.-Dur-
ing the spring training trip. now COM
ing to q close, the Detroit baseball
club has altered its usual custom OF
scheduling nothing but minor-league
clubs with an occasional game with
some National league aggregation. and
has played two series with opponents
whom IL will be called upon TO defeat
In its effort to win a third American
league pennant.
So far as the Tigers are concerned,
the effect had been beneficial rather
than otherwise. The games all drew
well, assisted materially In paying the
expenses of the trip, gave the men
good practice and resulted In no sac
rifice of reputation.
The clubs that played Detroit--par-
ticuIarfy the 0lucktess Washington Sem
ators--got aiittie money, In return for
which they bartered away a goodiy
share Of the prestige that should have
attended the home opening Of the big
show. aa
A city like Washington remains 10y
al to a losing ball club In the hope
that. some day, 1t may secure enough
new strength to go ahead and trim
some of those aggregations which
have been using the home talent as
stepping stones for SO many years
Bach spring the fans in the cities
where losing teams have formerly held
forth scan their sport pages in tho
hope OF seeing indications OF a change.
The new talent which is being tried
out forms the one hope. Until the
season opens and progresses far
enough to clearly demonstrate that
the team Is no stronger than before,
the loyal fan keeps hoping and con-
tinues to pony up. his little shekels at
the gate.
washington's hope of improvement
this year rested very largely in her
two new pitchers. Gray and Groom,
and in the batting of her outfield.
a. The games with Detroit seemed to
prove that Gray and Groom were out
Of place in the big league, while the
putfield went to pieces when Milan,
IN q desperate chance which he would
probably not have taken In game
with some minor-league adversary.
turned an ankle ana sustained so SER
ious an injury that It Is possible he
may not be able-to-play for weeks.
. All this will most materially reduce
Abe interest of the Washington public
In It's team. ,e.s.,e .~A-sa.
Il, Any city hates to see its team shown
up as lacking In class and endeavors
20 preserve to the last the spirit Of OPP
timisn. Blows sustained during the
regular schedule OF the league race
'arc'~bad enough but, when they ante
sisteAthis, pessinrism 10 pretty sure to
result.@ s~i~ ~ assoc
~ $685. -ss.s----- ~
~ Exhibition games between clubs OF
the same league have been frowned on
generally. since baseball. was inaugu-
rated on the highly systematized bas-
is which 1t now occupies, The Ameri-
can league has never before allowed
such affafrs to take place. Ban john
son most wisely went on record as OPP
posing any such games during the
spring but not until after the Detroit
Washingtoniiclas and net In a way
conclusise. enough to. prevent the duel
with the Browns. ,..s.,..s,.,t.s. ss-
.. Baseball. experience' has. shown that
such games detract. from the interest
IN the regular season and virtually kill
enthusiasm In the cities whose teams
come out with the short end of the
q, There. Is. another item not to be lost
.aight OF in the. conditions accompany
ing the. AmeTtcan league games play
ed by. the Detroit club in Texas and
this IS the bearing which such con-
test has on the public IN the southern
cities which are asked to support
them. g"~~
- is II really wise to educate the pat.
.rons OF Class c ball in the regular sea-
sons, up to the possibilities of the
game as played by the best teams In
the world7
One of the Texas promoters, after
watching the two big-league clubs
tear off a game in which scintillating
nelding, sensational pitching and that
'clean-cut batting so characteristic of
a big league club were all combined,
shook his head and prophesied that
his patrons would never be satisfied
again with the minor-league variety of
ball. - -
!. "You fellows are getting the cream
OF my business" said he. 'T'll be
lucky to have 1000 people out here
opening day"
y Next year, In all probability, Detroit
will make some arrangement with a
National league club--preferably the
New York Giants-which will result
in series of games through Texas
and perhaps on the way north
II seems to be pretty fairly certain
that Ban Johnson will not permit tho
scheduling of more American league
games In the spring The big league
article Is making hit in Texas, how
ever. and two such teams as the Tig.
.ers and Giants ought TO be able to
more than pay their training expenses
in such a series.
Bush Gets Wooden Pads.
q INDIANAPOLIS, April S.-'Donie"
Bush, the Tiger shortstop. is having
b certain sheepskin. purchased last
rail- for the purpose. cut up and made
INTO sliding pads for his rotund little
frame. The Detroit baseball club has
inferred To meet the expense and