The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-07
REVIEW OF PAST YEAR
Nineteen Hundred and Eight Sea-
son Of Sport One Of Thrills.
MANY CHANGES IN TITLES

Baseball Held Attention Of Public Un.
til Races Were Deeidsd-9mallss
Colleges Better Able to Cope With
Big Fellows In Football - Other
Topics.
by THOMAS z. CLARK.
For thrilling climaxes it il doubtful
II the 1908 season of sport will be
euualed for many years to come. Ger
tainly it never can be surpassed as far
as baseball is concerned. as the fact
that both major league pennants were
decided on the last day Of the season
means that the extreme limit Of dia-
mond sensations has been reached.
The exciting incidents of a presiden-
tial campaign and the lay Of the muck
raker were Of minor importance dur
ing the last six weeks Of the greatest
struggles in the history of the national
game. Baseball was the country's
business until the pennants really were
decided, and nothing was allowed to
interfere with the throbbing details Of
that business. Chicago was in the
IIICACSI III TIC u8uI ga t&1C tlu4C. oIA
Chi was really the axis about which
the baseball world revolved. As usual,
most of the glory came Chicago's way.
the Cubs taking home the National
league championship and then the
worlds title. although thousands
thought New York was entitled to the
banner.
The past season in football has been
notable owing to the fact that the
smaller colleges have made big in
roads III the records of the historic
winners. Harvard played brilliant foot
ball all season and won the eastern
championship with a clean slate. and
Chicago university gathered to itself
the leadership of the west. College
and university students claim that their
game, football, should be crowned and
garlanded as the kingpin Of athletics.
The American style, Of Rugby certainly
has gained great strides in the past
few years, especially since the reform
rules were passed.
Although a damper was thrown on
the lawn tennis enthusiasts of this
country by the recent defeat Of Messrs.
Beals Wright and #. B. Alexander in
Australia while endeavoring to wrest
away the Davis cup. the season has
been one of sustained interest and real
class Of competition. The national
championship was retained by w. A.
Larned. He trimmed one of his an
Gent rivals, Beals Wright. Nat EN-
erson Of Cincinnati kept the western
laurels and also captured the north
western championship at Lake Min
have its inning in the east, and that
young expert, Jay Gould, as usual. won
whatever was worth winning in the
amateur class, and George Standing
easily captured the professional title
in rackets from Peter Latham, the
English champion.
Another season in bowling has rolled
by, and the sport has continued to
make a remarkable advance. Chicago
claims front rank as a center Of the
alley game. A. Wengler Of Chicago
| won the individual title at the Cincin.
natl tournament, and a Chicago pair
Harry Kiene and Jimmy Chalmers
since deceased, had the honor Of tax
ing the doubles. The Ave man title
went to Columbus, O., the Bonds set
ting the excellent count of 1927.
America added another champion
ship to its long list when Frank Gotch
downed George Hackenschmidt, the
Russian Lion" At Chicago in April
The foreigner was simply unable to
combat the trained speed and brain
work Of the Yankee.
Fred Harlow, an outsider, Is the
the classic title by defeating a great
field in Columbus, o. The American
team was victor In the Olympiar
games. Sergeant Brest Of the United
States 10 the national rife champion
winning at Camp Perry, O., against q
number Of splendid sharpshooters
Lieutenant Sayre IL the American
champion with the revolver. Walter
/ winans, an American born man, but
who now lives in London, Is easily thu
| worlds champion with the revolver.
| Twelve new American swimming rec
! ords were established during the sea
, son Of 1908, Worlds Champion. c. NJ
! Daniels Of the New York Athletic clut
| annexing i've of the marks. Honor.
for the year are apportioned amont
Daniels, Brown, Hebner and Hand,
Of Chicago and Goessling Of st. Louis.
Rowing nourished during the season
of 1908, and more interest was mani
tested in the sport than ever in tn,
past. The professional sculling titl'
went to Arnst, who defeated Cham
pion Webb at Wanganui. New Zea
land during the middle part Of Decem
Der. Among the college crews Harvard
was the leader on performances. FRS
the crimson took the navy into camp OF
the Severn In a two mile voyage. Thel
Cornell passed under the yoke on tn,
Charles river. and finally the Yal,
oarsmen were badly defeated by thei
ancient and honorable rival. The in
tercollegiate regatta at Poughkeepsi'
was captured by Syracuse, Columbia
landing second. In the annual histori
race between Cambridge and Oxfort
at Putney the former was the victor.
The American athletes captured tn
majority Of the track and field event
At the Olympic last July August. Mel
| vim ShApDard Get two new vworl6.a req