Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-31

against the same team inside of a week.
Yet that is just what Clarke asked of the
youngSter, and he responded by thrice
defeating the Tigers and equalinG the
record set by Christy Mathewson I'm 1905.
Miller Did Well.
Perhaps no ayOungster has ever met
with greater success in his first year as
a major Lacquer than Second Baseman
Miller of the Pittsburg team. His phe-
nomenal work at the second sack was of
great aid to the Pirates in the bitter
struggle for first honors.
In comparing the two second basemen.
Delehanty of Detroit and Miller of Pitts
burg, few gave Delehanty the preference.
While no one questioned the we'll known
ability of the Tiger player. still most of
the wise ones thought the youngster
would outplay the veteran.
Base ball fans fortug ate enough 10 have
witnessed the series still talking
about Delehanty's great work in all de-
partments of the game. The averages of
the recent series show that Delehanty
led the players i'm batting, and his fielding
was sensational at all times.
In practically every game Delehanty
pulled off one or more sensational plays.
while his sticking kept the Tigers i'm many
a battle. The averages at that fail to
show how hard the Tiger player really
met the ball, for at least d half dozen
hard drives that would have ordinarily
gone safe were turned into outs by SEN
sational work on the part of different
PittSburg players.
The showing Of Delehanty was all the
more remarkable, since he jumped from
tail-end team to a leader. The way
Delehanty performed in the big event
would have caused some of the Washing
ton fans to have looked on in astoniSl-
ment.
Thus it will be seen that in the last five
clashes for the premier base ball honorS
of the world dark horses have proven
big factors In the various results.
Pathetic Side.
There is also a pathetic side to the
career of these men who have helped
make base ball history. It's an old say
ing in base ball that one day you are a
king and the next day dub, and in no
games has this been more evident than
in the worlds series contests.
Billy Gilbert, after having played a
prominent part in the series of 1905, was
shortly afterward traded to st. Louis. In
the Mound city he met with varying sue
cess for a time, and last year he ID down
the role of scout for the Cardinal team.
Thus star Of the worlds series only
five years ago is today out of the big
league ranks for good as a player.
George Robe, who became an idol i'm
Chicago In day by his great batting
IN the 1906 series, is now playing with
the New Orleans team of the S uthern
League. Following his great success in
the series, Robe met with many reverses
In 1907. and was finally turned loose to
the minors.
Claude Rossman, who starred in the
1907 struggle, had strenuous time of II
in the season just over. For some unac-
countable reason Rossman had tEc uble
with his throwing arm. The opposing
players were quick to take advantage OF
the weakness. and began to run bases
at will on him. The result was his trade
to st. Louis for Tom Jones. ROssman
made d try out of il in the Outfeld and
then gave up the game, saying that he
had decided to retire for good. Rossman.
however, is too goud hitter to remain
off the diamond, and he is almost sure
to come back.
Johnny King, who was the bulwark
of the Cubs defense in 1908. had some
grievance with the owner of the Cubs
and failed to play last year. Salary diff
ferences are alleged to have been the
cause Whatever the trouble was. II 8
a certainty that Kings absence from the
team cost the Cubs the pennant.
Herman Schaefer, who looked af 'er sec
ond for the Tigers in such grand style in
1908. is no longer a member of that tribe.
He was traded during the last summer
to Washington for Delehanty. and
strangely enough Delehanty was the star
| Charley OLeary was supplanted by Bush.
! while Charley contented himself with
utility roles.
AS a rule poor luck has befallen former
heroes OF the worlds series. Will tradi
ton repeat and bring III rtune to the
men who did such noble work in the 1909
struggle, and whose deeds are now upper
most in the mind Of every fan? lie: us
hone not. May they continue their bril-
liant work indefinitely.