The Detroit times., 1909-12-11
WItL- GU BAN TRIP
PROVE UND0ING
OF TIGERS?
That Is the One Straw at Which
the Rival American League Teams
Are Clutching, With 1910
in Prospect
Tigers Were Not the Only Team,
However, To Test the Theory
That Winter Baseball Hurts.
sY PAUL n. eRUsKE.

Are the Detroit Tigers OF 1910 Ia
lose their pep" as the result or their
ill-starred trip to Cuba
That is what the entire American
league opposition is apparently hoping
Judged from the tone of the hostile
press which has taken great delight IN
celebrating on the Tiger slump and in
variablv dilates on the defeats OF
Matty McIntyre's little band without
mentioning the fact that ii was shy
The services OF Cobb, Crawford, Dele
hanty and Bush. and had part or the
time only two young. pitchers Tor re-
lance in stopping the negroes.
Instances galore have been pointed
cut where winter baseball has proven
lamentable undertaking for its par
tlGIpants, as judged in their following
performances in the regular season.
Magnates TO n certain extent are max
ing IL obligatory on their men 10 re-
frain from baseball except in the nor
NAL Deriods. Everywhere through the
American league circuit is mentioned
the Tiger trip as the one straw at
which other teams may grasp In their
effort To avoid a fourth consecutive
deluge OF Detroit victories.
Santone Will Tell Tale.
Ii the men fail To get into shape in
the south next spring with that ease
10 which they have become accus-
toned and IL they fail 10 put into
their efforts the ambition OF former
seasons that Cuban trip will have to
bear a large share OF the blame. be
yoEd 1'lts.I':
huNeNrt. there is a lighter side 10
tie situation. from "A local point OF
vivw
i,l the first place. the stars men,
ti.,aed as not competing are the men
on Nhom rests the largest share OF
Tie burden OF winning ball games. par
ticularly Ia the batting department.
Even /. the others should show signs
of a lapse II will have TO be a radical
ono. to hurt. provided that the star hit
ters are on deck and doing their duty.
Then, too. tho Tigers have NOT been
the only team In their league To test
the effect OF winter baseball The
Philadelphia Athletics who made the
naee with I.uShie's men last year nave
been campaigning the Pacific coast
aud have played infinitely more games
and harder ones than those played by
the Tigers Nor were any Of Connie
Mack's stars missing from the lineup.
Further. one OF them cot married, still
further tempting tie hoOdOo.
Hardest Task Of All.
And another team, containing quite
a s.)rinkling OF American leaguers
from other teams, is now in Cuba.
about TO open a little series OF its own.
These men have been out OF practice
for some months and should find il
difficult 10 get back into form.
Nor will they be able TO go direct
from Cuba 10 their training camps.
Another period OF rest will intervene
before that date, and the effect OF the
double break in training is almost GER
tain TO effect some OF them
u will prove a grand year 70 test the
truth of the theory that no man can
retain his top form in baseball with
ont prolonge let-up.
That such n theory Is in existence
cannot be denied. aside from the risk
of serious injury, which Ia really what
worries the magnates most. when their
mon are playing but not for their
regular employers. Jim Delehanty
steadfastly refused TO accompany the
Tigers TO Cuba. He had an excellent
reason. too. this being the fact that.
after his trip Of last winter TO the
orient with Mike Fishers barn-storm-
ers. he was unable TO recover his bat.
ting eye for Washington until the
season was virtually half over