The Detroit times., 1910-04-22
It LOOKS LIKE A
BIC YEAR FOR
{. W|LLETT
Slowly But Steadily Mastering His
Faults, Edgar Is Getting Notice
As the Leagues Coming
Mathewson.
Perhaps Those Tiger Sluggers Apol-
ogized To Old Cy Young's Gray
Hairs, But Perhaps Not
BY PAUL HALE sRUsKE.

Steadily, slowly but nevertheless
surely, the American league is pelng
forced 10 the conclusion that the com
ing pitcher in its circuit-its embryo
MatheWson, as il were--ls very likely
to be Edgar Willett.
This statement isn't made on the
sole basis OF the Kansan's ihut-out vac
tory over the Maps on their opeHlhs
day. AT home 1t isn't made because.
in his one prior appearance this sea
son he should also have registered !
row of ciphers for his opponents. VI
comes because Edgar has now arrived
very near the spot in his career where
he will be able TO use, and use 10 the
utmost, that marvellous assortment OF
speed and curves with which We nave
known for three seasons he has been
equipped
He isn't there yet, but he is getting
closer all the time Ills control is
-heeemiHg-le and less III d-sonrce o.
worry TO Manager jennings. Ills big
gest fault--failure TO keep runners
close TO irst-isnt quite SO much IN
evidence as heretofore. These two
points are always the last learned oy
"A young HEAVIER. lie Will learn them,
beyond doubt And when he does
look out.
Why All That Is True.
If pitcher who. though prone TO
fits OF Witness and the other failing
alluded TO- can win % out OF 81 games,
as Wlllett did last year, succeeds IN
laying his faults low, as he seems
bound To do, il is going To be seldom
oh so seldom-that anybody Is going
10 beat him. Isn't that sound logic2
The average habitue OF the grand
stand little realizes the terTlf1c speed
that accompanies the ball that Willett
throws. Edgar Is so emlnently equip
ped and his burly form is so tremen-
dously strong that he seldom seems 70
exert himself. when handing up ball
so fast that there are few pitchers In
the league able to duplicate Il. And
the ball twists and curves and shoots
in toward the batter, all with appar
emily the same motion in his delivery.
His underhand ball Is not included in
the repertoire of any other big-ieague
twirler today. Added TO which -
fielding ability Of the best, courage
that never falters and a batting eye
which on many occasions, as yester'
day, proved OF immense value 10 his
club.
Clevelanders could not Tail TO be
impressed with the improvement which
Willett showed YESTERDAY Before an
enormous, hostile crowd, he was as
as if the game was only
piece OF batting practice. Four hits
he allowed scattered in as many in
nings. and two OF them came after
Detroit had won the game beyond Il
chance OF doubt They never ran
bases on him because so few Of them
made first that they were entirely a
quantity.
Swell Support BY Tiges.
II has been said in the past that the
Detroit club has lacked confidence in
Edgar. That is the reason generally
assigned for the fact that he did not
start a game in the worlds series,
though he was most effective in tho
stages when used, after a game had
been lost There was no apparent
lack of confidence yesterday among
the Tigers, however. They gave Ed
gar fawless support all through and
when one man hit. it was usually the
Office for a barbecue.
Today all Cleveland is mourning
over its fallen baseball heroes, while
Hughie Jennings is arranging 10 hand
them dose OF Eddie Summers. VIII
let's companion young star. today.
And. speaking about fallen heroes,
recalls the venerable Denton +.
Young
Cy was the goat OF the to defeat
which his team sustained at the hands
Of the Tigers They didn't hit him so
awfully hard but they hit him just
when he was trying hardest TO escape
the clubbing Nineteen years ago. Cy
won an opening game for the Maps.
He was the dean OF the twirlers and
the occasion yesterday was arranged
Gs a sort of testimonial for him Home
and outside experts heralded his adj
vent In the slab and descanted on the
sentimental nature OF the affair. And
-lllznr+-a ana -tl444iF- Path
less little bats
Tigers Sorry? Oh slushl
A couple of reports have it that the
Tiges were themselves sorry 70 see the
veteran hmbled Take IL from me
that this Is gush' Any time that team
of ours takes the field there is no sem
tmcuJ connected with the affair on
the tapis and Cy has given them TOO
many hard games TO endow them with