Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-18
SPORTING COMMENT.
BY J. ED GRILLO.

When Tex Richard was chosen to ref
cree the big fight 1t was generally sup
posed that his appointment was hut tenn
porary. and that In due time the real
fierce would be selected But according
to Richard such is not the case. He in
sists that he will be the third man In
the ring and that no inducements could
set him to give up the job.
There Is no question about Richards
honesty. He has never been identified
with anything shady. but he has no ex-
perience as referee, never having acted
that capacity, and 1t Is questionable
whether a green hand, though he may
be thoroughly familiar with ring rules,
can be cool enough to handle an event of
su h Importance.
Furthermore. the appointment Of Rick
has already started the pessmist to spread
.UmOrs that the hgnt Is not going to
De on the square. There is nothing to
indicate that such is the case, but the
appointment of Richard merely leavs an
op ming for n lot of disgruntled individ-
uals to spread a lot of rather detrimental
dope.
lot of sporting blood flowing through his
veins AS the chief executive of the state
in which the worlds championship battle
is to take place. his views on the subject
differ greatly from those of the average
man In his position.
Gov. Gillett wants the battle to take
place. He says 1t Is within the law. and
Furthermore that II is an affair of the
greatest national Importance. This con-
clus:on the governor came to while trav-
cling through the east, where he was
constantly queried about the possibilities
of the fight taking place.
1t is very evident that If the fight is
stopped it will have to be by reason of
the legislature changing the law, which
Is out Of the question at tbs time. for
Gov. Gillett does not seem inclined to
call a special session for such a purpose
and neither does he intend to cOnstrue
the present law so as to have the coming
bout considered prize fight. 1t Is doubt
full II there ever was governor Of a
state for whom the sport-'oving public
has reason to have a higher regard.
When ball player is so efficient with
the bat that pitchers after comforting
can't agree how to fool him, he is surely
much above the ordinary. LajOie is that
kind of a hitter. With most good hitters
there is always some way to fool them
II the pitcher can do exactly what he
intends Not SO with the big French
man, however. Everything has been tried
and it has been found that he is just as
likely to hit one kind OF a delivery as
another. Trying to keep the ball out of
his reach is another most difficult thing
without making a wild pitch.
Lajoie works with intuition at the bat
He makes up his mind to hit before the
pitcher winds up. then. no matter where
the ball is pitched, he has his swing at
II, and he usually meets 1t, too.
The most successful pitchers against
LaJoie are those who stick the ball right
over the plate for him and take then
chances. He is no more apt to hit that
sort of pitching than he is curves, spit
tiers, high or low. fast or slow balls.
Larry Lajoie Is simply marvel with
the bat. and 1t does not discredit. pitcher
when the big fellow gets few hits In a
row.
When owners of a ball team employ
a manager to handle their team he
should be given full sway. and under no
circumstances should there pc interference
with his plans. Such conditions, however.
do not exist on all teams. 1t is q matter
OF fact that there are seve-a, c'"hs i"
the American League the managers Of
which receive telegraphic in true ion
every morning of how to place their men.
Though the manager is on the grounds
and see the games. he Is directed by
some individual hundreds &c mills aw y
who may not even know the first rudi-
ers wonder why their team Is not a
winner. Thre Is nothing ruins the dis
cipline Of ball tam SO thoroughly as
when the players realize that the man
supposed to be in "ha-~e of the team
Is really only figurehead.
During the early games of the season
1t seemed that Jennings had been fortu-
nate in picking up lot OF good young
pitchers who would be able TO take the
place OF some of his vet rams who were
on the slide The youngsters were show
ing up well then, but OF late their
work has fallen off and 1t begins to look
very much as IL the Tigers were de-
cidedly weak on the rubber. If that Is
the case there is hardly q chance for
Jennings to establish the record of win
ming four consecutive pennants. for if
there is one department In which the
Athletics the team which seems to be
the Tigers only rival. ID strong 1t Is In
pitchers. and that counts more in base
bail these days than anything else.