Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-28
SPORTING COMMENT.
BY J. ED GRILLO.

With doubt in the public mind as to
whether the fight will take place or not
it is extremely doubtful If the profits ex-
pected by the promoters will be realized
There is no question but that the shit
ing of the backgrounds from Frisco TO
Reno will have its effect on the attend
ance and now that the rumOr is afoat that
even the Governor of Nevada, who has on
several occasions been quoted as saying
that he would not interfere, may take
steps to prevent the contest, there will
not be many people travel a great dis
lance and take a chance Of being on a
fools errand.
Richard and Gleason, the promoters. are
under an enormous expense and it will
take a lot Of people with high price seats
to pull them out of the hole. The purse
alone is SO, 900 and the other expenses
must amount to half again as much. Ii
the fight takes place, and there Is every
reason for believing that it will, 1t Will
perhaps be the last of the great fights III
this country. Following this fight there
will be more adverse legislation in the
few states which remain open to the
pueilists, so that If there is ever another
championship battle it will most likely
have to be fought in some other country.
When Jeffries went into training his
friends regretted that he did not nave
Billy Delaney, his former trainer. IN
charge of his camp. 1t seemed TO pe
sponsibie for the making of 'Jeffries, and
that without his advice the big fellow
would be at great disadvantage. bu'
those who know JeffrieS and his pecu-
liarities know that Delaney OF no one
else ever was able to make Jeffries train
according to their ideas. He Is stubborn
in this respect and does only what ms
own mind DICTATES. Billy Muldoon in his
size-up of Jeffries states that TINS re-
markable man has accomplished real
wonders by acquiring his present good
condition without any ones aid. He has
done it all himself. has followed his own
Judgment and has no one TO tnaEk LOT
his ability to regain his best form out
himself That is Jeffries all over. 1t
will be so in the fight. He has already
made I'D his mind how he will hght
Johnson. and there will be no way 10
change his plans. Jeffries believes In NM
self. follows his ideas and never is in
position where he has any one to blame
but himself for anything that goes
wrong.
justice in the matter OF throwing 10
bases unless they have competent man
to handle their throws.
Charley Street is regarded as one or
the best throwing catchers IN the game
today and yet Charley owes much or MS
success in this to George Mcbride, who
handles 95 per cent of his pegs at second
base. There is no infielder In either
major league who handles thrown balls
better or is more fearless OF runner
spikes than Mcbride. No matter where
the runner may be sliding or where the
ball is thrown Mcbride exposes himself
to possible severe injury seVeraI times IN
every game. Yet he has never been seri-
ously hurt because of the artistic man
ner in which he makes the plays around
the bag.
1t is lot of help to catcher when he
knows he has but to throw to the bag
and that the ball will be handled instead
of having to wait for the bag to be COW
cred and then to feel secure that the
baserunner will be touched.
When the American League clubs
waived on Big Bill Burns, the Sox south
paw pitcher, it seems that they allowed a
most valuable asset to slip through their
fingers. 1t seems rather strange that
with good ball players so scare that
clubs should allow pitcher of SO much
ability to 20 to a rival league, and yet
this is frequently done.
Burns has pitched splendid ball for Gin
cinnati. In fact, his work has been more
consistent than that of any pitcher
ComislSey got a fancy price for Burns,
but there are many clubs in the Ameri- |
can League that could have used him to
advantage.
Connie Mack's Athletics are getting q |
dangerous lead in the American League |
race With a long stretch of games on |
their own grounds the Athletics never |
had better chance to clinch the flag
than the present season, for 1t has always |
been a team hard to beat at home.
It is, of course, long time from now |
until October, and many things can hap
pen, but Philadelphia seems to have the |
best chance and only a remarkable re- !