Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-06
SPORTING COMMENT.
BY J. ED GRILLO.

DIssension in the ranks OF the De-
tro1t team, brought to the public eye
by reason of Ty Cobb's refusal to play
II Davy Jones remained in the line-up
and his subsequent rundown by Man.
ager Jennings, is condition which
usually crops up on ball team which
has won pennants and then finds itself
going back
A year ago similar stories were being
told of the Chicago Cubs simply be-
cause they were not showing their old
FORM anI the players naturally became
disgruntled.
The incident which disgruntled Cobb,
that of having his signs missed by
Jones, occurs every day on the ball
field. There is hardly a game played
in which players do not miss signs and
an argument between them always fol-
lows as result. Any one who has
had any experience on the ball field
knows that most Of the discussion on
the bench during ball game is on the
subject OF missing signs, Cobb is by
no means the only player sinned
against in this way. and his refusal to
play with Jones in the lineup was not
the result of cool deliberation.
About all that the affair has proven
is that Hughey Jennings proposes to
be the boss Of the Tigers even if it is
necessary to suspend his star players.
1t is doubtful if any other manager
would have turned his greatest star
away at a time when his team still
has fighting chance for the flag. But
it was up to Jennings to establish him
self, and he did not overlook the OPP
portunity.
For doing the unexpected no man in
base ball classes with John I. Taylor,
owner of the Boston Americans. Ball
players with the greatest regulations are
apt to be turned adrift by him without
moments notice, and yet, if results count
for anything. he has made few mistakes.
But why the Boston club should want
to rid itself of Harry Lord, conceded by
many to be the best third baseman in
the league, is hard to understand, unless
there is something in the story that Lord
had his cap set for Manager DOnovan's
job. Rumor had this last spring, and
for time it was generally believed that
Donovan would be deposed and Lord put
in charge Since then, however. Owner
Taylor has had reason to be satisfied
with Donovans management, and it may
have been demanded Of Taylor by Dono-
van that Lord be traded or sold. Bos-
ton, of course, wants players in eX-
change for Lord, and these are hard to
find. though Lord is a player of great
ability.
1t will be long while before the ring
will have another lightweight champion
like Joe Cans. There never was clev-
erer ring general or pugilist than the
Baltimore lad. and he would most likely
have an unblemished record had he been
in honest hands when in his prime. Cans
has been in fake fights. His lay-down
TO Terry McGovern i'll Chicago ten years
ago was the rawest fake ever pulled off
and it killed the sport in Chicago But
it was not Cans who was really to blame
for this, but those who had him in
charge. When Cans realized that he had
hurt his popularity as result of this
fake he started out to make amends,
which he did rapidly by beating every
one he met until Battling Nelson stopped
, years ago.
, Like George Dixon, Cans has in his
time made fortunes out of his ring abil-
ity, but it is decidedly doubtful if he has
anything left to show for his work in the
ring.
1t will be many a day before another
fighter is developed who will be IS &C
tive in the ring as was Cans. No fighter
That there is whole lot of luck in
base ball is shown in the case of Engel.
now playing third for Boston. The New
York club let Engel go because his work
in the outfield was not up to the stand
ard, and Boston picked him up because
a right-handed hitter was needed for
the outfeld.
But Engel did not make good. and was
benched when Third Baseman Lord was
injured and it was found necessary to-
play him on third base. For time En-
gel showed very little in that position,
but he seems to have developed rapidly,
for the Boston club feels that it can part
with Lord. a star. in exchange for
pitcher and leave Engel on third base
1t was an accident which gave Engei
his chance to play third. 1t was SO
with Jimmy Collins. Collins was out
fielder when Boston loaned him to Louis
willie. One day the regular third base
man was hurt and Collins was put in
his place. In two weeks he was the
sensation of base ball. for he had de-
yeloped into one OF the greatest third
basemen the game had ever known. Tn
fortunately the club which had developed
him did not get the benefit Of his serv-
ices. for just as soon as he was star
Roston. which had but leaned him to
Louisville, recalled him, and it was he
who helped the Hub team to several