Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-04
SPORTING COMMENT.
By J. ED GRILLo.

Just why 10 many conflicting reports
should come from Jsffries' training camp
has puzzled the followers Of the pusilis-
tic game. Ono day we read that JEFF
fries is not In condition. is fat and fab
by. and that the chances are he will call
OF the fight. Tho very next day along
cornes tho story that Jeffries IL as good
today a. he ever was In his career, and
that ii necessary hs could enter tho ring
with Johnson on two days notice and
acquit himself Satisfactorily.
There 10 no doubt that Jeffriss' peculiar
disposition has much to do with the va
rance In these reports.
Disiikins publicity as much as he does
to talk fight, Jeffries does not make a
very favorable Impression upon the cor
respondent who Is sent to his camp to
report tho doings Of the former cham
pinn.
There Ia no harder man to get inferrna-
ton from than seffries. and there ia not
g. time when strangers are about that
he does not display that proverbiai
crouch. TIE result Ia that those who do
not know Jefries we'll get very poor
opinion OF his Iersenaiity, with the re-
the worst possible view of his condition.
but the same stories were CIRCULATED
abeut Jsffries nearly every time he has
been pFepaF3ns himself for battle, His
sire inferrnatien makes him unpopular,
and n no daubt responsible far ths many
unfaverabls reports that are circulated
There are several pugiiistic experts In
JefrieT camp, familiar with Jeffries'
whims who do not allow their reports to
be influenced. and these are the writer's
who send ont the information that JEFF
fries is in good condition.
Quite a change has eaae ever the
American League standing in the pas.
Two years, In 1908, when Detroit had Its
CLOSEST cell. wsRaing the peHnaHt On tbe
vary lest asy Of ne season. &c III ell !u.t the
pstrs d e. sas eissssnd and H. Louis
pepulatins the first division. Last year
there was q slight change, each section
having two teams in the hrst four, De-
tpajt brst, Chicago fourth, sardWiehing
self out of the leading quartet twa days
ago. Up to that time Detroit was the
haiy wetteFn team Ia the first four. 1t
makes e appear THAI the eastern teams
Ressen, alter the season Of 1901, started
to strengthen with yei1as biaod. The
1875 campaign was not Eaueh fer either
Of these Jeans, The yeunssters had not
developed, but they have come since. and
y:ss ns'sn f.. ana .ses s sssr 6s
cage has thFswr out all it's veteran aa=
| teFiai and stocked up with youngsters.
Ysung ball teams seldom come in enc
50 o, aag PIT R.E , tss az aet set see g
that Detreit viii BE- the only city ia the
western section which viii eut figure
in thts years race:
Owen Bush, the diHinutivs shaFtstap of
the Tigers, IS making q remarkable start
in this years race. Not oRiy Is Bush
Showing Improvement. in his fielding. but
his hitting is mueb better than it was
last season, jand hs y already beiag
League shorfstops,
Bush is a mere boy. and Improvement
was to be expected In him. He has been
inecuIated with the ~ Cobb spirit, and
Is taking chances which compare favar-
ably with those attempted by the
Georgia peach"
re date Cobb and Bush have scared
mere than half Of the Tigers runs.
When Bush does not get an by means of
hits he walks. and, OF course, Cobb and
CrawfaEd, the Tigers heavy artillery,
drive him around.
There is ma good reason why there
should be any difficulty in selecting a
referee for the Jeffries- johnson fight.
There are any number of honest, cempe-
tent men who can give an impartial de-
cision In the coming fight, and the
chances are that the decision will not
amount to more than counting ten over
one or the other OF the principals. for