Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-12
SPORTING COMMENT.
By J. ED GRILLo.

Simply because II has become known
that Outfielder Swain OF Vancouver. re-
Gently purchased by Washington. weighs
800 pounds he is no longer regarded as
having q chance to fill one of the berths
on the Nationals. 1t seems to be the
impression that he is too big to be
major league ball player. though reports
from the west refer to him as an excep-
tionally fast runner. And what Is more.
base ball counts among its brightest stars
men every bit as big as Swain Is report
ed to be-
There was big Bill LANCE, for instance.
who weighed close on to 200. and yet was
a wonderful base runner and fielder. Big
Ed Williamson. who played short field
for Pap Arson In the eighties. was a man
who weighed more than 200. and yet he
was wonderful shortstop.
True. the recent years the players have
been growing smaller. That is to say,
there are more little men I'm the game
than there were fifteen or twenty years
ago. but the fact that Swain weighs 200
does not necessarily bar him from all pos
sibility to make good in fast company.
Hughey Jennings is decidedly doubtful
as to the ability Of the Athletics to make
q good showing against the Cubs. He
once more expresses himself as believing
that Connie Mack's team lacks the grit
and nerve to make good showing in SO
important series. Jennings may be
right. but II sounds very much like sour
grapes coming from him at this time The
amusing feature of his statement is that
he says he hopes the Athletics will win.
when every one has reason to believe he
will secretly be pulling for the Cubs, be-
cause II would make him and his Tigers
look bad to have the Athletics win a
worlds series, something the. Tigers have
never done. and that after being accused
OF having a yellow streak.
In view OF the fact that the Ma
tional League has won all but two
worlds series played to date, it Is but
natural that the Cubs should be favor
ties again this year. but that assures
for Mack's team will have to be beaten
on the ball field and not in newspaper
or magazine articles.
That st. Louis team is on a fair way
to break all records in the number OF
games lost in a single campaign. Even
the Maps took a double fall out of
O'Connors men Sunday, and thereby
pulled up within fraction of point Of
NTH place.
Fortunately for the Nationals, the
Maps have to tackle Detroit again to-
day. and, while the Tigers have not
won as many games from Cleveland as
one would figure them to, yet they will
have better chance to stop McGuire's
men than O'Connor's helpless and luck
less band.
OF course. the Nationals will be up
against tough game over in Philadel-
phia. where, with Johnson out of the
way, they will find il hard matter
to win a game Of the remaining two.
but IL the team can reach the west in
fifth place IL will stand a good chance
of finishing in that position.
Threats by members Of the Chicago
National League team that they will
carry out their contracts with the Gin
cinnati promoters OF the all star tour.
regardless Of the ruling Of the national
commission, are absolutely absurd The
promoters may be willing to carry out
their end. but where can they play
these games with every ball park in
the country closed against them as a
result of the commissions ruling. They