The Detroit times., 1910-01-07

column found occasion 10 comment on
the peculiar prank of baseball fate
which, for h q
DOWNS on third time - their
THE TRAIL local association
A"AiN' Vas the second
brought together
Ed. Barrow as manager and George
Smith as second-baseman at Montreal
Another instance which 10 Detroit fans
viii be every bit as striking will be
the strange freak of fate which again
finds Herman Schaefer and Jerry
Downs ighting ct Washington for The
same job as the one for which. two
seasons long. they hattled on the De.
troit club.
When Downs joined the Tigers In
the spring OF 1907. he found Schaefer
ON the job as seconi-sacker. Herman
and he went to Il with a vengeance.
The German wasn't in very good form
that year and Jerry managed To get
Into the ffmeiigfr- 70 considerable
extent, and even into the worlds
series. II was somewhat OF a question
which one was the regular guardian
OF the sack. though Schaefer was gen.
orally considered the premier.
The season OF 1905 found Schaefer
and Downs renewing hostilities where
they had left off Herman was in bet
ter physical condition. as the result o.
an operation which he had had per
formed during the winter and tha.
year he clearly established himself
lonce more, though on several occa-
sions, Downs threatened to butt into
the play. In the worlds series that
year Schaefer played for several
games ut third base with Downs az
second. A weakness or the latter IN
touching runners in that very series,
really caused his release the following
spring. Chicago getting him by the
waiver rule, and turning him over 10
Minneapolis. where he gained the re-
pute OF being the king second.sacker
of the fastest OF the minor leagues.
| In the meantime, Schaefer had been
going back To such an extent that
Manager Jennings turned him over TO
Washington in exchange for Dele
hanty.
Herman Is still with Washington
and is considered at present the regu-
lar second-baseman of the club. But
Washington papers have been cha.
advent of strength that is looked for
when Downs. purchased from Mime
apolis, joins the team.
It's fact. Washington has secured
the sorrel-top and, according to the
sport pages OF that town. Jim McAleer
means TO hold to him long enough 10
see IL he will not help the chronics.
Ii will seem natural to Schaefer:
the Washington bench and beholc
Downs waiting for something TO hap
pen. IL will seem just as natural to
Jerry to De watching Herman cavort
en- the diamond while he stands ready
TO step into his shoes when occasions
seems to the manager to demand.
And another interesting phase of the
situation is added by the presence on
the Washington lineup OF Wade
Hampton Killifer, also member OF
the Detroit club during the time that
Schaefer and Downs were alternating
at second base. and occasionally TAX
ing a whirl at the Job himself
II the irresponsible individual who
started the now widely circulated and
malicious report that had Kid Lavigne
punched full OF holes in an imaginary
bout with one Dick Nelson "a few
days ago" would care TO drop in at
the Kids little local thirst -quenchery,
he might learn something regarding
the athletic ability of the little cham
pion of former days which would be
far from COMFORTING with the descrip-
tion Of poor old man" It's a fake.
pure and simple
Those of us in Detroit who still have |
faith in Joy Miller's original explana-
ton of all that difficulty are having |
our trust sorely shaken by recent |
events. When a mans classmates
turn against him. there is usually a /
good reason.
Interesting fact: The venerable I
trotter Gold Standard that won Is |
races during his lifetime, the fastest |
in Ell ga, finished first more times
than any horse In history.
The Suicide club surely ought to
the color line for Jack
Johnson's benefit. ANY man who maps