Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-24
SPORTING COMMENT.
BY ]. ED GRILLo.

1t is to be hoped that the fans Of Phila-
delphia will prove themselves better
sportsmen than to make an obnoxious
demonstration against the Detroit team
when the Tigers open their farewell Sc
ries on the grounds of the coming CHAM
pions Monday.
II Cobb and Jennings were guilty of
accusing the Athletics Of being cutters
the results of the present race make EN-
phatic reputation of such charges,
something that a demonstration against
the two Tigers mentioned would not do.
IL winning a pennaat proves gameness
then the Athletics are certainly all OF
that But the fact Of the matter Is that
there are few instances OF cutters
among ball players in the major leagues.
he never rises very high in the PROBES
sion.
The Athletics have won their laurels
fairly. for ii can be assumed that the
present flag is theirs. Detroit. too, mas
accomplished some achievements In the
way Of winning pennants, and yes when
1t comes down to question OF sdmeness
IL seems absurd to have one team charg-
ing the other with lacking 1t.
Trying to dope out the winner OF the
worlds series Is q hazardous proposition.
In q series Of games such as the winners
of the two majo league pennants indulge
in after the regular season Is over the
element OF luck cuts q decided figure But
there IL no way to size up team man
for man and make a comparison. In the
first place the pitchers have not faced
the men they play In the worlds series.
and that is the only way to get line on
them. Every one comedies that Connie
Mack has q great pitching stan, one
which on its work this season looms up
much stronger than do the Cub twirlers.
and yet that proves or promises nothing,
for they may not be At their best In the
big series, while on the other hand the
Cub twirlers may show much improve
ment.
There IL no question that the Athletics
have proven their superiority over All the
other teams in the American League
Mack has by far the better ball team
The same cannot be said for the Cubs
Nine out of every ten National League
fans will insist. that had It not been for
the miserable luck in the way Of weather
which interfered with the Pirates get
ting q good start this spring, that team
would now be leading by comfortable
margin.
II will be years. II ever. before another
fight OF importance takes place In this
country. Promoters Of istic exhibitions
are planning to pull on their bouts In
England or Australia, realizing that. for
a time at least the lid will be on the game
in this country.
That Reno fiasco put the finishing crimp
I'm the sport. though the outcome OF that
effect on the game throughout the coun-
try. The amount Of money involved and
the great amount OF notoriety given the
affair aroused the greatest opposition.
The Reno affair was followed by the
Langford crawling act in philadelphia
and the refusal to permit the Kaufman
Lang bout in New York. II the game II
ever worked back 1t will be by easy
stages and by allowing the little felowS
to do the boxing. Just as soon as real
men talk Of putting on the gloves a
prejudice seems to be created against the
eport in general.
Monday was remarkaDie Gay ~.
players accomplishing batting feats. ana
properly enough Hans Wagner leo win
two singles, three triples and two nome
runs And there vas Crawford with
single. a double and a pair OF triples.
and Murphy OF the Athletics with ex-
actly the same record. Hooper OF Boston
triples and a home run. while Merkle OF
second base fame got a double and two
triples Dauberty OF Brooklyn tore on two
singles and triple the same day.
There is some surprise being expressed
that Hughey Jennings refuses to concede
the pennant to the Athletics. HuRhey -
holding on as he naturally should do.
just as long as there is the slightest
hope. 1t would not sound very well for
him to give UP the flag while there ex-
listed the slightest possibility of the Ath-
letics being beaten. OF course there Is
but one chance In thousand OF that
taking place. but Jennings is right to
stand on that chance as long as he
can. To have him acknowledge defeat
while there Is still hope would give his
traducers. who took onense at the in
situations made about the Athletics being
cutters, chance to get back with in
terest.