The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-05-17
CAN EAsTERNERs STOP TIGERS
Tommy Clark Says Uuless They Do,
the Fun is AL Over.
BY TOMMY CLARK.

BY TOMMY CLARK.
Can the eastern teams stop the De
trOit Tigers, give them setback and
otherwise cause them to lose their man
eating ways? This question is now
being asked by the baseball fans. The
wonderful showing Of the club and
the fact that they entered the month
Of May with the longest lead In base
ball history have almost caused the
black hairs on the heads Of Hal Chase
and Connie Mack to turn white.
Never in the history OF the game has
team started of SO well. II it were
weak team the other managers would
have little to worry about But De
troit is a different proposition. Jen-
nings has club this season hard to
beat under any turn, and with a big
lead the job is simply that much harder.
Last year the Detroits were the vic.
Tins Of the worst kind Of hard luck;
otherwise they would have been fac.
tors to finish. This season every
thing seems to be breaking their way.
And In addition the team has been
greatly strengthened since the close of
1910. A big hole has been filed up at
first base, and the twirling staff is the
best Jennings has ever had. In fact,
the club is fully 80 per cent stronger
than last year.
Here is another point: Detroit has
still long list of games to play at
home. If the eastern teams fail to
stop the Tigers within the next few
weeks Jennings and his band of pill
eaters will have lead that will be
well nigh invincible From then on
the American league race will become
procession instead of fight.
Although the season is still young,
the Detroit club has come pretty near
putting the entire western section on
the blink by the most sustained rush
ever shown by any team, 1t will be
very interesting to watch the work Of
the eastern teams when they tackle
Detroit. It's up to them to overhaul
them, provided they are going to be
overhauled.
Poor twirling helped in keeping the
Tigers from being closer up last sea.
son. Jennings recently complained
that he had too many good young
twirlers. It's complaint that is posi-
lively unique in the annals of base
ball. It's an affection which many
other clubs in the league would well
come with becoming avidity. This is
In striking contrast to the condition Of
affairs for the previous two years.
Always a great batting and base
running club, it seems to have i'm
proved over previous seasons. Craw-
ford is leading .the league in batting,
and Cobb is close up, while Gainor is
not very far behind. Moriarty is wal
Looping the ball harder than ever, and
Delehanty Is also there with his big
stick. Besides being the hardest hit
ting team in the circuit, it is the great
est base running club in either league.
With the team pelting the ball hard
er than ever and the players running
the sacks like demons, the twirling
staff stronger than ever and luck IA
voring the team, it will be hard work
stopping them. The catching STAFF
could be improved upon, but is not
weak by any means.
Jennings has proved himself a re-
sourceful leader. He has been In
charge of the team six seasons, dur
ing which time he has captured three
successive pennants, an American
league record. His methods are
unique. Jennings never drives his
players, but instills never say die
spirit into them which has enabled
the Tigers to win out in many games
at the very last minute. When he
took hold of the team the members
were fighting among themselves. The
club was disorganized and finished
way down in the second division.
The following season he perfected
harmony to such an extent that the
Tigers won the banner. Last year the
outfielders were not on speaking
terms. Hughie parted with Mcintyre
and made Cobb and Crawford make
up. Once more Jennings scored.
Probably no manager in the major
leagues has ripped up his inheld as
often as Jennings. For few Of the
rips he was severely censured by the
critics. but later slapped on the back
by the same men. When the Tigers
won the pennant in 1907 the infeld
was Rossman, Schaefer, O'Leary and
Coughlin. Today not one Of 'em is
left. Moriarity replaced Coughlin,
Delehanty Schaefer and Bush O'Leary.
Tom Jones was on first last year. He
was slowing up, so Jennings let him
go. Another big mistake, said the ex-
perts. But Jennings has landed a
corking good first sacker In Gainor.
The latter is playing great game at
the initial station and batting like a
streak.
Take of your hat to Hughie. He is
leader to be admired by every fan
In every city for his managerial abili.
ty and his never say die spirit.
Killed and Thrown Into River.