The Washington herald., 1911-12-31
Special to The Washington Herald.

New York, Dec 3O.-If it wasn't sur
passed n 1911, it was at least approached
so closely that t trembled with fear of
annihiIation. and this applies TO every
sporting record in the book.
1t has been an unusual year, the one
that comes to a close at midnight to-
morrOw-a most unusual year. 1t was a
banner one in every line of sport.
Throughout the entire gamut of competi-
tive events, from boxing to billiards, base
ball to wrestling, golf to auto racing,
there were noteworthy performances re-
corded
Baseball being considered generally as
the particular hobby of Uncle Sans chill
Gren, it is entitled to first consideration.
And there is nobody who can deny 1t was
an eventful year for the most uncertain
of all games Exciting pennant races
were fought out in both the big leagues,
and this was also TRUE of practically all
of the minors. The worlds series, while
tainted with more or less scandal, was
nevertheless 4 memorable one, and Con-
ME Mack deserves all the credit he re-
ceives for teh great battle his leEiOns put
up against the Giants. The worlds Sc
ries OF 1911 is rendered all the more i'm
pOrtant by the fact that it may be the
last of the MOhicanS. the Squabble
between the two leagues appearing just
now to nave sounded it's death knell.
Cobb Best Player.
Ty Cobb. Of the Detroit Tigers. can
justly lay claim to supremacy as an
individual all-around valuable diamond
star. The men who voted him the auto
mobile knew what they We're doing.
Without considering these most elusive
of all things-fgu-es-the premiership of
the pitchers must go to Chief Albert
Bender. of the Athletics. whose cunning
was the greatest factor in the overthrow
of the Giants. paying all due respect to
the prowess of one ]. Franklin Baker and
his home-run stick.
Passing along from the diamond to the
roped arena we find dusky Jack John
son still holding the fort against the
heavies in popular opinion, although ne
didn't really put on the gloves during
the entire year. Ad Wolgast-pOOr, un-
lucky little man-has not lost his right
to the lightweight sovereignty, and al
though the close of the year finds him
in an incapacitated condition, it seems
certain that he will sweep away the many
disputants to his crown when he is able
again to go after them. Johnny Coulon
has defended successfully the bantam
title and Abe Attell is still supreme
among the feathers.
Two champions were toppled. however,
is the persons of Billy Papke and Willie
Lewis, in the welter-weight and middle
weight divisions, respectively. The hOnOrs
that were wrested from Papke are in
dispute and could be claimed by any one
of half a dozen men. including Sailor
Burke, Australian Dave Smith, Hugo
Kelley. Eddie McCoorty, and Frank Claus.
Mike Gibbons, the St. Paul wonder, who
a,NA I n,rr{e 70
about the best clutch on the latter's title.
but it is not a very tight one at that.
Should Packey Mcfarland and Mat Wells
declare themselves welterS-whiCh they
really are-M Gibbons would more than
have his hands full.
So We find real champions in four
classes - heavy-weights, light-weights,
feather-weights. and bantam weights-and
jumbIes in two-middle-weight and well
ter weight And the white heavy
weight" championship is undoubtedly
Jim Flynn's as the new year rolls in.
Frank Gotch is 90 far ahead of all
other wrestlers, not forgetting Zyzszko.
Raicevich. and the twice-defeated and
twice alibying Hackenschmidt that he
needs no comment.
Hilton Peer of Golfers.
Harold Hilton. the young Englishman,
is the indubitable leader of the golfers.
by virtue of his triumph IN the Ameri-
can championship at Apawamis and Old
Billy Larned is also easily the latest
thing in tennis. although he has been
in harness many years.
Since the Grand Prize race at Savan-
nah proved a bigger affair than the Van
derbilt Cup this year, its winner, Ralph
Mulford, deserves the laurels as the pre-
mier auto race driver. Likewise. ne OBJ
liberated the worlds record for the en-
tire distance, and many intermediate
ones, so he has a well substantiated
claim.
In the cue world. the champions are
clearly defined. Alfredo de Orc, the vet
eran Cuban. is still without an equal at
the pool game. while his conquerOr at
three-cushion billiards. Johnny DAILY. is
the leader in that style. Willie Hoppe
was not even extended at balk line dur
ing the year, and is as much a champion