The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-05-06
BY PAUL HALE eRuskE.

cy PAUL HALE bHUSkE.
Saturday, the Tiger nemesis, Is
acre and the bugs are today op-
PRESSED with awful fear. Our Boys"
may fail TO win ball game!
Saturday has been the Tiges' losing
day up TO date. Twice-and both
lines on foreign fields-they have
been defeated this year. Each time
he day was the same.
II was Saturday that Doc White
licked them In Chicago.
IL was Saturday that West out
tucked them In Cleveland.
The Browns haven't won a game
from the Tiges. out of the six played.
The law OF chance will eventually get
in Its work. Will IL be on Saturday
that the blow falls, or will the Tigers
fight of the hoodoo and enter another
week OF indicated play?
Lively is iue TO pitch for the lead
ers. with Lefty George or Joe Lake
the probable selection for the men
OF st. Louis. The big Tiger kit hasn't
twirled for a full week and ought to
be In fine form.
In the meantime, the Tigers sup
porters. reckless of consequences to
the league race, continue TO exhibit a
burning thirst for more triumphs. The
Tiges can't &in too many TO suit us.
The Athletics are pasturing on the
succulent fodder at Washington, and
are now SO close to second place that
there is practically no difference be-
tween them and Boston. which Is a
few points ahead. though still Ia the
remote rear OF the Tigers. New
York's defeat pushed Hal Chase's
men from second TO fifth place yes
terday. so closely punched are the
pursuing cohorts.
II would be a great race II II wasn't
for the Tigers.
Should the Tigers win today, and
should the Athletics. New York and
Cleveland also win, Macks men
would find themselves In second posi-.
ton and the issue would doubtless be
sharply drawn through the rest of
the season. Walter Johnson may bar
the door, however. II is his day to
toll for Washington.
He entered unostentatiously and
sided up TO the sporting editors desk.
In his hand there was a piece Of a
pink-deep pink-newspaper on
which he had penciled long row of
figures. In his eye there was the
CLEAN which one sees through the
grating at charitable institutions, fire.
hat.
a pair OF beetling brow5, bent over
low and said, in a sort OF whispered
yell:
"Do yoa know what 1t means?"
What what means?" replied the
scribe, getting firm grip of four
column cut OF Ty Cobb, which hap
pened to be handy. Talk up; get 1t
out Of your SYSTEM"
why he way the Tigers are sprint
ing aWay from the others, OF course!
Do you know what II means?"
Now the Sporting Editor had some
very vivid ideas OF what ii had meant
up to date. II had meant feverish de-
mands for additional copy: the graft
fication natural to some strong per-
sonal friendships, the repeated pleas
ure OF milling out cheerful chronicles
--innumerable other things. But
there's everything in getting new
point Of view.
Proceed" said he, and. observing
the harmless character OF his visitors
ailment, he relaxed his hold on the
cut which, appropriately, slid with
grace 10 the floor.
why IL means that, II they keep
travelling at this clip, they'll finish
the season with 1876 games won, 16
lost, and a percentage OF 1895! I've
got the dope all here! Listen!
They've won II and lost 2. They'll
probably play about 1852 games. Just
multiply their present figures by eight
and what do you have? Just 1876 and
16. Total, 1872. All they've got to do
Is to hold the clip. The season Is just
one-eighth over now. Only seven
eighths left! Why there never was
team like 'em. Worlds champions
aren't In their class. | said last year
and | had the figures to prove It,"
and there he stopped. Two burly
individuals had entered. One Of them
drew long breath and remarked,
Here he Is"
They had come TO carry him back
to Dearborn and he started meekly.
after those eastern clubs have
came and went, I'll be back again and
show"-but he was talking over his
shoulder and one OF his captors ruth
lessly shut the door. with the statisti-
clan on the outside.
A few minutes later the janitor was
observed to bring the screen doors
from their winter crypt He said
there were too many bugs floating in
from the outside.
Are the Tigers really the record
breakers they have appeared up to
date?
Or are they just an improved ball
club that had pennant chance In the
first place and has been out-classing
three weak opponents?
Here Is the question that Detroit
and Michigan-yes and good share
of the American league Is debating
today.
IT'S true the season is one-eightb
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