New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-24
COMMENT ON SPORTS
ViruIent Outbreak of FiCkleneSS
in Baseball Public.
RACING STILL IN THE DARK
News and Views on Live Topics
of the Day, Both Amateur
and Professional.

hall public. but rarely has II been shown IN
such a marked way as on Tuesday at the
Polo Grounds when the Giants were beaten
nv the Cincinnati Reds The home team
vas reviled and scof.ed at by some Oh
those present as II they were struggling
along in the last place instead OF hshuhs
desperately for the lead. 1t was the same
thing on THURSDAY. when the Cardinals TOOK
the measure of the home team aithouSh
not in such q pronounced way. ! have been
seeking the help Of Webster. Worcester
end the Century 10 find words suohs
enough 10 express contempt for such uil-
sneakable smallness, but ! almost sought
IN vain The man is despicable, meah'
nsItrv. sordid and bsse-these words heiP
.one-who stoops so low as TO )eer ana
rail one day, almost one minute ana 10
cheer and exalt the next 1t is pity that
IN. saffron spined shrmps" as my friend
GrantIand Rice calls them, cannot be iden-
titled and forever barred at the gate.
Baseball PLAYERS become hardened in
time Their finer sensibiities are numoed
bv the abuse hurled at them by the ones
who should be counted on TO encourage
and applaud II is little wonder under the
circumstances, that they can be accused
Of ustless indifference and Of feelingless
puppetry There are DAYS when to all ap-
nAsrsnces they go through the motions
without any heart in their work. The
average baseball player, like the average
man. loves 10 win, but the time comes
when discoura cement and disgust get the
better Of even the boldest, when those VINO
ar. counted on for advice or support are
50 weakened as TO scott or abuse when a
L.
there IS no way Of making sportsmen OUT
Of men whose interest begins and ENDS ID
q wager or whose heart is no bigger
than q nickel piece. The world is fulI OF
Gloomy Guses and Calamity James. They
may be excused for seeing no good IN
ANYTHING when fortune fails 10 smile. II
is their unfortunate nature. Those OF
happler disposition can pity this class but
they have only disgust for those who eX-
pect much and give nothing in return. AS
there is no way TO combat human nature
the real friends OF the Giants must submit
10 the annoyance.
7 remember a game at the Polo Grounds
three or four years ago when Frank BOW
erman, once Of the Giants, made his nrst
trip to this city as manager Of the then
Boston Doves. Il was one of the opening
games Of the season, and as the Glah's
were being beaten some of those IN the
crowd took occasion 10 jeeT and scon' az
was the case on Tuesday Even Bower
man. the manager of the opposing teaIn'
could not stomach the outrage, and Turn
ing 10 the crowd shouted: ION, say, give
the boys a chance" 1t was well mer-
tied rebuke and, strange as il may SEEM
had its effect at the time Cowards are
quickly cowed when a strong man raises
his voice.
thoroughbred racing is still cropping
about in the dark. The relief counted on
by those interested in the sport, to say
nothing OF the great breeding Industry
was not forthcoming from Albany. or at
the best. il has been postponed. 1t is hoped
that August Belmont, chairman Of the
Jockey Club, and his associates will con-
tinue the struggle to rehabilitate the sport
freed as it has been from organized book
making. even against the odds which con-
front them II will be no easy task, even
If what many consider an unfair and am
biguous law, which makes the directors
crirninally responsible for betting on their
premises is eventually repealed 1t can be
done however, as the turf has survived
sonally, ] have no sympathy with those
who see in the effort to repeal the So
called directors liability law a chance for
the return Of open bookmaking, which is
dead in this state. 1t is a far cry from
oral betting. which is not against the law,
10 organized bookmaking, which is. Fur
Their, II IS hard for me 10 understand why
the owners of houses where poolrooms have
ID Of Cd ND ho
law which makes it impossible to open the
gates Of the racetraoks.
There is no counting on the Yankees.
They have acquired the habit of losing
when they are expected TO win and of win
ming when they are expected to lose Hal
Chase the youthful manager, is being
blamed by many for errors Of judgment
and Of failing 10 make full use of what
many are pleased to call remarkably
strong baseball material. lie cannot be
blamed. however. for the injuries to and
illness of first one player and then an
other. which have handicapped the team
since the season opened. II is surprising,
under the circumstances, that the Yankees
have been able TO fight along In third
place for so long, and while they may he
doomed eventually TO the second division.
il is quite possible that they will still
FINCH in third place If Chase can only get
his regulars working along together for
more than two weeks al a stretch. There
is some satisfaction in recalling that up TO
yesterday the team had won eight out Of
ten games from the Detroit Tigers. the
last three IN row. which broke a run Of
ten straight by the league leaders
The number Of fans" who are roofing
for the 81. Louis Cardinals is arousing
comment in almost every city in the cir
cult Here in New York one would have
thought that Roger Bresnahan and his
men had usurped the allegiance due the
Giants. until the Cardinals reached the
Polo Grounds. when naturally the home
sentiment predomnated. As Sid Mercer
said: They're getting so close now well
have TO start roofing against them The
reason for the widespread interest I'm the
St Louis team is not hard 10 find The
Cardinals have been struggling along for
so many years at the tail end Of the sec
ond division that all good sportsmen are
filled with admiration for the fighting spirit
which Bresnahan has instilled into his
men. The one-time catcher Of tho Giants
IS building up d baseball machine which
will be hard 10 beat in the next two or
three years, barring Unforeseen accidents.
The men are playing with confidence ana
dash, which speaks well for themselves
and their manager. and which easily ac-
counts for their forward position in the
race.