The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-09-07

oAAAAAes gnCAK Hull OH liT6t place III the
American league, and majority Of
the sport writer's regard the ques-
ton OF leadership as about settled.
IN fact there is only one team in the
league that could in any way chal-
lenge their title and that is the IL
gers. But the latter have run their
race. The Detroit team is built
about Cobb. That is to say; when
Cobb and the rest Of the team are
good no other team can withstand
their onslaughts. But when Cobb
| is going good and the rest of the
team is going bad, any of the second
division teams can beat them. And
this is just about the way they are
travelling at the present time.
Plenty of news at local baseball
headquarters this week. The 1912
season may see the M. S. p. Irwin
clbles cavorting on the fine diamond
at the new prisons The Saltwater
Gazette informs us that rapid prog
ress is being made on the. buildings
down there and there is a possibility.
OF moving bag and baggage before
the original date planned-.Jan. 1st
1913. Of course this is merely a
chance and the glad event may have
to be postponed over another season.
In which case, Old Repeater informs
us, the Invincibles will be glad to
exhibit their proves at the same
old stand. Our budget of news
proved SO pleasing to the handsome
first baseman, that he announced his
decision to prolong the present sea-
sons schedule as late as the weather
will permit. He has also furnished
us for publication the grand batting
and fielding averages of the team up
to date. Lack Of space prevents
their publication in this issue.
Ina resume of the National league
situation and the close race now in
progress, Sam Crane, the veteran
New York critic, expresses the
opinion that the Giants ought to win
vs.t. IIy.o aieo 1l1s.iariys vr snrvoIaw .
personality and headwork to turn
the trick, not to mention such small
assistance as Big Six" Mathewson
and Rube" MarQuard are capable
Of supplying. Another western
critic gives McGraw special credit
and says in effect that he has taken
a second division team to the front
and kept them there all season.
With all due respect for the latter's
opinion, we venture to say that the
New York team is not second di-
vision team this season, nor has it
been such in the three years last
past. To put the Giants in b e
same class with Cincinnati, Brook
Ign and Boston, would be ridiculous,
even were they without the services
of McCraw to lead them. And when
the Giants trim such teams as the
Cubs, Phillies and Pirates they give
McGraw's head work the credit for
the victories. True 1T is that Nc
GraW is great leader in every
sense and the undersigned has no
wish to dispute that fact; but can a
great leader take second division
team and beat such strong aggrega-
tons as are above mentioned? We
hardly think SO, and in spite of what
Roger Bresnahan has done with the
Cardinals he has but second divis-
ion team. The Giants, man for
man, are first class, first division
team. and under McGraw's leader
ship have been right in the pennant
fight up to the last, in recent years
No team could occupy their present
position without individual merit
throughout, and we have not recent
| " witnessed the spectacle Of any
second division team in either major