The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-02

sold TO the Milwaukee club OF the
American association. And Tom was
canned" for rea- ---------------
son that is prob WHY TOM
ably unique in JONES WAS
baseball He was CANNED"
discarded, not bee -------t
cause he was short the stand
ard of the American league; for
there are and will be next season
many poorer frst-sackers i'm this or.
eanization than the veteran miner.
His sale came solely because the
management OF the Detroit Baseball
club realized that, in case Tom should
be again member of the training
party. he would probablyidemonstrate
as he has a score Of times before. that
he was the superior of the ambitious
youngsters who We're being groomed
TO take his job away from him,
The Detroit management is insist.
ent on young blood Tom has passed
the young blood stage many moons
ago. Yet it's still a moral cinch that
he would have been large factor
in the spring race OF 1871
It's a peculiar condition, isn't II,
that finds a club discarding man
for fear he'll prove himself better
that the substitute who is going 10
REPLACE him? Yet there is a very
logical reason.
To secure young, hustling, cap
able guardian OF first base, the De-
troit club will have To spend some
time in development. With Tom on
deck. how could the club develop q
youngster? The old boy would be
out there, playing that sack every
afternoon and the youngster would
be chatting on the bench, wishing for
any old sort OF change that would
give him a chance 10 play ball.
A desperate remedy for desperate
case, isn't It? But it's one that is
likely TO appear in other positions
on this same ball club, next year.
And it's one whose merits will be
whole lot more apparent two years
from now. than in 1911.
But, at that, IL ought TO be source
OF melancholy pride for Tom that his
release. when il came. was not the
result of losing battle for the bag
with some hustling young fellow OF
the type Tom has. been sending back
to the minor leagues for so many years
while member OF the ST. Louis
Browns, as well as the Tigers,
Tom Jones served Detroit's baseball
interests faithfully and we'll There
is not a friend of the game in this city
that does not wish him that success
which he SO eminently deserves.
We have coin to wager that there's
one sporting editor with whom Tyrus
Cobb will never have an argument re-
garding ability or temperament. It's
the phrase-mason of the Augusta
Chronicle.
WHY not compromise and let the
Columbus association spin the wheel,
distribute the paddles and manipulate
the elusive pea for a couple OF weeks.
while the race horses are doing their
little stunt elsewhere?
And now comes word that Bill
Hart, who was a star In the days when
Noah pitched the ark. Is going TO be
regular performer In the Southern
league again.
Professionalism remains the one I'M
pardonable sin In college athletics but
one notes that the annual winter ne
gotiations regarding schedules are al
ways shaped up with some reference
TO paying crowds.
Mr.. Hedges OF 81, Louis has always
appeared TO us a gentleman OF affable
nature and courteous bearing but.
when he gives banquet and feat
ures II with a speech in which he laws
at the door of a former manager the
failure OF his club TO recruit new
blood. Il strikes MS as not exactly the
sportsmanlike thing, don't you know?