Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-10
BY II. g. sALsINaER.

Coming in the same breath with tne
question that asks where q certain
team will finish: this year is the ques-
ton relating to the Individual ability
Of the star or stars of the team un-
der discussion. The work hinges on
the players, and the thing that oc-
cupies the base ball mind Is who the
real driving force Of the team will be-
Take every team In the American
League and you will find one or. more
men who are hopes" They. form the
basis Of the preseason dope" The
stars Of the game are the fellows on
whom the fan depends.
What would Washington be without
Johnson is often asked. Also. what
would Detroit be without Cobb" And
again, What would Chicago be with
out Lord and Walsh"
There is but one team in the Ameri-
can League that is without q real
star It is the one team that is unani-
mously picked to finish last this year.
ST. Louis is the club referred to. Still.
out OF the group Of recruits may come
one who shall lead them. That 10 the
part Of the game which offers the. un-
certainties in the preseason caloula-
tons.
No team in the American League
would be the same If one or two stars
were removed. But seven teams have
stars, and it is the star who 10 the
backbone of interest in q ball club.
Lack of stars on a club shows In thu
gate receipts. Detroit is the best draw
Ing club in the league because 1t has
the greatest number of individual at
fractions. Philadelphia's Athletics
credit and a great playing machine
will not likely outdraw the Tigers in
1912, because Detroit can fash Cobb
and Jennings. Crawford and Bush
Stanage and Donovan.
Connie Mack's team played wonderful
ball in 1911. They started west with q
wide gap separating them from the
Tigers. Jennings men had won twenty.
three out Of their first twenty-five games
and piled up an enormous lead. The dis.
would have on the average team did not
show in the Athletics. They put up the
earnest sort Of campaign. Slowly and
steadily they overhauled the Tigers. In
July they passed them: Detroit hung
close for awhile. but Philadelphia pulled
away and marched on to the champion.
ship They put up one Of the most bril-.
liant sprints in the history Of the game.
Philadelphia, with the kind Of ball the
Athletics were playing against the ar.
outdrawn the Tigers as team. But they
did not Connie Mack said late In August
that the Tigers were outdrawing the Ath-
letics three to two.
1T can win worlds championships and
1 can show them q wonderful base ball
machine, but still the Detroit team, q club
that never won a championship. is out
drawing us right along. l guess there is
q reason.
Asked what the reason was, Mack re.
piled:
1.-THE young man in center f1eld and q
few others"
sackors in the league. Eddie Collins Thi.
series Of 1911. should also be an attrac-
ton. .sChief' Bender win prove q
card" as he always has The Athletics
have other great PLAYERS. Barry: coombs.
they are not the fiashy type OF players.
They work together like q great machine.
but they do not shine individually. There
are no great characteristics that make
them distinct. They look more evenly
balanced than any club in either league.
Detroit possess for a manager one who
has been base balls greatest card In the
capacity of leader. Picturesque, with his
whistle and his original battle cries, w9v-
ing his arms. pulling grass and kicking
high. Hughie Jennings has amused and
thrilled. Many people who do not care
for base ball as a game go TO see Jen-
nings on the coaching line. His original
style has added thousands to the Detroit
club treasury,
Tyrus Cobb. after several years OF bril-
liant playing, has made himself reoog-
nized as the greatest player OF all time.
That in itself should make Cobb q much
desired party and a great attraction. but
Cobb is also one of the fashiest players
on the diamond. Lost is the day in which
Cobb does not perform some spectacular
feat, at bat, on the bases or In fielding,
Backing up his ability to do the spectacu.
Ar. Tyrus is an artist rs a press agent
The Georgian wins more space in the
newspapers than the President OF the
United States. He is always pulling or q
stunt that causes people to talk. He does