The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-05-23
BROOKLYN IS
THE EIGHTH
MODERN WONDER
Nobody Laughs When the DOdg-
ers Are TOuted for National
League Pennant
HAVE BUILT UP AN
AIR-TIGHT DEFENSE
They Are Also Beginning to Hit
Behind Nap Fucker. Their
Great Hurle:
BY HAL ERlOAN,
Written for the United Press. }

| NEW YORK. May 23.-Once upon
time there was decrepit baseball
| team known as the Brooklyn Dodgers
that played in an old ball lot shot
so full OF holes from the rifiing play
tiers OF opposing teams that the play
ers had TO hobble over the field like
ants running Marathon over a Swiss
cheese Then good fairy named
Charley Ebbets came along and built
a new park. all dolled up with a
grandstand that cost much moneys.
This good fairy had been hanging
around the team 10. these many years,
but II was the first new park he
had builded. When other teams came
| around, as they are wont 10 do at
ball parks. these same Brooklyn
Dodgers, who always before had
yelped and run when approached by
a stranger or even by their step
brothers, the Giants. from across the
big bridge, proceeded TO lick the very
daylights out OF them.
At first these strange, unheard OF
doings excited merely scornful laugh
ter and the wise ones said II was
an accident, a flashing in the pan.
but with each succeeding team these
erstwhile lowly Dodgers licked, the
impression began TO grow that they
were going some, and. miracle OF mir
acles, eighth wonder OF wonders they
do say now. and they're serious when
they say II, that Brooklyn may be
reckoned with the contenders for the
pennant
Moral Why not?
BY diligently scraping away the
cobwebs OF the past. some OF the
Oldest inhabitants may remember
that at this stage OF the National
league race one year ago. the Brook
lyn Dodgers and the Boston Braves
were flirting with and had a very
close acquaintance with last place.
The Braves being conservative souls,
have not seen At to change their
ways, but what the Dodgers have
done I'm the way OF jockeying for
position during the early weeks OF
the present seasons scramble, has
brought delirious Joy to the heart OF
Good Fairy Ebbets. and caused all
gnash their teeth while awake and
see things while asleep.
The Dodgers have shown that they
have built up an alright defense.
With Jake Daubert at first, Cutshaw
at second. Fisher at shortstop. and
Red Smith at third. team play has
been perfected. Cutshaw covers a
world OF ground at second and in
that Immediately vicinity. In the
outfield. the Dodgers have real out
fielder in Stengel, who Is establishing
a record as a fence-buster this sea
son. Wheat has not been batting up
to his usual standard. With Wheat
going naturally there will be another
argument why the Dodgers should
keep going. Hummell. completes
much better than average outfield &C.
cording TO his work of this season.
One OF the failings of the Dodgers
at one time was their failure to hit
behind Nap Rucker But Rucker won
three OF his first six games this sea
son. One OF the three losses was that
13.inning duel with Old Master Mat
~. Rucker has been going good az
ter only a fair start and Ragon has
been pitching alright ball. Allen Is
fast developing into star left
handler and though he lost some OF his
early starts he ought to spin along
nicely In hot weather. Stack and
Curtis are In pretty fair shape and
Yingling. Hall and Wagner look real
ly better than they ever have. Wag-
ner came from New Orleans with
reputation as good as that carted ~
by Demaree now with the Giants.
Behind the bat IL Otto Miller. who
ranks with the best Then there Is
Erwin. who has caught the new Dodg'
or spirit and is coming along. All In
all the bunch from across the bridge
look pretty good, Washington did IT
after getting a new ball park-that IL
they Jumped from humble ones to
slashing. fighting pennant contenders
almost over night. so to repeat, Why
not Brooklyn"