The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-04-04
Refuse to Make Them Financial
Successes-Are Failures in
All Other Ways, Also
REST GAMES BETWEEN
PICKED TIGER CLUBS
&Players Say They Get Greatest
" Benefit Out of Their
I! Own Contests
RY RALPH L. lONh Z n.

IN Manager jennings ID lhoIousni' H''
III xusted with exhibition game trips oy
Ia major league baseball teams on 'neii
"a way home from the south.
81 In this he is supported, apparently
by a majority Of the managers or me
IN other clubs In both the American ana
N National leagues.
NJ n looks probable from the prevail
- ing sentiment at this time that long
& trina home with 20 10 80 exhibition
Y gnmes with minor league clubs VIII be
"a relics of the past within year or two
q and that the idea Of staying In tram
ing camp until few days before the
"A season begins will prevail.
There Is probably only one manager
\ IN the American league who VIII sti!l
hold out for these trips. He Is the
man who has conducted the most ex'
tonsive trip OF all--Charlie Comiskey,
OF the White Sox. Comiskey's trip IN
1.-The west has apparently been satls-
factory financially. IL is evident from
the reports from the west, that ne mas
been drawing large crowds out there
on the Pacific coast. But whether his
team will be in shape TO play league
schedule when 1t opens the season
~ A0Tll 10 ID dnOtHcf quoctASH'
Comiskey has made a success OF
this western trip because he invaded
u territory that was baseball crazy
and one that had not been satisfied
with major league clubs during the
sprfng, Exhibition games here In the
south used to pay some years ago
when the southern baseball fans had
not bean exploited by clubs OF recruits
supposed to be major league organi'
\ nations.
But now, since they have become
aware that they will see teams COM
a posed OF a few veterans who may play
few innings and a bunch OF recruits
are almost unknown, they stay
away from the contest The Tigers
have never drawn so poorly as they
= have on this trip. but IL Ia not the
fault of the club--it is the fault or
conditions. No club is making money.
Even the Maps, favorites az they are,
failed to create much OF an impression
1t New Orleans. The Athletics, too,
always strong drawing cards. were not
received with a degree OF wildness
calculated to inspire the box ONCE
moncy changers to any noticeable
\ amount of enthusiasm.
II Cobb had hean-with- the Tigers
4 during the trip now In progress. he
might have increased the attendance
n ct the contests to certain extent.
But II is unlikely that even Cobb could
y have attracted respectable crowds at
any OF the places.
The Tigers have never made money
on the southern trip. The Idea once
prevailed in baseball that the exhibi'
4 tion games on the way north should
pay or partly pay for tho trip south,
n That idea has flown In recent years,
4 The magnates have been forced TO
/ admit that such a thing is impossible,
Condition of the veterans and the
examination of recruits are the OBJ
j0cts of the southern trips nowadays
and the Tiger management, for In
stance. is willing to pay ont the $4,000
or $4,000 necessary to make the trip
- success without any hope of getting
d It back.
Even when the Tigers were the
American league champions they fail
NJ ed to draw while on these trips, In
the years 1908, 1908 and 1910 when
they came south with the pennaht
flying on their coaches they couldn't
n make expenses. The wender is that
4 the trip home hasn't been abbreviated
or done away with altogether long be-
n fore this.
II the exhibition trip Is done away
with, what will be done for games?
Contests with other major league
81 clubs playing in the vicinity of the
" Tigers training camp, Gufport, and
contests with the minor league clubs
near there and with colleges must fur
nish part of the answer.
But they furnish only the negligible
part, Judging from the comments OF
y the players. Games between sides
picked from the Tigers themselves
Furnish the real solution fer the aues-
ton OF what the Tigers shall do for
games.
Games with other majer league
clubs are good. They furnish the best
baseball that the Tigers can find in
the south. But there will always he
= scarcity OF such clubs that are avail
able. The Cincinnati club for in
stance, this spring was in no cendi-
X tion 10 meet the Tigers and they refus-
ed To do SO any more than they had
to fulfil their promises Manager
Jennings wanted Tinker TO bring his
club over to Gulfpert fer series OF
h games, but Joe refused because his
Club wasn't in shape.
Games with minor league clubs
a such as Mobile AID New Orleans. at
places that can be quickly reached
E from Gulfpert and at Gulfpert itself.
would be good. They would furnish
the Incentive of real opposition and
FN0tlld be comparatively inexpensive.
Ia Games with colleges should be
1 tabooed, IL would seem, from the dis
&ootisfaction found with them by the
4 players. They incline to make every.
*body pepperless and. careless, and are
E;o waste Of time.
Games between sides picked frem
me Tigers and managed by Manager
3ennings and Coach. Scout and Assist
mt Manager Jim Mcclure are the best
E1U9 everybody. the Tigers themselves
VERY man playing is a big Lacquer
Ia = near big Lacquer, The pitching
1fp)ohed IL Of big leaEue or near big
1GoA The hitting ia also OF big
80 or Of near big league variety.
~ there h plenty OF rivalry be-