Evening journal., 1914-09-17
WAR ABROAD HURTS
THE Sporting CAME
Cream Of European Athletes
on Fighting Lines Instead
of in Gyms
BOSTON KEEPS UP
PENNANT FIGHT
BY hal SHERIDAN.

written for the United Press.
NEW YORK, Sept. 1.-THE death
knell Of international sports-for a
couple of seasons at loast--has been
sounded by the great war now raging
in Europe. Not only will the coun-
tries of Europe not have any time
for athletic engagements-the mili-
iary ones coming first-but It is ex-
tremely unlike that any of them viii
have enough first class athletes when
the war is over to assemble any kind
Of an athletic team.
The cream of Europe's athletes are
practically all on the battletlelds
now. A great majority of those VINO
helped to wrest many and divers
honOrs from Uncle Sam during the
past year on the athletic field were at
that time members of the armies in
their respective countries. Those
who did not belong to the army have
joined since the war started almost
to a man. Il is hardly likely there
fore that all Of these or even the
biggest part Of them will survive the
great struggle. And it will take
years before Europe ~ especially
Great Britain-ever assemblies such
crack quota Of athletes as it hurled
against the United States during the
past year on fields Of sports.
A little resume of what Johnny
Bull did to your Uncle Sam wouldn't
be out of place right now, since all
international sport conflicts are off
fer the time being. Scanning the
past year we find that the two coun-
tries have clashed in seven big
events. Out of these seven events
cur cousins from across the big
pond pulled away with five victories,
leaving Uncle Sam two.
Figuring it out on the percentage
basis it has been d pretty bum year
for American athletes. Their two
wins as against Ave defeats givo
them a percentage Of .2S6, and even
tail end club in a baseball league
would sneer at that John Bulls
percentage would be .7l4-some
mark as marks go. II seems like
only yesterday--it was last year in
! fact-that we were conCOcting many
a pun about the athletic ability Of
/ our relatives in the British Isles.
/ They weren't winning many conflicts
in those days. And then 1t hap
penedl
At relay racing, golf. polo. boxing
and tennis, Uncle Sans athletic re-
presentatives got such a licking as
they never had had in the history OF
| international sports. They had no
alibi to offer. They we're trained to
the minute in every case and we're
beaten simply because they met bet
ter men. Four of the seven events
v ere staged on this side OF the water
So that the away from home stun
wouldn't go. either. Four times
England invaded America and out OF
those four trips she carried away
four trophies The z. S. boys visited
I England twice and broke down even,
Young jay Could and the Harvard
second crew saved us from complete
defeat annihilation-Gou at court
tennis.
The next few years should sec
America improving all along the
l line. tTncle Sans athletes probably
would have wrested back a great
many of the lost laurels even had
Europe's ranks not been devastated
by war Young stars are fast crop
ping up and the future for Z. s. ath-
letes is unusually bright.
It will be many a year, in all like
lhood, before such a race as Is be-
ing staged in the National League
Hthis season will be duplicated. The
teams are now in the stretch, there
being only two weeks more to "a
and as yet picking the winner is
prccarious occupation.
There IS no doubt but what Mana
ger John McGIaw. Of the Giants
played trump card when he an
nexed Marty OToole, of S22.50
Same. from the Pirates. With the
latter club, this red-topned spitbal
artist was a failure-due to a greal
many things With the Giants he Is
more than apt to prove one of the
best pitchers the game has ever seen
That old reserve strength tells the
tale Without it no winner can &c
over-be it horse, man or machine
This was never better illustrated
Than in the hot race in the National
league. The Giants and Braves have
that thing called reserve strength
tLat something TO fall back upor
when a tight place is reached. II
the case of the Giants Christy Mat
lhewsOn is largely the teams reserv,
strength. In times of need McGrav
always calls upon the Old Master tC
save him and it is seldom that the
great pitcher doesn't come through
with winning colors.
AT Boston George Stallings con
stitutes most of the reserve strength
No matter how blue the outlook. th'
Braves fighting manager is urging
his players on to their limit and ther
some He never quits and will no
tolerate on his club a player WHIT
viii ever say beaten until the las
: man is out
The ST. Louis Cardinals have mad'
a great showing this year and th'
Mound City fans cried for q moment
But the reserve strength wasn't ther'
end when they hit the tight places
5 fhe team blew up. There was moth
ing to fall back upon.
A Lame Back-Kidncy Trouble Cause