New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-18
Kings of Sports
UncrOWned in a
Year of Upsets

little matter of lawn tennis to be at
tended to. Consequently the clans all
gathered at Forest Hills TO see the
California comet, the mighty Maurice
Mclaughlin, and his partners, r. Nor
ris Williams and Tom Bundy, go
through the formality of playing some
Australians who had eyes on the Davis
Cup. The fame that Mclaughlin won
in his wonderful match with Norman
Brookes was tempered by the easy
victory of Wilding over Williams on
the first day. Then followed the
triumph Of the Australians in the
doubles on the second day and the
winning of the cup on the third day,
when Brookes defeated Williams. Di-
rectly afterward. however. Mclaughlin
mastered Wilding and established his
claim as the greatest lawn tennis
player in the world. until he went to
Newport. Here Williams suddenly
came TO life and took the all-comers'
title away from the Californian with
singular ease. And fate had done its
worst TO lawn tennis.
The baseball situation is still fresh
in mind. For three years in row the
Giants had won the National League
pennant. and for thirteen years New
York. Chicago and Pittsburgh had
captured all the flags in the organl-
zation. Yet Boston, a hopeless tail
ender, forged up from last place in
July to first place in September and
won the gonfalon in a canter. Then
they assailed the Philadelphia Athlet-
les. who make a business of winning
worlds championships. Not content
with merely beating them, they took
the series in four straight games,
something that had never before been
done in the annual fixture.
Players Shoot the Chutes.
But there were other upsets in the
national game which were lost to view
when attention became focused on the
brilliant career of the Braves. Hans
Wagner, for the first time in seven
teen years, batted below 800 per cent,
his average of $50 making sad show
ing beside his previous record.
Rube Marduard, who once won nine
teen straight and defeated Babe Ad-
ans in the longest pitchers battle ever
staged in his circuit, that of twenty
one innings in Pittsburgh, lost his grip
completely and turned in eleven
straight defeats.
The mighty Mathewson lost nine out
of the last eleven games he pitched.
Walter Johnson experienced his poor
est season in many years. Chief Ben
der was knocked out of the box Tor the
first time in a worlds series game.
And so on with lesser lights OF the
game.
Then, too. there was the Federal
League. The prophets Of organized
baseball started operating on the out
laws early in the year. Never before
had a circuit beyond the pale been
successful. In March they said the
Feds would never start. In Aprli they
declared the new organization would
hlow mn before June. IN July they as
serted il would never finish the season.
But October found Indianapolis n pen
nant winner in a thrilling race.
Reversal of form did not affect goi
10 any great degree. Although the
three American guardsmen Oulmet,
Travers and Evans made a sorry
showing in England, victory was more
hoped than anticipated, and Ouimet
came back strongly in the amateur
in the United States and
robbed Travers of his crown.
The advance information on football
points to a season fraught with the
ups6ts which have followed sports
through the year. With the campaign
hardly under way, Harvard finds itself
deprived of the services of the great
drop kicker, Brickley. who was largely
responsible for a long series OF trl-
umphs on the gridiron. Consequently
the straws point toward Yale victory:
Already the Crimson has been scored
on, and so has Yale as well. Carlisle
has been defeated by Cornell, and New
York University, which did not tally
point all last season, rolled up 70
against Hamilton. If this does not
mean many upsets on the gridiron
nothing does.
After due reflection on all the sport-
ing fixtures Of the year. Jack john m
is advised to wait until 1915 before
risking his title with a white hop"
Willie Hoppe is warned to be careful
who he takes on in billiards, De Orc
should pick his pool opponents with
circumspection and Barney Oldheld
would do we'll to stick to his resolution
to quit automobile racing.
The crowned heads are falling rapid
ly these days, and any one who has
collection Of laurels should put them in
the safe and set the time lock for New
Years Day, 1915.