South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-25
BASKETBALL
by Jack VeiOck.

| hundred and sixteen Will soon pass
along into the vista Of years. The
sands in the glass have almost run
/ their course, and when the last
! grain has settled with the birth Of
/ a new year. the twelvemonth which
/ is about 70 close can be placed in
/ the records Of time as one Of the
most successful in the annals of
| sports.
The great world-war has put a
/ damper on sporting events Of all va
rieties in foreign lands. but in these
peaceful United States of ours we
have enjoyed sports to the utmost,
and nearly every branch on che
| sporting tree has been blessed with
| successes. Because OF the wars
abroad the whole world has turned
its eyes toward America, and Amer
lea has furnished the thrills for fol-
lowers Of almost all pastimes CLASH
fed in sportdom.
Baseball, tennis, golf, boxing, rae
| ing. rowing, football and athletics,
] in all their branches. professional or
amateur, have enjoyed successes.
To cover the year of 1916 insofar
as actual sporting records are con-
cerned in this country alone would
require column upon column of
statistics. Records Of the many
events which have taken place in all
lines Of sport would show the break
ing OF many marks and the making
OF many new champions.
Taken separately, the outstanding
features in the major sports give us
plenty Of food for retrospection. A
comprehensive review of the most
important events in major sports.
therefore. is offered here. more as a
matter Of reviewing the year than
a matter of record.
Baseball Thrives Since War.
When the pact between organized
baseball and the Federal league was
signed the national pastime emerged
from the most serious ENHANCEMENT
into which il has ever been thrown.
But the stability Of the game and
the place IL holds in sports have
been amply proven by the come
back" 1t has made during the pres
ent year It is true that baseball
reforms may be expected, but from
the standing of the follower of the
game-the one who pays the freight
baseball has proven its mettle.
From the opening of the 1916
season until the Red Sox defeated
the Brooklyn Dodgers. in four out
of five games, starting at Boston on
the ninth day of last October. base
ball furnished thrill after thrill.
Early in the year-on Jan. 3
Charles Weeghman and his as
sociates purchased the Chicago
Cubs. and a few days later the Bos-
ton Braves were sold to Percy
Haughton and a syndicate of bust
ness men. In the same month the
New York Giants purchased Benny
Kauff. Anderson and Rariden from
the F'ederals
In February Judge X. NJ. Lands
gave the baseball world a thrill by
dismissing the famous trust-busting
suit instituted by the outlaw
leaguers, the exact date of his an
nouncement being Feb. Z. Two days
later Ed KOnetchy was purchased
by the Braves for sum said to
have been $4,000. and during the
next week the Yankees bought
Frank Baker from Connie Mack.
On Feb. "a Honus Wagner. the
greatest shOrtCtOp OF all time, as
well as one Of the greatest hitters
the game has ever known, cele-
brated his 42nd birthday Follow
ing along in April, after James c.
Dunn had purchased the Cleveland
club. the sale of Tristram Speaker
to the Indians startled the fans all
over the country. The sum Of $50
600 paid for Speaker was said TO be
the largest amount ever laid down
for a ball player.
And then came the playing sea-
son. with the war a thing Of the past
and the peace dove sitting calmly
on his perch. II was in May that
the New York Giants started their
first biz winning streak. in the west.
and they piled up Il victories be-
fore they stopped In July the
Giants again got into the spotlight
through the trade with Cincinnati
by which Christy Mathewson went
10 the Reds and Charley Herzog 10
New York. This trade was consum-
mated on July 90.
In August, the 25th day, TO be
exact. Fred Merkle went 70 the
Brooklyn Dodgers in a trade for
McCarty. Brooklyn's star young
catcher. and on the 29th OF the
same month John McGraw pulled
another thriller by sending Larry
Doyle TO Chicago for Heinie Tim
norman.
on the 18th eey Of September the
major leagues drafted "a players
from the minors. one OF the largest
drafts that has ever been made. and
then once again McGraw and his
New Workers came into the spot
light by winning % straight games
OF baseball. They had their win
ming streak broken in New York and
the Boston club was the one which
put on the crusher.
In the meantime the race for the
pennants IN both leagues held The
attention OF fans all over the coun-
Try. The American lesgue race,
with seven clubs IN the running up
To the laS1 OF Angus. was the mocsf