The Washington times., 1920-01-26
BY FREDERICK G. LIEB.

Three times in successive years
the Detroit Tigers won the Ameri-
can League championship in close
finishes, but each time the Michigan
Fennes were tripped up when they
tried to win basebalPs highest hon
ors from their National League ri
walls In fact, it was during Detroit's
ascendancy in the American League
that the National League made most
of its world series hay. Without
these Tiger victories the showing Of
the parent major league in its post
Sc on Iontes with the American
League would be sad indeed. The
National League has won but six Of
its sixteen worlds series with the
American League, and three Of its
vic'o ories were wrested from Jen-
n'ngS' Detro'.ers.
In each, 1907 and 1908. the Tigers
proved soft meat for Chances famous
Chicago Cubs. getting only one vic
tory and tic from the crack Wirdy
City aggregation in two years: but
smarting under the effects Of their
defeats Of 1907 and 1908. the T gers
went into the 1909 series with the
Pirates to do or die.
VI oitC i'CtIolt fSSp'Ssd-
bic showing and at end OF six games
the two teams were tied at three VIC
tories ap ece. The Pirates won ,hs
first game with Babe Adams In the
box. and thereafter the two teams
scored victories on alternate days.
Detroit won the toss for the deoi'nE
game, and II locked like q good omen
for the Tigers, for two OF it's three
victories had been won at Bennett
~. n IA
The entire sporting word had IT'S
eyes on the contest, eager to see
whether the American League cham
pions corld break the spel by wh ch
Pittsburgh won all the cdd-nu bered
games. The Pirates had won the first.
third and Ar games; could they win
the seventh?
Incidentally this 1909 contest md
the Gi"rt-Red Sox zane NJ 1912, in
which Fred Snod-rass wade hi his
torlc mum. were the only times In SIX
essary to play a dec'aino game, a fne
tribute to the honesty OF the sport.
He Wanted That Game.
Jennings wanted to win that game
as no contest In which the Detroit
club took part. A victory In this
series would help to atone for the
two defeats OF 1907 and 1908, and
would put the American League back
on even terms with the National. Up
to 1909 the National League had
scored three worlds series victories
and the American League two. But
defeat meant black eye for the
American League, and Internationally
would be taken as evidence of Ma
tional League supremacy
But the weather was against Jen-
nings on October 16, 1909. He had
prayed for warm Indian summer
day. so that Bill Donovan might pitch
the final game. Donovan had won the
second game comparatively easy. the
score being 7 to 2. But on the last
day II was cold. raw, and bIustery
The temperature was. down around
freezing and a biting wind blew in
from the lakes.
Bill Donovan always was q warn
weather pitcher. and this especially
was so toward the end OF his fam us
career. II was no day for wild VIII.
After warming up. Donovan told Jen-
nings his arm was not right. and thai
he should use another pitcher.
But Hughie had no confidence IN
any of his pitche! q, but Donovan and
George Muilin. and Mulln hrd won
the sixth game for Detroit only two
days before. He insisted that Dono
van go In. For three years. when De-
troit needed a crucial game. IL was
always wild Bill who was sent af.
ter It.
Jennings was Certssn-
"The old arm'll come around ali
right after you work couple OF n
nings, and by that time the boys will
get bushel OF runs f'r you" plead d
Jennings. They're going to get that
young busher. Adams. today"