San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-02
BILLY EVANS SAYS

Every sport thrivcs on uncertainty
II everything was always cut AMI
dried, if the unexpected never hap
pened, sports would soon lose popular
favor.
COLI will always be an interesting
sport because OF the great uncertainty
of the game. Golf champions just get
acquainted with their titles when they
are dropped into the discard. The
making of n new champion always
adds a new flavor to the game.
Take, for instance. the recent win
ming of the national open Champion
ship by Bobby Jones of Atlanta. II
Gene Sarazen had repeated, the event
would have added no enthusiasm to
the game. Instead, the winning Of the
title by Bobby Jones, after he had
time and again seemed certain to &
over. was a great thing for the royal
and ancient pastime.
In tennis for a half dozen years a
few players have molopoli2ed the
field, to a certain extent killing inter
est. Bill Tilden and Bill Johnston
have had n decided edge in the mascu
line end of the game, while Mrs. Ma
lory has been even more dominant
among the women players of tie
United States.
The recent defeat of Mrs. Mallory
by Miss Wills. the 17-year-old school
girl wonder from California. is tine
finest thing that could have happened
to the tennis game The triumph Of
Miss Wills, q colorful miss who has
been coming fast for two or three
years, will tend-to stimulate interest
in tennis. particularly among the
women players. The unexpected de-
feat of Mrs. Mallory simply proves
that no player in any sport, however
great, is inyincible.
Baseball thrives on uncertainty.
That is why for six months ii can
daily draw big crowds. Championship
fights at stated intervals go big. In
the fall. important football gam
played once n week, draw out the
sport lovers. The big tournaments n
golf always excite the pOpulace. But
after all no sport has the direct appeih
of baseball. because no other sport is
played every day for six months.
l have seen number of unexpecteu
happenings in baseball this year. Re
Gently Washington invaded Cleveland
for a five-game series. The Washing.
ton club had an outfielder on first.
a catcher ar third. the manager Of the
club. who has practically retired from
active play, at second and an aillns
pitching staff. Injuries had rendered
the Washington club 4 misfit aggrc
CATION. 1t looked like a soft series for
Cleveland. four out of five sure ami
possibly a clean sweep OF the series.
Cleveland took the first game. then
dropped the next four. That misfit as.
gregation played like world cham
pions.
Recently / worked a double-header
at the Yankee Stadium in New York
with the Detroit club. New York won
the first game, 10 to 4. A crowd OF
10000 was in attendance. When NeT
York came to bat in the last half OF
the ninth of the second game the score
was Z TO 8 in favor Of Detroit. The
first two men were retired. Thousands
had filed out of the park as the final
inning was being played. With two
strikes on Ruth the game seemed over
Babe hit n home run on the next bali
pitched. Elmer Smith. the next batter.
hit the second ball pitched for home
run. Pipp singled and Ward got on
through an Infield error. Ernie Jonn-
son. sent in as a pinch hitter. doubled
and the score was tied. New York
won out in the next inning. No game
ever demonstrated the uncertainty o.
baseball more than that one. -.