Show LOOKING OVER THE P PAST ASI YEAR IN BASEBALL CIRCLES Game Prospers in Spite Spit of Great Odds Odds' Caused by War War- ar- ar Look Looh Forward Hopefully Hopefully Hope Hope- tUlle time Conditions Magnates fully and Plan 1918 Season Cobb Again Proves to Be Kingpin Slugger oj 01 Them Al All for Father Time to count is waiting every one standing WHILE V V out 1917 let lets let's Ps a n i glance back and see what happened in m baseball during the year To be bc frank the national pastime didn't enjoy the greatest great great- est st season of its long career yet ct one cannot be e so pessimistic as ns to sn say the C IATI was a failure The game was just convalescing from the attack of the Federal l league was was getting cUing hack back on its ts feet when feet when the kaiser commenced to get et rough with your our Uncle Samuel and war was declared on 1311 The of w war did not do baseball baseball base base- ball an any good good but but we were glad to see it come corne The fans the fans the ones who ho pay pa pay the freight of the game lost game lost all interest in baseball for the time be- be ing They had bad other things to think about an and the thc attendance all over O the country slipped But with alt all that the thc J game mc showed that it ir was a made ot of the old stuff stuff- that It will take a lot to close up the bl bI big league parks Dont Don't think that all the clubs in the big biff league lost money nor or dl did dh all of ot them make mako money The Chicago White Sox ox the worlds world's champions cham chan PiOus drew l large crowds wherever thc they played men played b be bp- before fore tot capacity crowds on numerous occasions oc 0 and the Chicago hooks books showed a n substantial sails galu last year On a a. whole liole the twinning team mad mado money mone 4 tho lo losers ors lost It It The same lappens happens almost every season on Cobb Cobh WInS Win In Honor Nineteen hundred and seventeen saw gaw Tyrus Tru Cobb the worlds world's greatest slugger slug slOg ger re regain his title from Trl Tris- Tris Speaker r. r the the- Texas exaN wonder o of the eJ Cleveland Indians When hen the season opened It was the opinion of oC many that the Georgia Georia Peach Teach was Va on th the down grade Ii de But flut he be le showed his time old-time form orm all year and won the hitting crown with points to spare Cobb ale ac- rord In 10 0 o western writers Is as liS good goodas as he ever was Speaker made a brilliant bril brIl- Hant ha-ant fight to keep his hk title lille but had to with sih third place In the National league the batting honors went to a dark horse so to 0 speak Eddie Roush Housh oC the of-the the Cincinnati Hods Heds copped 0 oE off the tile title by slugging the thc apple appo at a wonderful clip dIp and had no In finishing on lop top The ra races es In the two big leagues differed dif dif- dl- dl greatly re tl In the lie nn American It was close all the way wM while the Giants had everything c their own wa way in the older circuit hired d men won out in the American on only 1 after a brilliant fight with the Boston Red lied Sox ox who put up upa upa a a remarkable W fight ht to the last Al Also o otherl there therl were other clubs In the American league that had a chance to win The Cleveland Cle Indians put up Ul a goot good battle and so did Detroit Naturally the lie Giants were the bl big drawing card in the lie National but for or awl awhile Christ Christy I on and his Cincinnati Cin Cm- Reds made things hot for or John McGraw Mathewson clearly showed that that that-he he hI H a n maua manager er of or high caliber He the Reds and made a real ball club out out out-of of em The tram lacked a n a R few good pitchers that pitchers that weakness causing c the club to slump near tho the e of oC the season The Phillies und under I Pat Moran came through h in great grent shape hape through h the high class work of or Grover Gro Alexander Alexander won thirty thirty thir thir- lair lair- ty contests onte ts for tor the Phillies and put them them In second place Only One Change In 10 Only one change In managers was wal made In both leagues during the middle of or the season scalon that being in Pittsburgh h when Jimmy Callahan gave ave wa va way to Hugo HuJo ez ek The latter took the club lub club but couldn't Inject enough pep into Into it to get it out of ot the cellar before the season closed 1 All In all aU nothing sensational occurred oc cx- oc- oc marred all season Y Very r few new stars werf c developed dt George came through in great re t shape for tor the tho Browns Drowns but bur that was Wag expected of oC the Cards did well but he had been plucked a couple of at years cars ao ago Roush of or the then n Reds d and a youngster named Cruise of at Cards were wet the thc two surprises s of the National league learue Both Both- these lads pounded the pill 1111 at a wonderful clip all an year ear The past year saw the retirement retirement-at at least it looks that Va way of two of or the game games ames a greatest stars tars lIans Hans Wagner ner arid and Johnny Evers ers The Tho former tried I n n. come-back come with the Pirates but failed It is believed that he will wn be i al anion among n- n tho o missing when the tue call caB I conies comes next year Evers ers received his unconditional release from the Phillies and Is reported as ns through as a n player play- play or er r. r He may try to land a berth as a manager Also Samuel Crawford the noted D Detroit slugger appears to be through h Ho He played ver very little last year car and nd had a batting average under OO One b by one the grand old men of C the- the game are arc passing passIng- out their out their pl places ces Continued on Following Page Pase I LOOKING OVER THE PAST YEAR Continued From Pr Preceding Page being filled by some unknown young young- ster Its It's kinda tough to see sec em KO litO- litO but Father Time must have his way Rowland Shows Shown lUll llIn CI Cl While mentioning bushers we might fo say ay that the thc most famous busher busher bUJher Pants Rowland Rowland Rowland-Is Is now a real big leaguer Ho piloted the Chicago o White Sox Sex to the worlds world's title and showed his managerial ability True Truc he ho had a good club but any baseball man will tell you thata that a n good club is necessary to win with The White Sox and Giants went into the big bl series on even terms The games were wore hard fought Both managers managers managers mana mana- gers made many changes and Rowland won out He shifted his players used pinch hitters switched pitchers and did everything that a wise baseball lea leader cr would do Furthermore ho he was sue successful cess Till On the other hand McGraw the tho wIseman wise wiseman wiseman man of baseball was called a by man many scribes who claimed he used bad bud judgment in the fifth firth game gamo of the series which the Giants lost After tho the series was over all the scribes hailed Rowland as a real leader leader and aim gave ga McGraw tho the well known pan Rowlands Rowland's victory was also victory victor for tor Charles Comiskey the tho Old Roman For eleven en years ears Comiskey spent thousands of dollars to give the Windy City fans a winner Year after year tho the Sox came me cn close until this sea season on the they finally won the highest honor In bas baseball baU Comiskey deserves es a lot of ot credit for the way he worked and spent his money moner to bU buy players to make his team win Whenever cr a star was on the market Comiskey purchased him And everyone e save a t few w New Yorkers was glad to see the tho Sox win DUllY Bu y After Season Closes Clones After the season closed the tho magnates were as busy If It not busier busler than when the teams were vero in action They had the problem of tho the 1918 1913 season before them Would Woul they thoy cut expenses Would the they shorten the playing season Would they cheapen baseball In m the be before before be- be Those were the questions majors their fore tore them The two to leagues held meetings and decided to run about the same sarno as they the did last year the National league nicotine meeting tho the At of oft off f deal of ot the year was vas pulled biggest Cubs of ot the tho Charles when purchased Alexander and the star PhIlly battery batter for something ng like Uke A few Cow ow days Inter later Connie Mack zell- zell got cot rid of the rest of or his stars lug nig them to the Red Hed Sox for tor a big price all of or which started tho the Quaker fans tans fansto to holler for they had visions of ot two next season This deal deal teams c cellar followed by the trade of ot was as to the Cubs for WillIams Will Will- b the tho Phillies by the heels ot of this on lams Iams and right of still another big de deal l came rumors all ending to the tho view law that that major pending league magnates have na o no t other i f Inthe inthe in inthe idea than continuance of or baseball the war year of ot 1918 |