THE _ SPORTIN , e Pace Setters One © Goal Lead To . Start. | y M. J. Rodden. study of the play-off con- at exist at present in the fonal hockey leagues and in fmateur league must of ne- { Jead to the belief that the of deciding the champion- 3 unfair, but to find a way the difficulty presents another gm equally as hard to elimi- " In the olden days a team finished first wom the cham- ip, and was regarded as with- peer, but under thé conditions 10 at present finishing first regular schedule of games nothing much except wasted and lost energy. 1924, for instance, the Ottawa finished in first place in the al League, and the Canadiens second, yet in the play-off Canadiens, whose rush in the part of the season featured the won the title. = Last winter } were first, St. Patrick's of » second and Canadiens third. a defaulted, and then Cana- ded to beat St. Patrick's in the title again. This win- ontreal were second and the Gttawa machine first, "but won the honors. Not Unusual. same thing occurred in the Canada League this year, Wictoria, third in the regular season, eliminated Edmon- pnd Saskatoon in the final pefore, the fact that BEdmon-~ 'a Ottawa finished first in the aés carrey little glory and But the rank 'and file he fans who attend the games } pe convinced that there hing wrong With a system ts pace-setters so unfairly. shout the National League this geason the Ottawa players 'sd on the top rung and in s0 sapped much of their strength. this conquerors of Saturday, 'machine jacked strong strength, and weakened the by using them too much-- that could not be elimi- It must be admitted, how- the Montreal team, even 'consistent as -the flashy rose to great heights when 'Ottawa. As a result, they wa to tle games on four and broke ever in the tests, each winning two. : ------------ . Fair Enough. comes the suggestion that finishing first should re- reward, and the best way to to be to concede the {ters a one or two-goal lead the final series. This would "all the teams to strive with heir power to finish in first and would hardly detract he interest in the final games. ur teams appear to run bet- form in the play-off gamer in do the professionals, but the + must not be overlooked that the generally face a long- more trying schedule. How- fn the O.H.A. race this year shed first and then lost to cers, London, in the play- @Galt's strenuous efforts throughout the oubtedly weakened some of ) and London stepped in 'and won the group cham- On Th ¥. or 'Ma Georges n goalkeeper of the professional hockey team al, who died at his home utimi Saturday morning, d in the Chicoutimi yy morning. Hun- sympathizers | says RICHARD SIGNS UP But Will Not Negotiate With Dempsey Just Yet. New York, March 31.---Promoter Tex Rickard announced he had sign- ed (ene Tunney to a blanket con- tract under which the former Am- .lerican lightweight champion agrees to box any opponent Rickard may golect for him during the 1926 out- door season, ) Although Rickard made no expla- natory comment, observers accepted his action as the first official move in his announced intention of bring- ing Tunney and Jack Dempsey to- gether this summer in-a 'heavy- weight championship battle. The Yankee Stadium in New York City is expected to be the scene of the pro- posed match as a result of the fail- ure of the New Jersey State Legis- Jature to pass a bill increasing the top price of admission for boxing contests to $50. The New York promoter now Is expected to make an immediate at- tempt to close with Dempsey. If he fails to complete this match critics here Jook for a bout betweem Tun- ney and Marry Wills, Dempsey's negro challenger, .who has been ac- cepted by the New York State Ath-| letic Commission as to outstanding contender for the heavyweight crown, Rickard said that he would enter | into no contract with Dempsey untit | after Aug. 3rd, when the champion's contract with his manager, Jack Kearns, expires. MORE REAL BASEBALL AND LESS HITTING THIS SEASON. New York, March 31.--Critics at the major league training camps forecast one radical change in the game this year as a result of defen- give measures to curb the long hopes of the "jack-rabbit" ball. From their observations of com- parative pitching performances they have found no indications that the resin ball has increased the effective- ness of National Leagué pitchers over hurlers in the American Lea- gue, which voted against the return of the "foreign substance." cpidemic of long hitting unquestion- ably has been checked by deadening the ball. Emphasis on old methods of attack----hitting behind the run- ner, use of the sacrifice, and: base stealing--is . predicted on the basis of offensive measures already used in training camp contests, "We have been using scientific methods more than in the last five or six years," says John McGraw, veteran pilot of the New York Giants. '"The new bageball is act- ing deader than the league baseball of the last seven years. This means that we will introduce a lot of the old stuff--more place hitting and bunting and hitting through the gaps. ; "The ball we have been using does not shoot through the infield any more. The old "tack-rabbit' is gone. Now we will see some real baseball." ---------- WANTS A CHANCE. Delaney Thinks He could Defeat Jack Demysey. Springfield, Mass., March 31.-- The Springfield Union says that Jack Delaney, rated the uncrowned light- heavyweight champion, now spend- ing a few days with his parents in Holyoke, near here, is eager to box Jack Dempsey on any terms for the world's heavyweight title. "1 really believe I would have an excellent chance against Demp- sey," the Canadian boxer is quoted as saying. "I know I can outbox the champion, and I am confident I can hit as hard as he can. He would have a weight advantage of: about 20 pounds on me, but I expect to build up to about 188 pounds with- in a year, and at that weight we could box on ' practically even terms." Delaney declared he is positive he can beat Paul Berlenbach, and that so far as a Dempsey match is con- cerned "everything i¢ up to Pete Reilly, my manager." For three years the Boston Braves have annually beaten the Washing- ton club. This year it looked as if the Senators would win the last '| game until the Braves pulled a six- run rally. The Washington players are superstitious enough to regard the double; deféat as a good omen, | since they have won two pennants 'on such a bad start. Joe Bush looks for a big year. He the large outfield space at Washington and the tight defence the club will give him should help him 20 per cent. = | Gr Instead 'of "Muddy" Ruel doing practically all of Washington's 'catching, present plans call for Tate find Sevarsig to get a fair share of ! work, So 1 GEFEPPLPREIITIIES TUNNEY FORA BOUT! °° + MAROONS WIN 8-0. +» -- + The. Montreal Maroons de- # feated the Victoria Cougars 3- # 0 last night at Montreal in the # first game of the Stanley Cup # series. This game was played # under Eastern rules, > CEPPPPAPPREEAIHEY PPP IINL TH MARBERRY SHOULD HAVE BIG SEASON The Washington Agenators' Saviour is Getting Into His Old Form. BY BILLY EVANS. \ ampa, Fla, March 31.--"If that fefow had been right we would never have lost the 1925 geries. On his condition depends much of our pennant chances for this year." President Clark Griffith of the Washington club was doing the talk- ing as he pointed his finger in the direction of Pitcher Fred Marberry. "How soft it would have been for him to have stopped the Pirates in the last few innings of the final game ®t Pittsburgh. "It is impossible to compute how valuable a fellow is who can pinch- pitch like that guy." Having umpired many of the re- markable pitching feats(that Mar- berry has turned in as a relief burl- er, I could appreciate the opinion of the Washington owner, Realizing what Marberry means to the Senators, I watched him closely for about 10 minutes as he warmed up to pitch a few innings against the Boston Braves. He scemed to be pitching natural and showed me a good fast ball. But his 1926 debut was far from auspic- focus. At the close of last season his fast bali would have scarcely broken a pene of glass, yet as he warmed up ke looked like the Marberry of old. Sent to the pitching mound To work for a few innings against Bos- ton, he at once changed his style of ease to a rather cramped delivery. His fast ball was just ordinary. He managed to get by one inning but They do assert, however, that thei the next session he was pasted for six runs and the ball game. Marberry had previously told me that his arm felt perfectly all right. Trainer Mike Martin, in explaining the failure of Marberry to show any stuff, said it was due to the fear he has of reinjuring the arm. He doesn't seem to be able to re- alize that there is nothing wrong, so instead of pitching free, he uses a cramped style that keeps him from getting anything on the ball. "It is just like learning all over again for Marberry and he won't strike his stride until he gets enough confidence in his recovery to cut loose." Unquestionably no club in the Am- erican League needs a pitcher of the Marberry type more than the Sena- ters, for the Washington club's vet- eran staff is prone to wobble late in the game. S Pitchers| like Johnson, Reuther, Coveleskie and Bush often find the nine-inning route a trifié too long. A pitcher like Marberry, able to step in practically every day and hold a one-run lead for a couple of in- nings, is: just about the ball club. Last season he saved 15 or 20 such ball games. Marberry says his arm i OK. but time alone will tell the story. It's too early to make a definite pre- diction as to the ultimate recovery of the injured arm. Would Break From The Quebec Amateur League Montreal, March 31.--The Mont- real Gagette in its sporting columns says: . oo "A move is under way in amateur hockey circles in the province to establish an association, independ- ont of the Quebec Amateur Hockey Association, to govern the amateur game, At a meeting of the Mount Royal League officers held Saturday the question of the St. Francois Xav- fer club and its dificulties, which finally resulted in its being barred from competition in the Allan Cup series as representatives of this pro- vince, led to the discussion concern- ing the adMisability of forming a new association. St. Francois Again. "The St. Francois Xavier team is the champion team of the Mount Royal Intermediate Hockey League here and beat Sons of Ireland, sen- world |» o DAILY yl Manager -Dave Bancroft of the Boston Braves can thank Connie Mack, pilot of the Athletics, for most of his present infield. Outside of Baneroft, who cavorts at short, Burrus, first baseman; Gautreau, second, and Riconda at my HITS AND JABS H By Joe Williams. i People who always {fever may be just naturally lazy in | the summer, fall and winter. On one of the Florida courses monkeys and alligators roam at lurge....This is done to make the old-time nineteenth-hole golfer feel at home. have spring The school of hard knocks may be all right in a way but don't do too much studying with your chin. Ty Cobb writes he used. to:put Jead in his shoes to make him light- footed. . ..But you never hear of a ball player putting feathers in his noodle to make him light-headed. Stanley Harris confesses he is us- ing the McGraw system in running the Washingtou club. ...And who is his Cozy Dolan? There are always two 'sides to every baseball ' question right side and the expert's. HELPFUL GOLF HINTS } BY WALTER HAGEN. Many amateurs make a practice swing before hitting the ball, but few, if any, of the pros do it. The in the way of preparation. One has certain things that he intends to do and 'to rehearse the swing before- hand. It is not a bad idea for the beginnér, but I don't think it hplps the star player a great deal. Then there is the daisy clipper. Hitting at a daisy and knocking its head off is an ancient custom, prob- ably invented at the same time or shortly after the golf club. If, in- deed, there were any daisies at that time to grace the golf course. Many a golfer before leaving the first tee can step nearby to a daisy patch and everlastingfy knock the heads off every one he aims at with neatness and precision, exhibiting a feet follow-through; them he can go back to the tee, stiffen up in his back swing, make an awkward lunge at the ball and half miss it. Wonderful what a great change the effect of the little white ball has on us, compared to the daisy, or any other mark that we practice on. ------------it i -- i LITTLE JOE | ad 0 ONE WAS SO MANY FRIENDS WE GAN AFFORD TO TURN EVEN A PURP DOWN BRITISH WHIG ---- GENERAL REVIEWS practice swing is, of course, made | loose and relaxed swing and a per-, Three of Mack's Discards on Braves' Infield third, were all dug up by the elon- | | gated Cornelius of American League | me. { Burrus and Gautreau were two of | b the bright spots on the Bancroft en-)¢ tourage last season. Riconda is ex- pected to prove a valuable addition, tLis year. stm No Decision Yet. i London, March 31.<=Bir Thomas Lipton on the eve of leaving for a| { business trip in the United States is | being credited with the intention of] b | challenging once more for the Am-| erica Cup next year. Indeed his | secretary has admitted he would | | like to try again, but says no decis- | {ion has been reached. | | This is borne out by Charles! | Nicholson of the famous yacht build- | | ing firm at Gosport, who telegraph- | ed the correspondent "I have no crder from Lipton for an America, Cup challenger." | Poke bonnets of shapes wir) many years ago, but now made ot straw, are seen in Paris. | | TIMELY COMMENTS - SPECIAL! Just unloaded a carload 1x10 No. T Hemlock; 10° to 16", heavy to 12' long. Extra nice stock. Get your requirements now. ALLAN LUMBER CO. Victoria Street, near Union. 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