Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-30

vi to tho critics of the
ENSN quarter stretch" but
| \ 49, lie is by no means in
| ~ different There is not
X "rocter" on til g
blea hers who
"squeezes' harder for
| the success of the nine than do the players
themselves. Their very anxiety makes them
| nervous sometimes When to this is added
the Ironical jeers of the spectators it Is enough
to take the heart out of almost any player. OF
course cranks cannot control their feelings,
| but charitable suppression OF anger
against player who has been the
means, perhaps. of giving run to
| the opposing aide would undoubtedly put the
player on better terms with himself and he
! would realize that one run does not always
| mean defeat and that he may retrieve himself
! The best Of coaching will fail if the players
! themselves lose heart and are mortified. There
I Is nothing more admirable than plucky up
! hill game. 1t is harder to play than it is to
keep winning lead 1t calls out the very best
! qualities of player and frequently it results
| IN success. Even when it does not it creates a
respect for the players that causes general
| feeling OF satisfaction with the game even
| though it is a defeat for the homo team.
The playing Of such game is
greatly aided By the generous cheers Of the
spectators and an absence of jeerng remarks
| at unfortunate plays. These observations may
seem trite and commonplace, and they are, but
the occasion for them has frequently come
here in Washington. Their truth is shown by
the fact that teams almost always win more
games at home than while away and that they
arc expected to do So The base ball enthusi-
asts who go out to National Park can do moth
ing that will help to local success more than
by sympathetic and intelligent encouragement
OF the home niue. Let the nine know that you
are with them and they will! double their efforts
n M. fax Ylnra IGQp rafa nha oly<
that extra exertion that is always in reserve.
Mr.. Wagner says that be is determined to
have winning team here and will spare no
expense to have such nine. This is crafty
ing to the local lovers of the sport. What
every one wants to see here is nine that will
hold ats own against any nine in the country.
While money can do a great deal it cannot get
valuable men away from team that wants
them and can afford to keep them. There can
of course be no contract jumping this year
and We will have to look outside the league for
material 1t is not reasonable to suppose that
the cast-offs of the league, those that not one
of the twelve clubs wanted. can be desirable
eccessions to our team. Let well enough
alone is a good rule in base ball as the
ili-uck OF teams that constantly being
shaken up" has abundantly proved. Had last
years team remained the same from start to
finish it would have won more games. An off
day now and then does not indicate a PLAYER ia
worthless. The best players are subject to such
misfortunes. 1t is the constant pagging and
ever preseat fear OF managerial displeasure
that besets decentralization. st. Louis and
baltimore started in with teams that the man
ayers professed themselves satisfied with, yet
but about two weeks OF the season have passed
and the field managers Of both have been
changed, and those two teams are playing
the weakest game OF any in the league.
Important changes have been made in
both, and they have not produced
the desired results. Van Haltren gives up his
position at Baltimore and Glasscock at st. Louis
and the teams have done no better. Probably
more judicious selections at the start would
have made stronger teams. but patching up
the coat now will not make it a letter one.
Iinkering with team is an irresistible i'm
pulse with owners, but it is dangerous one.
Unless some undeniable and palpable improve
ment can be made it is always better not TO
disor2anize a team. Mr.. Wagner says that if
the team cannot win with Manager Irwin he
will get another manager. 1t doesn't make
much difference whom they have for Manager
they VIII win or not according as they
play well the reverse. and as it is
to every mans interest to play good bail, his
livelihood depending on it, he will do his best.
regardless OF managers. Does any one sup
pose that Manager Mutrie was responsible for
the success of the Giants? II any one does, it
shows that he is in the bowling wilderness of
ignorance. Manager Bancroft had a crack
team at Providence and won the champion
ship. The next year he had a weak team and
they were not in the hunt. He was no more
responsible for their success than for their de-
feat. Yet he was probably as good manager
one year as another. Manager Chapman is
another case. One year he had champions; the
next he had tail-enders, and he was soundIy
abused for their il!-luck. The fact is that The
manager is a very small factor in game. He
may hustle around and gather good team.
and he may enforce strict rules of conduct off
tine ball field; he may pay railway fares and
hotel bills and look after gate receipts and pay
salaries, but he cannot win games. Replacing
Irwin with some one else will not do any good.
Danny Richardson appears very we'll satisfied
with his Washington experience. He is much
surprised at the crowds that attend the games
Il had no idea that Washington was such a
good ball town." he remarked to the writer
the other night. Its as good as any in the
country. They turn out here much better
than supposed they would" The other men,
bers Of the team expressed the same opinion
They are naturally gratifed that they can draw
SO well, and every one is determined
that the capital city shall stand as high
in the race as he can make it 1t is
even whispered about that they have designs
on the pennant. This. however, is to be kept
quiet for the present. Such a contamination
is too good to be true. However, it is a good
thing that they have their eyes turned pennant-
ward rathor than at ''some position better than
sixth" The men seem pleased with the city
and with the team. They have been hampered
80 far with lack Of practice so essential to a
new team. They have developed s.eadiness of
work and the pitchers will improve as tho
season wears on.
How would it do to try three pitchers in
every day, letting each pitcher pitch three
innings? As q general thing it takes q couple
Of innings for batsmen to ''siZe up" pitchers
delivery. For that reason tho heaviest
batting generally happens after the sixth
inning. Now, if the pitchers were changed
| every three innings it might keep the
batsmen puzzled. or course there are many
| objections TO be urged against such system.
! For instance, if pitcher was doing well. if lie
| were taken ont at the end Of the third inning
| and another substituted and his delivery were
pounded, what q howl would 60 up. But it
might be urged it is only putting pitcher in
! that his merit can be gagged. Every pitcher
carried by club should be good enough to 60
| in any time. One advantage the system would
have would be that it would keep all pitchers in
| frst-class condition. A player who plays every
| day can play better, both fielding and batting,
| than one who does not. 1t is probable that
| one reason why pitchers are such poor hittcrs
| generally is that they play SO much less fire.
| quently than tho other players and get SO
much less practice with the bat
For q month we will be without any league
games. This il the time for the amateur teams
to make hay. Unfortunately, amateur base
hal aaap,a To bo couducfad on 1nosa huaiuasn