Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-02
Manager Schmelz Thinks the Wash
ingtons Are Doing Well.
GRIEVANCES AGAINST THE UMPIRE
Declares the Local Spectators to
Be Unsympathetic.
NOTES OF THE PLAY ERS

IL composed OF a set OF men VINO Tor the
most part never played together before this
season, and in spite Of the numerous draw
backs it has had to labor under. 1 am most
firmly Of the opinion that we will not f1nish
In last place." said Manager Schmelz in
conversation with The Star man. Just as
long as the men put up the game they have
been playing during the past week there
will be no change in the personnel OF the
team. Hasamaear is hitting the ball harder
than Setback was doing, and for that reason
think he is the better man in right field.
for the present at least. II a good short
stop could be secured we would make
grab for him, but you must remember that
Radford has not played the position since
1891. when he was with the Boston Associa-
ton team. Since then Paul has been con-
stantly in the outfeld but he is surely and
steadily improving in his play, and Is also
batting regularly, 80 / am of the opinion
that he will prove satisfactory from now on.
Esper Is again with the team through
solemn promises to President Wagner, but
he will not under any condition be taken
back should he infringe the club rules once
more
A Pittsburs newspaper man who is travel
ing with the Pirates remarked in the press
box during Thursdays game that Washing
ton is undoubtedly the most unsympathetic
base ball town in the country, and IL appar-
emily more ready to root for the visiting
club than for the home players. When this
statement was repeated to Mr.. Schmelz he
emphatically agreed with 1t In every par
ticuiar. In comparison with the other
cities of the league Washington is utterly
discouraging," he said. Here there is lit
tie or no demonstration over good plays.
While away on trips the men play with
snap and ginger that is absent when at
home, because of non-encouragement. They
hate to come home. We are playing good
ball, as four victories in four days demon
strate. Let the spectators pull with the
players, and the club will most certainly
continue the good work.
Notwithstanding all that has been said
to the contrary nine games have been lost
to us because of unjust umpiring, and we
always received such treatment at the
most critical moment of the games. AS a
sample the Boston Herald in it's report Of
the game there on Monday last speaks
this way: The game opened promisingy.
and some sharp plays were made, especially
by the visitors. The Bostons were enabled
to take the lead in the third inning, prin-
cipally through a decision of the umpire
favorable to Boston. Mr. Stage undoubtedly
meant to be perfectly fair. and gave the
decision as he saw the play, but Connaugh-
ton was clearly out at first in the third. He
would have made the third out, and Lowe
would not have made his home run. with
three on bases. in that inning at any rate
Il repeat that in spite Of everything the
Washington base ball club can play ball
with the best OF them. and when the race
draws to a close next fall we will be several
notches higher than tail end"
During the past week several kilograms
have been received at league headquarters
from various league clubs claiming the
services OF Joe Sullivan, whom the Wash
ington management proposed to release.
Said President Young: you might imagine
that Joe Sullivan was one Of the star play
ers OF the league. judging from the way
| RQvaraI n q ms N in, fh,
tumbling over one another to secure his
services, as soon as 1t was announced that
he had been given his ten days notice of
release. Chicago and Cincinnati were par
| ticularly anxious to get him."
In this connection 1t will be remembered
that "Grandpap'' Arson has had a fancy
for Sullivan for more than a year past
During one OF his visits to Washington last
season. when the washingtonians were
complaining that Joe Sullivan was lacking
| in several important qualities which 60 to
make up good short stop. Arson looked
the Boston boy" over critically, and re-
| marked that he would take the lad when
| ever Washington was ready to release him.
1t is apparent to all those who have fol-
lowed the work Of Paul Radford during the
| past two weeks that he is not at home In
the position of shortstop. He admits HIM
| self that he cannot do the position justice,
the out-of-town Washington games says
Radford was exceedingly weak in fielding
| ground hits. and his errors cost the Sena-
| tors many runs.
| In the opening Pittsb-g game here
! Thursday the two star lefthanded pitchers
OF the league were boxed" as opponents
II Is hardly necessary to state that Frank
killen and Charlie Esper are the two men
| referred to. Esper has made his peace with
| Manager Schmela, and is once more back
| In the Senatorial fold. For eight innings
Esper had the best of the argument against
| o1fhn,1oh he 1ott hol 49,, ~
| better support. II Esper had a team COM
| posed of such hustlers Jack Beckley,
| Bierbauer, Lyons and Jack Glasscock, to
| say nothing about Connie Mack or Snyder
| behind the bat to sustain him, he would
probably prove more effective than his
| Pittsburg rival. Esper is a better fielder in
his position than Killen. and he is q better
batsman.
Jim McGuirs's work behind the bat for
| the Washingtons is one Of the few bright
spots in the teams exhibitions. He is
| catching batting and throwing better this
| season than he did when he was the star
catcher of the Philadelphia club. In the
| batting averages published recently Macs
record did not show up as we'll some OF
his companions but his timely and effective
stick work has netted the Senators more
runs than that Of any other member Of the
| team.
Umpire Tim Hurst has presided over a
majority of the Washington games and he
has had better opportunity to Judge the
work of the local players than the writer
1t is therefore gratifying to Charlie Alb.
bey's friends to hear that Mr.. Hurst con.
slders him one of the best outielders in the
| league today. Speaking of Abbeys all.
| round work, Mr.. Hurst says he is fast
| enough to play in any team in the league
TIe picks out the good balls delivered by the
opposing pitcher with rare judgment. He
Is a hard hitter, a brilliant fielder and the
best base runner in the team. Best of all
he plays ball from start to finish, and has
no time for kicking"
| After seeing the Washingtons and Louis
| villes play three games the general impress
| sion here is that Gus Schmelz has tea n
| that should beat billie Barne's Congress
| of Back Numbers out in the race Wash
ingtonians realize that they do not possess
| winning ball team at present but the
| "Barnieites" are surely weaker than tn,
Senators.
! Patsy Donovan, the energetic captain OF
the PittSburSs, still cultivateS that very dis
agreeable habit of running in from the out
field to question every decision that appears
| to him to be a little close. In Thursdays
game he dashed in from the right field t
| dispute one of Tim Hurst's rulings and was
proceeding to make threatening Eestur,
| under Hurst's pose whereupon Hurst as
sumed an offensive attitude and gave PATSY
| rude push backward with the declaration
| that he would put him out of the game
| Patsy subsidized and did not debate further
with the umpire during the contest. There
IS too much kicking at the umpire on al