Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-25
THE GEN ERAL INTEREST

team coming BACK on the 2Stn OF TINS
month suspends the Departmental League
schedule from that date to June 10. 1t is
expected that the teams will use every
spare minute for practice, and that June
~ will inaugurate new system of playing.
What nearly all of the teams seem to
need is a good set of outfielders. Some of
the clubs are very well provided in this
respect but the most of them are deficient
| in hard-hitting, sure fielders in the outside
gardens. Another thing is the lack of
clubs. A number Of the clubs have some
really excellent ball players but they
don't seem to win games. They have play
ers who cover their own positions in the
very best of style, but when 1t comes to a
case where team work would save a score,
they are not there.
A great deal of praise has been bestowed,
and justly, on the umpires of the Depart
mental League. Hardly without exception
they have proven themselves to be capable
and efficient and fitted in every way to oc-
cupy the thankless position of an umpire.
The managers of the league should be
congratulated on having such an efficient
corps of these necessary adjuncts to good
base ball games.
About the Teams.
There seems to he something radically
wrong with the Washington Light Infantry
team They have a number of good play
ers-Wisner, Winkleman, Gilroy. Klein
schmidt and Gleason-and while the others
are not up to the standard set by these
five, yet they are very creditable set of
bal! players. Wisner is an ideal captain,
and why they have not won more of their
games is a mystery.
The Government Printing Office team is
another one which was thought a great
deal or before the opening of the season.
Their principal weakness appears to be in
the box, however, and as soon as that is
remedied they will probably play better
ball.
he frxyo oI,o
still in first place. and from present ap-
pearances it looks as though they would
stay there. The strength of these two
teams Is in their batteries. Fuller and
Orspada are both hard men to beat, and
although the support which is given them
Is hardly better than that accorded some
of the other clubs, still their skill enables
them to win the games. Unless something
unforeseen happens. it is to be feared that
the other clubs will not get even sight of
the trophies, unless they should speedily
develop some good pitchers and some bet
ter outfielders.
The Pension Office team appears to pull
pretty well together. Their play is snappy
and full of life, and they can be looked fer
very near the top at the close of the sea-
son.
The Post Office Department teams cap
tain seems to think that any method will
do to win game, and by his playing ineli-
gibles forfeited game to the opposing
club. The team appears to be a fair one
and should make a good showing.
The Treasury and the Army and Navy
teams We're somehow reckoned to be the
weakest In the league. The latter team
disproved that, however. and though they
have fallen by the wayside a trife, yet
they hope to make up their loss in a short
time: The Treasury Department is pro-
vfded with good pitcher, and II they had
outfielders they would play winning ball.
The men on the City Post Office team
look like ball players for the most part but
the fatal lack of team work tells on the
ri nh inf ic fo;,,
but again there is that big hole in the out
field. The support received by this club
from the office however, is the heartiest
that is given to any, and they should en-
deavor to play winning game for this
reason If for no other.
As to the Players.
McMaraway of the Army and Navy
team has rather remarkable fielding rec
ord for catcher. In the last three games
he has taken part in he accepted thirty
three chances with only two errors. In
the last game he accepted fifteen chances
without an error. His batting was also
good and he was especially lucky on bases.
He secured eight hits in three games, bring
ing in seven runs.
Mckee played short in Mondays game
and thereby showed his entire fitness for
the position. He has record in that
game Of nine hard chances and one error
and that a most excusable one on a red
hot low ball. His work was full of snap
most perfect.
Sprigman held down second base in the
opening game of the week in a manner
that justified all of his admirers predic-
tons that one day Jimmie would be ball
player He accepted nine chances with
cut an error, handling every ball in way
that savored very much of professional
ism. He also had a remarkable record at
the bat, making six base hits out of six
times up.
Ravens is another catcher who has a
good fielding record. In recent game he
accepted twelve chances without an err
ror.
Wisner of the Washington Light Infan-
try team has splendid record for third
base in the last three games which he has
played in. He accepted in the three games
twenty chances without an error of any
description. He also has the record of
stolen bases so far this season, having pur-
Joined twelve bases in three games. His
largest number in one game was seven,
and that off such a good catcher as Nc
ManaWay.
Wisner is probably the prettlest and best
base runner of the league. He takes every
chance, no matter how many men are out
but he never throws himself away on fool
ish opportunities, seeming to know just eX-
actly when to go and when to stay when
the ball Is pitched to the batter. His slid
ing is as pretty as that done by profess
sional, and it is a good second or third
baseman that gets the ball down quick
enough to catch him before he has reach
ed the bag.
KIeinschmidt is one of the star felders
of the league. He probably covers more
ground than any other outfielder in the
league and the expression that goes with
every ball that is knocked to him is "in
the tar barrel" Several of his catches in
recent games have been of tine sensational
order and have caused any amount of en-
thusiasm. He also cut off some good hits
that seemed sure in the game between the
C. A. c. and the w. l.. I. C.
Orspada, the pitcher Of the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing team, does not
seem to exert himself very much in a
game but he succeeds wonderfully well in
keeping his opponents hits well scattered
Inability to hit him has been the cause of
most of the bureaus victories. He never
loses his head, but pitches the same tricky
deceiving ball, no matter how much the
coachers talk to him. or how many men
there are on bases.
Mills is one of the best fielding pitchers
in the league. When the treasury team
played the w. L. 1. c., Mills accepted eight
chances without error two of which
were outs and the rest assists. This is to
be much commended, In view of the fact
that nowadays most of the star pitchers
prefer to let the fielders handle the ball
in preference to trying to get 1t themselves
sometimes giving the runner a base moro
than he should have had. Mills Is also a