Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-09
FANS ARE PLEASED
Local "Rooters" Satisfied With the
Washingtons.
PLAY WELL EVEN WHEN THEY lose
Secret Of the Harmony Among
the Senators.
MR.. WAGNER'S TREATMENT

"a
"These be happy days. for the enthu-
siastic followers of the national game in
Washington. There are few who are still
outside the breastworks, and cannot con-
vince themselves that Washington has at
last winning team, but the enthusiastic
germs are in the blood, and will crop out
before the season is a month older. What
pleased the sincere admirers of the Sena-
tors almost as much as the victories at
Baltimore, Brooklyn and Cleveland, was
the error column on the days when defeats
came their way. In past seasons, in the
face Of continuous hitting by the opposition
club the Senators would go to pieces as
regular as the time ball would slide down
the pole every day at noon. This season 1t
is different; the club that wins has to play
ball from start to finish. Think of a Wash
ington club playing a game Saturday with
out an error; Monday, in the face of terrific
hitting, having only two errors. and Tuesday
playing another game with but one error.
The absence of the usual panicky feeling is
noticeable, and to this alone are the vic
tories of the Senators due. Confidence In
sures good batting, and while the team is
not lacing the ball up around the $50 mark,
they are doing some timely batting and
sacrificing like experts.
AS to high expectations Of the club, local
enthusiasts have as much right to be hope
full as the followers Of Baltimore club
In 1884. The Orioles that year were no bet
ter off thai! the Senators this year as to
| regulations. They had Mcmahon and
Robinson and Brouthers, but outside
of those three player particu-
lary well thought Of Jennings was yet
| to do his great work, likewise McGraw,
| Keller and ReitZ. AS offset to these
men, the Senators have Mercer and Nc
| CURE as star battery, and in De Montre-
| vile, Setback and Rogers players that so
tar have proven as good as the best. In
capt. Joyce counterpart of little McGraW
Is found as to the never-say-die spirit, and
Inc comparison may even be carried fur
| her as 10 playing ability and brains.
For further comparison, the Brooklyn
brotherhood team shows an interesting
parallel. Outside of Ward, Orr and Bier
baur, the team was unknown. Under the
assignments agreed upon the Indianapolis
club was to be transferred to Brooklyn,
but through underhand work the players
broke their contracts and went to New
York. Ward was in a quandary, but de-
pending upon his own coed Judgment he
gathered around him such men as Joyce,
| Van Haltren, McGeechy, Andrews. Wey-
hing and Duryea, and notWit hstandinS the
Jeers the club received at the commence
ment of the season it cut a wide swath
in the championship race, finishing sec
ond, and this in an organization that has
never been equaled as TO playing strength.
The citation of these facts simply ind-
Gates that a Well-balanced team with per-
feet harmony will win games where a
team Sprinkled all over with stars will fall
down. Joyce is pursuing the tactics en-
ploycd by Ward in the brotherhood year
and copied by Tebeau and MCGraw, and if
left alone there is excellent chance of
the team resting in the first division at the
end Of the season and perhaps among the
first three Should Maui and Anderson
prove at all strong in the box, 80 per cent
additional strength will be added to the
team, and with this added power of per-
centage there is no club in the league that
has a license to look upon Capt. Joyce's
men as easy picking
Take a dyed-in-the-wool "rooter" at his
full worth as base ball enthusiast and
there is no more unreasonable person on
earth. No matter how good the opposition
team is playing he will never applaud, and
! all close decisions given against the home
club are barefaced robberies. Even the
home players come in for his peculiar style
of abuse for bad plays, no matter how
earnest the players effort may be. Nc
Mahon undoubtedly won the championship
for the Orioles in "a by his mastery
pitching. and did exceedingly well last
season, yet he was terribly abused by a
rooter' in Baltimore last week simply
because the visiting team was hitting his
curves. To say that Mac was Wrothy but
vaguely describes his feelings, and but for
capt. Robinson he would have gone into
the stand after his traducer Down in
louisville last Sunday one of the six hun
dred rOOterS that accompanied the Cincin-
natl team lost his head over several adj
verse decisions by Umpire Enslie. 1t was
in the seventh inning that the climax was
reached The rooter in question stand
Ing In one of the open spaces under the
grand stand. Leaning over the railing he
called to Catcher Vaughn to come to him.
AS Vaughn approached he pulled out a
great wad of bills, and peeling off the out
side wrapper. he said: 'Tll give you 800
If you will go over and hit Emslie in the
'kisser' with your fist
Vaughn smiled, but seeing the "rooter'
col H. Wv
do anything like that. 1t would cost me
800 10 get out, and might put NE out of
the business forever"
1t is safe to say that this same rooter
would have taken an Introduction and
shook Emslies hand cordially after the
game, as the Cincinnatis won, but in the
heat of passion to murder the umpire
would have been a mild crime.
While bouquets are being distributed over
the excellent showing made by the Sena-
tors, Vice President ard Treasurer Earl
Wagner should not be forgotten and for n
service little thought of by the average
base ball enthusiast. 1t was only through
the persistency of Mr.. Wagner that Joyce
was retained on the team, and through his
foresight that Center Fielder Brown was
secured. Manager Schmelz is a well-known
enthusiast on young blood and equally adj
verse to old players, and had Schmelz been
allowed to rule the roost," it is safe to
say neither Of these players would now be
on the senatorial pay roll. No one claims
that Joyce and Brown are ideal PLAYERS,
but Wagner recognized the fact that these
two cid heads were needed to steady the
youngsters-Brown the outfield aud Joyce
1nsi lie the diamond-and the game put I'D
this season by the Senators completely SUBJ
stimulates the vice presidents good judg-
ment. Then. again. MIR. Wagners treat
ment of the players last fall, when he Sc
cured their names to contracts for this sea-
son, demonstrated that he understands
base ball players. Mr.. Wagner asked every
W af ho
airy ought to be this seaso n, and no matter
now high the figures weLt, he quickly
agreed In one or two cases. where a play
er underestimated his worth, Mr.. Wagner
generously added a good round sum to the
salary asked. Take the case of Mcclure.
He had been receiving 81 400 as a regular
salary and $500 additional for catching
every game. This season Mac will receive
his 81 800 and only work half as hard, or
catch every other game Each one of the
senatorial outfit is trying to demonstrate
to Mr.. Wagner that they appreciate kind
ness OF this kind, and games are coming
our way more fra0uenflv than co..o,o