Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-25
SEEN IN SIX GAMES
How the Work of the Local Nine
Appears.
RAGGED FIELDING; BUT GOOD BATTING
The Latter is What Won the
Games.
OF THE PLAYERS

little over a week has gone by since
the base ball season opened, and few, if
any, surprises have developed in the way
o. remarkable spurts by any of the twelve
Clubs. Washington has done well, exceed
ir sly well, in fact, but then, the club has
been playing at home, and the Senators
have always dore good work on their own
stamping ground. The long western trip
will determine whether the club will go up
higher or down lower this season. 1t is to
be hoped that Capt. Joyce will be back in
the game by the time the western trip be-
gins, so it can be definitely settled what
the local patrons can expect from the club.
The terrible blow Joyce received in We'd
nesday's game was unfortunate in more
ways than one. If BILLY" has yellow
streak in his composition it will be de-
veloped in such a way as to ruin his bat
ting for a month at least, and perhaps for
the season. Very few men would step to
the rubber after such accident without
a shiver and tendency to pull away from
the plate. Accidents of this kind have put
players out of the game time after time,
but it is to be hoped that JoyceS reputa
ton as a game man has not been mis-
placed, and that his good work this early
III the season may continue for some years
to come.
Nobod.. claims Joyce to be a first-class
fielder, but he is good sticker, base run
ner and fine captain, and it is more than
an even guess that had the Senators cap
tain continued in the game without injury
that terrible 'let down of the fielders in
the sixth inning of Wednesdays game
would not have occurred and another vic
tory would have been chalked up to the
credit of the Washington boys.
OF the other players, Abbey and Selbach
are doing the lest work, although Rogers
and McCauley are close on their heels
The authenticated man in right field does
not mind the glare of the sun in the least
takes care of everything that comes his
way, to the wonder of the visiting right
fielders, and at bat easily leads the club.
Setback is fielding up to the top notch. his
order.
McCauley's work has made "Old Relia-
bic Mcclure ginger up, as he cannot af-
ford to let a new man supplant him in the
affections of the local patrons. and fortu-
nately we have now two good backstops.
Tom Brown is batting all right. and his
fielding is satisfactory. Brown gathers in
the balls in his territory so easily owing
to his great speed that many refuse to
give him credit for good work, which is re-
liable and steady. Rogers is batting we'll.
and for substitute second baseman has
been doing exceptionally we'll The posi-
ton is new to him, but he is natural BORN
player, and will rarely fall down in any
position on the field.
Cartwright is fielding all right, bat has
not got his eye on the ball
Rogers, De Montreville and Joyce have
been putting some terrible balls over to the
big first baseman, but he has taken care of
them, and il is to be hoped that his batting
form will soon return.
Lush has had little to do. but appears to
be exceptionally quick, and meets the ball
with the stick like a 3UO-hitter. Crooks
return to the diamond will be hailed with
delight, as he acts as Il strengthened for
the younger men. His fielding can be re-
lied upon to be firSt-class at all stages of
the game, and as batter ne does very
well.
Capt. Joyce has apparently decided to
try out the young pitchers in the first part
OF the season, and those that do not come
up to expectation will be given their le-
lease. Maui, Mercer and Anderson are all
right, and two pitchers to help out must
be picked from the group comprising Nc
James, Boyd, Malarky ard Gilroy. Gilroy
is the steadiest of the lot. but as yet has
could only locate the plate, what a trio of
good pitchers they would be. All of them
have terrific speed, but a base on balls is
almost as good as base hit, and a nine
cannot win behind a wild pitcher To sum
up, the nine has done exceedingly well so
lar, but Joyce is the mines mainstay, and
he must get back in the game in hurry.
The other eleven clubs are doing about
what was expected of them. The Phillies
strength IS too we'll known to question
and II Captain Nash can get them to
play ball together the pennant is theirs to
a dead certainty. The Bostons are expecte ed
to do great work. but how they can do it
with only one first-ciass pitcher is a mys-
terry to close followers of the game The
orioles are all right. McGraw is missed
but they are not letting any tricks get
away from them during the little third
paseman 8 absence, If they can help it,
II the club can stay in the first division
until McGraw returns they will be
hghting the Phillies for the pennant around
August. The Brooklyns look well, and
so far have held their own but the men an
pear beefy and slow, and their pitchers
Will rave to do better work to allow the
club to keep DIP with the procession. AS to
the New York club it looks as If Gleason
is much overrated man; likewise Irwin;
that the club has good men, but won't play
them, through jealousy, and that even with
Rusie 1t will do well to finish as well as
last season. In the west, Chicago is show
ing up creditably, and may surprise the
wlseacres. Cleveland has not been strength
ened, but can be relied upon to be UP near
the band wagon throughout the season
The PittSburgs have been strengthened, and
may be dark horse for the pennant as
they appear to be srasping after everything
within sight, ard always ready to fight for
more. The Reds are the real disappoint-
1nent. 1t was thought the pitching staff
had been strengthened, but from the pres
ent indications Frank Dwyer will be the
standby, as usual. The outfeld needs a
good man. as Burke and Hoy are "in-and-
cutters playing good ball one day and
falling down the next. With Turner added
~ liie CiuD ana tne p1tcnerS doing better
work, place in the first division should be
theirs. st. Louis is the same old club win
ming sometimes with Breitenstein and los
ing regularly when he is not in the box
Louisville is last, and will stay there
throughout the season. The players are
too young and green, and won't stand the
"gaff' the Louisville public will give them
for losing games. The pitchers box is
weak and the wonderful claims made for
this club before the season opened already
look ridiculous. But the season is young
and all criticism is unreliable at this time
of the year.
1t is proba BILE that one of the landmarks
of the national game has stepped down
and out. Adrian c. Arson, the old ball
player and young actor, has, if the news
that comes from st. Louis is true, played
his last game of base ball. After a quarter
of a century on the diamond he has gone
to the bench. The lovers of the game will
be sorry 10 hear this. The big first base
man, although gruff and sometimes stub
born, was always as straight In his deal
ings as a yard of pump water" No one
can pick flaw in his record. He is the
soul of honor, and is credit to the ma
tional game. Although his colossal form
will perhaps never again loom up on the
right-hand corner of the diamond, and the
pitchers will no longer fear Ansons turn
Mt tie bat he is not out of the game an