Evening star., 1897-04-17
SAW THE,PRESIDENT
Washingtons Team Presented to the
: Chief Executive.
INVITED 10 OPEN fHE sRAS0E
Al. Maui Signs Contract for the
Present Year.
O.
i i -
CONFIDENCEi IN HIS ARM
INVITED 10 OPEN fHE &iSQ
CONFIDENCE IN HIS ARM

President Mckinley displayed his inter
est in the nationa, game today by stopping
the flow OF Office seekers into his office at
the White House while he received the
officers anc players of the Washington
Base Ball Club. accompanied by President
Young Of the National League. The inter
view was arranged through Secretary Per-
ter by Secretary Robb of the local club.
At Il o'clock Secretary Robb marshaled
the club at the White House. but it was
nearly / O'Clock before the President was
able to receive them. As the club filed into
the private room of the chief magistrate
they all lred up in semi-circle and were
presented by Mr.. Porter, secretary to the
President. President Young was presented
first. tnen Earl Wagner. Manager Gus
Schmeiz and the remainder of the team.
The President had quite a little chat with
Manager Schmeiz when the latter recalled
the fact that in 1892, while governor Of
Ohio. the President had thrown the first
ball into the diamond for the Columbus
club. OF which he was then manager, and
that the club had won the championship
that season of the Western League. The
action of the President at that time was
taken as a good omen and Manager Schmelx
intimated that the same Office, IL performed
by the President for. the Washington club
at the opening Of the championship race
next Thursday, might land the Senators
winners IN 1907.
The President smiled and replied that he
remembered the. incident very well indeed,
aid that If he saw his way clear he would
repeat the performance at National Park
Thursday.
All the players were immensely pleased
with their experience at the White House.
ard their expressions as they came out OF
the Executive Mansion, while not strictly
eieSar,t. were expressive and to the point.
Captain Tom Brown. who is little su-
perstitious, as old players are wont to be,
sad. How can we .cse after that? We've
got the pennant Sure.'
Charley Reilly. the new third baseman,
with an enthusiastic and expressive shake
si;kr'
Win Mercer. Ed. Cart wright, AL. SeIbach.
jim Mcguire and Hillary Swain took the
introduction like thoroughbred politicians
and cna of them remarked thai they had
seen the President meny times before as
tEeir homes are not far from Canton and
that the Washington club should be re-
named the Buckeyes" on account of this
large contingent hailirg from Ohio
Manl Signs.
Earl Wagner was happy man this morn
ing. The last maH1te sign a senatorial con-
tract was brought iwithin the fold, and this
lucky individual was Albert Maui. making
lhe cftire aggregation of twcnty-one full
hecSed Senators for the season of ~ Mr.
Wagner and MANAGER 'Schmelz were SO well
pleased by the exhibition given by Maui in
nhCfsoay's game With the Richmond club
mat the CONCLUSION was reached to give the
pitcher the same contract he had last wear
ana the same that the other -pla vers hay,,
Maui has all along insisted that his arm
Hao resained IT'S power and that he was as
good as ever. To fdfove this he was sent
INTO the game Thursday not so much to
demonstrate what>he could do against n
MINOR league te4dii,s but fer Messrs Wagner
anu schmeiz to size him up Ia 4 general
Eay. Maui certa lily had spes1 " m hin,
and his foxy work WAS as coed as eyer
mis- conclusion was reached by the two
men at the head of the club, and this n,nrn
ing A.berts full name went down at the
bottom OF contract calling for his sery-
tces for the coming Sc SON
Aiter TINS business transaction Earl Wae-
Fer SAID to Star reporter that he had
made no prediction on the standing OF the
Washington Club at the conclusion of .h.s
season, but since he had seen his pitching
star work and he had signed Maui he couId
not for the life of him see how the Senators
eou!d Re Kept out Of the first division Mr..
wagner rs not OF the gushing kind, but the
"trK OF the Senators in practice has con-
yinced him that the team will do fully
zJ'Ier cent better than they did last yetsr
Every ore OF the nine pitchers will be re-
tanned until the season is well advanced
and the weaker of the nine can be picked
out.
Carney Flynn to Fitch.
This afternoon the Richmond and Wash
irgton teams will cross bats for the last
time at National Park. and an interesting
game is expected, as the left-handed pitch
er. Carney Flynn, another ex-senator, will
do the twirling for the Virginia Club. Man
ager Schmeiz was undecided this morning
as to who would go into the box for the
home club, but thought it would probably
be McJames and King and possibly Ashe.
"A
sitting in a draught at the grand stand
and the result is a stiff neck. compelling
Mcclure and perhaps Wrigley to do the
catching in the game this afternoon. Man
ager Wells said that perhaps that puzz'irg
twirlcr Gascon would help Flynn out should
to n