Evening star., 1897-02-06
WITH BALL AND BAT
The Approach of the Base Ball Sea-
son of '97.
NEED OF STRONG HITTERS
What is Said About the Wash
ington Team.
Cos SIP OF THE G. ME

With the Inauguration ceremonies out Of
the way the local base ball enthusiasts will
have something to think and talk about.
All Of the players of the Washington club
will have arrived in the city by the 4th of
March. and Immediately thereafter light
gymnasium work will begin. From the
looks of the men now in the city very little
training will be Iecessary, Brown. Cart
wright. De Montrevilie and Abbey being
the pictures of perfect health. Until the
frost is entirely out of the ground very lit
tie exercise will be indulged i'm at the park.
the outdoor training consisting chiefly of
running. walking and bicycle riding.
Manager SchmelZ and Mr.. Wagner have
given it out that the club will take the field
substantially the same as when the season
closed last fall. Every club in the league,
with the exception of st. Louis, will be
stronger this year than last the Louis
vile BY the addition of a capable field cap
tain and hard hitters, and the Brooklyns
py the employment of a capable and ex-
perlenced manager and the securing of
players that will add strength through har-
mony- These two clubs are our only
rivals, and from the present outlook it
would appear that the Senators may have
10 take the dust of even these two clubs
tioing on the supposition that the game
played at the close of last season will carry
the Senators right up among the leaders
Is reiylng entirely too much on the myth
zeal The Senators played exceptionally
good ball. there is no gainsayinp that fact
but it should not be lost sight of that the
ciup was at home and surrounded by
friends.
Hard HItters.
What would please the local followers of
the club would be the securing of a couple
OF additional players who can bat well over
the 300 mark. To say. that such players
he nj poI 10 all
men in particular have been watched for
the past three years, and one of them
Goeckle, Mr.. Wagner admitted a year or
TWO since was one of the best young
players before the public. The other
man. McGann. has been released by Boston
because of being a little slow in fielding
but his hitting carriedfhn well over the
'bn mark. One Pittsburg writer recently
said that il was all rot to suppose that
Boston had let McGann CO. as he had un-
douhtediy the ear marks of conner. and
by next season would rank with the very
best in the league. Goeckle has been play
ing with the Wilkesbarre Eastern League
club. and last season his hitting was 394
and in his home position, first base, led the
league. Letters received in the city from
people close to Goeckle say that his terms
s., ,HD-are keeping him out of the big
league.
The securing of Goeckle would not mean
to supplant Cartwright. Goeckle while at
the University of Pennsylvania played a
splendid game in the field, and should
Big Ed turn out all right this year. he
(Goeckle) could be shifted to the field on
account of his batting. The same applies
to McGann. His home position is second
base. but he can play the field, and his bat
ting would overbalance his slowness in
fielding. Lush and Abbey batted down
around 241. If Lush comes up in his stick
work no better man could be wished for,
but his habit of pulling away from the
plate appears to be a permanent disability
and an improvement is unlikely. Then Sell
bach's burnt hand is an unknown quantity;
1t may heal good and strong, and perhaps
the reverse.
At the present time we have only two
frst-class hitters on the team-De Montre-
VILE and Selbach. Mcclure sand Farrell
cannot be counted. as they play in alternate
games With our pitchers doing the work
they are capable of the Senators have not
much chance of pulling off games if there
is no stick work behind them.
Nc.tern League Averages.
The averages of the players in the West
ern League recently issued should he of
more than ordinary interest to Washing
ten base ball enthusiasts Think of every
iLfield position being headed by an eX-
Washington player. and the best batter in
the entire league having once sraced the
pay roll of the Senators. At first baseJack
Carney easily leads: at second the bleach
ers' Idol. 'Old Bill'' Hassamac:. is the best;
at third that beautiful throwcr and fielder,
Gil. Hatfield. tops the list. and at short
that erratic player. Schei5ec6. secured the
highest average. Then, to :op ii ALL "Peb-
bly, Jack Glassccck who couldn't get the
ball across the Washington diamond with
out suffering terrible pain crowns the bat
ting list with an average Of AL Several
Of the western papers. while doubling the
accuracy Of the averages, corcedc that
"Old jack Is undoubtedly entitled TO his
hCnors. his batting eye was always with
him. and he seldom failed 20 land the ball
safe. Besides batting well. Glesscock
really stands second as first baseman, be-
ing only ten points behind Carney In the
field, Burns. who once played right field
for the Senator'S stands seventh and Cam
pau Is nineteenth.
The Right Sort.
Harry Weldon the " ell-krown base bali
writer Of the Cincinnati Enquirer. had the
following TO say in recent edition of that
paper:
Earl Wagner IS made of the right stuff
He agreed to abide by the decision Of the
arbitrators-Soden ard Robison-in the
matter Of the claim made by Won Der Abe
on account OF the Pendle:on grounds In
this city. The board of arb, ra lion decided
that Washington's assessment was $4,000
and Wagner has agreed to pay it. The