The Washington times., 1902-04-28
Local Players Confident of
Retaining Lead in the
Pennant Race.
LOfTUS PLEASED With OUTLOOK
Drill, the Georgetown Varsity
Catcher, Makes Good
All Around.
FIGURES SHOW WEEKS WORK
Keister, Delehanty, Coughlin, and Ely
All Find the Ball-Twirling Depart
ment Has Not Yet Rounded Into Best
Form


for 1902 has been opened with the GUS
tomary crash OF brass bands and the ex-
ultant cheers of thousands of excited
fans: the first series between its con-
ponent clubs has been played. and the
Senators head the coiumn; the much-her-
aided Chicago White Sox and st. Louis
Browns secured an even break, while the
Athletics were forced to swallow two de-
feats fer one they managed to cram down
the reluctant throats of Manager Me
Graw's Birds.
The liberality of the Western section of
the country yesterday gave half of the
American circuit a flying start on the sec
ond series of championship games. but to-
day trouble will be rife throughout both
sections. Connie Mack is here with his
aggregation ready 10 do battle, while
James Collins has taken his bunch over to
Oysterdom.
Bunched fox While.
In the West the distribution of the
teams will be The same as yesterday. and
there should be basketsfrl of fur flying
before the teams again change base. For
a month or more the several clubs Will be
closely punched, and a game won or lost
is liable to make a great difference in
the averages. Chicago and St. Louis will
meet the latter part of .Ae week, and the
result of this series should virtually de-
termine the order of the clubs when they
open in the East on May q.
The work of the Senators has been su-
perior TO any of the teams so far this
season. Their hitting has been heavy and
their fielding of sufficiently high order
10 extricate them from several danger
Gus positions during the Boston series.
or course it is too early in the season
TO get good line on what they will do.
but in the words OF Tom Lotus, They
look good
The Individual work of the men has been
all that could be desired. With the ex-
ception OF the twirling department every
man is as far advanced as he should be at
this time of year. and 1t is not the fault
of the slab artists that they are not in
better condition. The unexpected deser
tiou Of Bill Clarke and the unavoidable
illness OF Tim Donahue delayed the pre-
liminary work, but the boys are rapidly
rounding into shape.
Drill Making Good.
Seldom, 81 ever, in the history of ma
5or organization has a backstop drawn
from amateur ranks stepped into the game
at the opening Of the season and caught
four straight games. with the prospect OF
acting as the receiving end CT the bat
tery for as many more. Yet this is what
Lewis Drill did for the Senator's, and Man
ager Lotus has never regretted for an in
slant that the combination OF circum-
stances necessitated his signing the for
mer Georgetown University catcher.
The work of this stocky little fellow
closely approaches the phenomenal. When
q college pitcher enters the ranks OF the
professionals and lets down the opposing
betsmen with hits that could be counted
on one hand the fans and public gener-
aliy 20 into ecstasies over him. He is
hailed far and wide as world beater"
and the greatest ever
Yet the performances of a young pitcher
cannot equal the phenomenal record es-
tablished by Drill. He is young fellow.
and yet has demonstrated that he can re-
tain full possession of his faculties under
the most trying circumstances. in the
second game with Boston, when the local
aggregation was beaten. and beaten bad,
drill never for an instant lost his grip on
the situation.
He played an errorless game, and al
though confronted with ore Of the great
est pi,chers in either league swung his
.rusty wagon tongue with as much con-
fidence as though he was facing tyro
college pitcher. He ripped out two pref
fy siuyles, and then, just before the game
was over, to show that Big Cy was not
such a terror, he lifted the horsehide
over the left field fence.
President Postal is a stanch friend OF
nr,II. Manager Lotus is boosting him
for all there is in 1t, and Capt Ed Dele
bauty Is willing to stake his reputation
that Drill will deliver the goods when
called upon. He has made flying start
IN fast company, and he gives every indi-
cation Of being able 10 keep up the pace
There should be a good game this al
ferpoon at the League Park. The Phillies
made 1t exceedingly interesting for Bal
fimore ip the opening game and are liza
l,le TO call the turn over here. There
.,lI he no LAYING down, however. and the
Athletics will know they have been IN
hall game IL they are lucky enough TO
win out. Anyway. IL is a pretty safe bet
that n you follow the crowd you VIII
get your moneys worth.
First Series Over.
The Senators have completed their first
series. They have not done SO bad. either