The Washington times., 1903-09-29
WASHlNGTONCRIPPLED
BYWANTOF CAPITAL

been sadly lacking in good pitchers, and
this has been one cause of its bad show
ing.
Then, Mr.. Lotus and Mr.. Postal did
not seem to get along very well. After
a while the managers saw the club
must be strengthened il 1t was TO keep
within a respectable distance of the
others. To do this money was needed,
and a good deal Of it. Mr.. Postal felt
he had already put up all the cash that
he cared TO and refused to contribute
any more. / believe that Mr.. LOTUS
wanted to get Turner, formerly of
Columbus, who went TO Cleveland. but
he had no money with which 10 pur-
chase. and thus he did not get him.
Turner is one of the most promising
men playing baseball. do not write
this as against Mr. Postal. but merely
to state what l believe to be a fact.
The perennial cry of wait until next
year. has already been sounded by Mr..
Lotus, Mr. Johnson, and others con-
nected with the Washington Club. The
prospect for next year is not. however,
reassuring To make the club a success
several changes. not only of players.
but also of the conditions and circum-
stances of the club are needfuI. Local
people should acquire the stock of the
addition of many new players.
New Grounds Needed.
"The location of the ball park should
be changed. When the club Is owned by
local capital it will command more
/ loyalty and better patronage than when
almost all of the stock is held by out
siders Mr. johnson knows this and is
trying to dispose of his holdings here.
/ II is to be hoped he does. In the way
of new players. Cassidy and Hartley. of
the Harrisburg club. appear to me to be
both excellent players, and certainly
worthy of a trial. Ted Sullivan, man
ager of the Paris Club. of ihe
Texas League, champion team. has
recommended Bateman and Pennell to
Mr.. LOTUS. and. ! think, his opinion
should be given some weight. I have
watched the records of all these four
players for some months past and find
them standing among the first in the
leagues in which they have been playing
with the exception OF Coughlin
Moran and Setback do not see any ex-
tremely good material at present on the
roster of the local club. With improve
ment. naturally consequent upon more
experience, Drill should make a good
catcher There are several players or
the team who should play good ball
but they have failed to live up to their
supposed merits. AS far as the manage
ment is concerned l think II would be
well to allow Mr.. Lotus to continue
another season.
HE knows the conditions here. and
as he claims he has been victim Of
ill-luck during the two years he has
been here. l would like to see him
given a chance to do something wher
) the hoodoo' has been removed. Ger
tainly all the local patrons of the game
even those who have criticised Mr.. LOT
tus, would be glad to see hin get q
team that would stand somewhere
near the top. Winning or losing. the
, club has had to contend with a great
handicap IN the location OF the presen;
ball grounds The old Seventh Street
park is convenient. and II would be q
big boon to baseball in this city II the
local management secured II. Probably
the American League games would have
been played there this past season. buf
! for the fact that the cost of moving
the fixtures OF the present grounds
would be considerable-sO much. il
, fact. that the depleted capital of the
club could not stand 1t.
1T would certainly be a most vel
come change for the local patrons 4
D Mr. Lotus and the club owners woul'
e secure the Seventh Street grounds and
= get together a team that would wi
! games.
Explanations, 'hard-luck stories,
and mutual determinations are poo
b substitutes for good playing and higl
; place in the pennant chase.
IN. B. SCANLON."
Washington, September 26.