Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-06
MORSE'S BASE BALL CHAT


urs anything it does it's ability to beat;
Boston out In the race
boston made some changes that did not
prove exactly advantageous, it is true.
Inc release of La Chance was without
compensation of any kind, and a first -class,
hard-hitting. fleet and clever-felding first
baseman is still necessity. A grievous
mistake was made to allow George Stone
to get away, and the club Is not so strong
behind the bat as is desirable. This does
not explain, however. the great falling Off
IN the Stickwork of the players of the team,
and this and nothing else Is responsible for
the loss OF so many games. 1t will be
found that the Boston American League
team IS one of the lghtest batting teams
In the country. 1t has smaller batting
percentage than the poor Bostons of the
National League. who have come in for so
much deriSion. The National team is prob
ably of the least expensive in the coun-
try, while the Americans have one of the
most expensive plants in base ball The
club has come far from making the record
on the road 1t did last season, but what
has been most disappointing has been the
showing at home.
1t Is not always the expenditure OF money
that brings results. Manager McAleer has
found it possible to put team In the Held
that can defeat Boston at a minimum of
expenditure. The club has been 4 big
money loser, and he has cast adrift the
players who drained its treasury without
bringing in substantial returns. He has
done the right thing in beginning to scour
the country for young players, for they
alone can make good as matters stand to-
day. The assertion that there are not
players enough in the country to man two
major leagues Is far from being true. But
for the fact that there were two leagues
multitude Of young players would not have
been given the chance to play ball and TO
make good. There could be three major
"
The American Association has aspirations
in that direction and would take chances 1
on getting all the players needed. The
Eastern League would also like honors of
major league character. Both the Ameri-
can Association and the Eastern League
have been most prosperous this year, in
fact, prosperous beyond precedent. Buffalo
is certainly a major league city today and
could easily hold its own In q major league
circuit with a better grace than some OF
the cities now In the big organiza lions.
Providence has enjoyed some Of the old
time patronage and has also shown that 1t
could support a major league team with no
difficulty at all. The fact that 1t has Sum i
day ball is of no small aid In enabling the
club to show handsome returns for Itself
and the visiting teams. Imagine the throng
that would turn out to see Sunday games
between the Boston and Providence clubs.
The American League tail-enders have
been showing considerable strength of late
Starting in with the games In Cleveland,
Washington has shown something of the
form 1t displayed the first part of the sea-
son when 1t started Boston on the down.
ward path by series Of routings, and
now 1t gave the same impetus to a pros-
pective champion team. Truly the chances
in the game are surprising at times. No
little credit for the showing of the Ma
tionals Is due to Boston'S former pitcher,
long Tom Hughes, who has been pitching
In his old Baltimore form. Truly pitcher
who can hold the Cleveland team down to
one wee run In three games Is pitching ball.
1t will be interesting. indeed. to note his
performance the next time the Cleveland
and Washington teams meet the dia-
mond. 1t Is a fine race between Washing
ton and st. Louis for the last position.
Neither team can hope to finish better than
seventh at best. Both of these teams haVb
better percentages. 1t will be noted. than
the two clubs last the list of the Ma
tional League race. There is q smaller
margin between the leading club Of the
Americans and the last club than there was
last season. and there is a larger one be-
tween the leading National League club
and the last team. showing surely that the
tail-enders of the National League not
ton this is entirely due to the retirement
of such excellent batsmen as Dick Cooley
and Phil. Geier. Both of these players have
been OF great value to the teams with
which they are now connected by reason or
their hard hitting Cooley with Detroit and
Geier with st. Paul.
Boston succeeded In getting a good man
In Dolan who has played a very good game
of ball. Dolan not good enough for
Cincinnati but he has not been found lack
ing in batting, base running or fielding, and
the Boston sun field is one of the most diff |
cult to play Ia the country.
]. C. MORSE.