The Washington times., 1906-10-07

The baseball season OF 1905 has closed !
with Washington standing lower in the |
American League race than It did last |
year.
Why is this the case?
The answer is-lack OF teamwork
another name for brains. and Of prop
erly equipped management.
Stupid Plays Were Rife.
Hard luck figures to some extent in
the showing made by the team. but its
final position can ia nOwise be blamed
upon adverse fates. The team simply
did not play up 10 the ability Of tic
individual members. and at critical mo
ments when a bit OF cCOlRess or Ordinary
backlot baseball strategy would have
saved the day, the Nationals were not
there with the goods II is almost a
safe bet that no team IN either major
league made so many stupid, ineXcus-
able amatourish plays IA the past sea
son as did Washington, and that no
team in either league so frequently vio-
lated tie primary, fundamental rules OF
scientific baseball. Some Of the in
stances were so raw that they brought
derisive groans and hccts from the
fans, and perhaps were not equaled
by one OF She organizations when COM
peted for the District amateur cham
pionship.
Errors Of omission cost Washington
almost as much this season as the err
rors credited in the official scores. An
analysis OF the games by those who saw
il playing at home and abroad shows
game after game that was literally
given away because the FEEDERS became
confused and did not throw the ball at
all. or, If they did throw IL, sent IL 10
the wrong place.
Lack of Preconcerted Action.
There was an absolute lack OF that
harmony and precouccrted action be-
tween second. short. and tairi which
vas astonishing in a maiCr league IN
critical situations no one seemed 20
know what 10 do, each man acted in his
own initiative and the consequence Was
that evon umpires had 10 laugh at the
Iadicr3us tansles which ensued Receiv-
ing the ball from the catcher, handling
blows into doubtful territory, solving
problems that arose instantane5usiy
and offered opportunities for brilliant
str0kes-it was al the Samc-tEe set-to-
gether spirit end knowledge -.ere miss
ing. The number of Instances in which
second and shortstoP failed TO act iT
unison was almost siCkenirg, while the
methods Of second, first, ana PitCuer iC
handling slight taps between first ana
/ second was equally bad. Nobody seem
el to know what to DO, and when he di1
IL be did II wrong.
I There Was no guiding hand, 10 COM
peuin,y voice to direct the work IN a
Z Fnffn~r-aI IA
bases were left uncovered. wild heaves
we're common, and collisions frequently
Imminent
No Teamwork in 0utheld.
What was true OF the inheld was true
Of the cutheld, especially in the matter
OF deciding Who should take q H. in
neutral territory. in the far gardens or
in the short fields back OF the bases.
Inhelders would sally into left center
or right, attempting impossible catches
OF balls faT beyond them. OF. perhaps
stand still and look foolish while an
outhelder ran in from the fence in a
useless cndeaVor TO nal a pO0 that
would have been a CiHch for second or
short, for instance.
It was dishearteains. dispiritiug, and
discOursging. and the Weshinston
pitchers cannot be blamed for many or
their weird explosions because OF the
support they received
Nationals Not Weak a. Bat.
At bat Washington was not as weak
as its final percentage of victories would
indicate. but the teamwork in batting
I and base-rUnning was little better than
that atield. The man at the plate and
the man on the bag had only hay no
tions OF how 10 make the most Of their
opportunities. There was more or less
sacrifice hitting and some good Easa-
running by Anderson. Alti1er. and one
or two others, bat the tactics were ar
tiCipated TO a degree. the system was
known 20 every club catcher in the
/ league, and that they purIoined as
many sacks as they did is a wonder of
the national game. II was not a cham
pion team, and champion form was not
expected bat some OF the base-runninC
would have been a reproach TO the
/ South Texas League.
In connection with the work on the
paths it may be said that Nvashington'g
coaching was enough TO drive strong
men to drink and women inro hNsterjcs
+ Occasionally IT was strongly suggestive
! Of that seen in a game between two
( brewery teams, where they open a fresh
keg after every run. Time and again
men were caught when a good coacher
( could have saved them, and almost as
often they were left high and dry when
/ they should have scored. A man is not
put on the cOaching line merely to bark
at the opposing pitcher, cast insinuations
/ upon the umpire, and yen with monot-
onous regularity, Come on, old boy.
/ get a good start" He is there to serve
as an additional pair CT eyes for the
runner and to direct his movements
I according - the highest and most com
/ pick developments of the sport. but if
anybody In the Washington club knew
/ that answer he failed to hold an mis-
/ hand. and tell the teacher.
Pitching staff Was Fair.
/ Concerning its pitchers. Washington had
some good luck and some bad Patten
/ who was a failure last year. was a de-
! ciGed success this season. and did much
/ 10 prevent the showing from being
worse than it was Falkenberg was
/ erratic and fortunate. He was sIugged
/ freely and hard in games in which
/ Washington would suddenly, after a
/ week of poor hitting. come to life and
pound the opposing twirler to a Jelly.
I This hauDeDed 50 Offer, II hecar1a 2 foka