Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-15
To STRENGTHEN
AMATEUR TEAMS
Considerable Latitude to Be Al
lowed in the Departmental
Base Ball League.

Some exceptions have been taken on the
part of friends of the War Department base
ball team to the article In last Sundays
Star expressing apprehension OF the dis
ruptiop OF the Departmental League il the
personnel Of the teams were not rigidiy con-
hned TO their respective departments. One
OF the officials of the War Department club
In discussing the situation with Star rep
resep tative said:
"As matter of fact the board of direc-
tors Of the league at meeting held March 6
decided-and / believe wisey-to strengthen
the weaker teams by allowing them to draft
amateur players from sources outside their
immediate departments
THE Department of Commerce and Labor,
for instance. was permitted. by formal reso-
luton. to go to the Capitol. the Library and
the government printing Office for material,
and as q result. they have secured three
fine players from the latter bureau, ami
these players are now on the eligible LIST
of the Commerce and Labor team for 1906.
THE Department Of Justice was granted
a somewhat similar concession both last
year and this: and will have this season
such additional stars as Doe Pomeroy for
merly of the Mount Pleasant Congregation
ais; Pitcher Hutchinson OF the champion
Guntons and others of like caiiber. and
many good judges are already predicting
that Capt. Kleinschmidt will have pen
nant-winning team.
Strengthening the Teams.
"All the teams of the league have been
materially strengthened since last season,
with the exception of the Interior and War,
and unless they reinforced show
| marked Improvement they will be in the
Library class of last year. The champion
Farmers will be considerably stronger than
they were when they won the first pennant
while the Navy team has signed a new
ifpl oar and ntS hoy In naj i'm th.A
services of the best amateur catcher in the
District. Bill Rapp, unless the Nationals
decide to keep him on their catching staff.
1T is the commendable ambition of the
board of directors to make the weakest
team In the league equal to the strongest
and in my opinion thatis exactly the policy
which should obtain In order to insure close
and interesting games.
las matter of fact none of the teams In
the Departmental League with the possible
exception of the Interior, are recruited en-
tirely from their respective departments.
The Treasury draws upon it's bureaus and
the Post Office on the carrier service. while
the Navy has hardly a man on Its team en-
poyed in the Navy Department proper
They are all, nearly all. young mechan-
les employed at the navy yard; and in
passing it may be said to their credit that
they probably the best aggregation OF
bali players In the league, while comparing
favorably with the other teams in gentle
| manly department and clean ball playing.
1.-THE Star article purported to give a list
ment team for 1905 but omitted therefrom
the names of Earnest, Mahoney Lutz and
Ellison. and neglected to mention that these
four players were recruited from Washing
ton barracks with the full sanction OF the
board OF directors.
War Departments Request.
although the War Department intends
this year, as last, to recruit as many play
ers as possible within the department. with
" team
from the department proper. 1t has asked
the board Of directors for permission to fill
in few weak places this year either with
enlisted men from Fort Myer or amateur
players of the District and has assurance
that this reasonable request Will be COM
piled with in view of existing conditions as
outlined above. the league management not
desiring to have any pie teams represented
this year
Il believe the patrons of the Departmental
League games will heartily approve Of the
disinterested action of the board of direc-
tors In building up the weaker teams. thus
what teams happen to be scheduled.
Cheer up the Departmental League Is
not going to be disrupted and the war
Department has no intention of ordering
Departments Request Granted.
The Departmental Base Ball League.
| through its controlling officers, the execu-
| tive committee, at a meeting thursday al
| ternoon at the office of Chief Clerk Chance
| of the Post Office Department, the presi-
| dent Of the league. agreed to the demands
| made by the War Department. AS pub
| Iished in The Star last Sunday, the war
| Department team desired TO install as play
| ers on the team soldiers stationed at Fort
| Myer and Washington Barracks. The re
| quest was granted.
The committee agreed to award the con-
| tract for the making the uniforms of the
season to Mr.. Thackeray, representing the
| Spalding Brother Company. The uniforms
| will be as follows: Navy. white and black;
| War, black and white; Agriculture. gray
| and black; Interior red and black: Post
Office gray and red; Justice gray and
black and white; Treasury. drab and red;
| Commerce and Labor, blue and red.
The teams will all practice at the White
| Lot the present week, the following dates
being set aside for the teams: West dia-
| mond Monday, Commerce and Labor;
| Tuesday Justice; Wednesday, Post Office;
| Thursday War; Friday, Agriculture; Sat
urday Interior. South diamond: Monday,
Agriculture Tuesday. Interior: Wednesday.
| Navy; Thursday, Treasury; Friday. Com
| merce and Labor; Saturday. Justice. 1t Is
expect ed that the teams will line up against
| the different high schools and the George