Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-05
American League Clubs Standing.
National League Clubs Standing.

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The Washington Base Ball Club Is in
pretty bad shape at the present time. the
result of injuries and unwise criticism. and
the late poor showing Of the team can be
ascribed more to the latter than the former.
Manager Cantillon has been laboring with
all his wits and resources to bolster up the
Nationals, but his work has gone for moth
Ing on account of the players being harshiy
criticised at a time when they should be
tolied into doing their very best There is
nothing to be gained by telling the public
about the mistakes of AltiZer, or that War
ner Heydon, and several others of the
present team will not be with the Wash
ingtons next season.
The present season has two months yet to
run. from today and while the local fans
have been loyal and turned out in splendid
numbers. they will get tired seeing the Ma
tionaIs lose. although they know that there
Is little chance of the team getting out OF
last place. Criticism of the sort that has
been aimed at the different players on the
team this season Is OF the same kind that
has been In vogue in Cincinnati for the past
fifteen years and has been responsible for
the Reds being put out OF the running
every year.
To show how senseless this criticism is.
take the case of Altizer. The soldier boy
has been trying his best in every game.
but unfortunately for him and the club he
has made errors at critical points and lost
games. Manager Cantilon has tried to
supplant the soldier boy at short. but while
Dave may be a few points shy of being q
frst-class shortstop, there Is no to
be found at this time who can outShlne
him. Perrine thought to be Won
der. and probably was in the minor leagues.
but when he went against class A ball he
completely petered out. There may be one
or more men In the minor leagues who can
do better at short than Altzer. but they
have not yet been located, and II they were
they could not be secured before the end
of the season. knowing the value Of short
stop playing and the situation as to outside
players why not jolly the soldier boy Into
better work instead of pointing out his
faults. Altizer is hard loser and sensitive
to criticism, and as result he has become
sore the town, the club and his critic.
He makes no bones about saying that he
doesn't care whether he plays here or not and
1t has taken the hardest kind of work On
Cantillon's part to make Altizer disregard
the criticism and do his best for the club.
Another point In Altizers case Is that other
managers may think well of the soldier
him. but seeing the criticism and notices
that he would be let out by Washington
they will hold back and nothing Ike the
soldier boys real worth be realized by the
who appreciate player who Is always do
ing his best. and he has the sand to con-
tinue along these lines and not disappoint
them.
Outside of Altizsr. the criticisms and ad-
vance information are wosfully at fault
and not accurate. For instance. the news
Is given out that Jack Warner and Mac"
Heydon will not be with tho team next sea-
son Speaking Of this item this morning.
Manager Cantion said:
Warner nj Nd
BAH as any catcher In the American
League. both IN batting fielding and head
work, ana his injury places under q big
handicap l have signed several new
catchers for next season. but they will have
to show me great deal before 1 let the
old boy out. He will prove unusually val
liable to me In coaching the young pitchers
next season. and you cannot make 1t too
strong in saying that nave never contem-
plated releasing Warner"
Admitting. for the sake of argument that
Manager Cantillon had decided tn Let W.
ner and Heydon go at the end OF this sea-
son. the criticism notice was very un
just to the club. as both men would have
two months more of playing here and they
certainly could not be expected to put
forth their best efforts II they knew they
were not appreciated and were to be re-
leased.
1t does not take a very sharp base ball
critic to discern that the Nationals look the
strongest when Warner is behind the bat
as the veteran has certainly been playinR
great ball since joining the team but
Mac" Heydon has always worked hard for
the club. putting forth his best efforts, and
II wouldn't hurt the critics to allow Mana
ger Cantillon 10 be the first to tell him
that he was wanted kere no more At the
present time Heydon Is q pillar to the club
and he cannot be too highly praised for his
continuous and frst-class playing.
Another false bit Of news cropped I'd this
morning in the published report that Man
ager Cantillon had signed new pitcher
In the person OF Olrnstead of the Toneka
club. CantiNon had been d!ckering with the
InanAsef OF me Topeka club, through Mike
Kelley. for Olnstead. but while the ne
gotiations were on Comiskey butted in ava
nabbed the twirier fer the White Soy Ma
ager Cantillon has Inca OUT for several
payers In different parts of the country.
and II Is To be hoped that he will sign ali
OF them. but news OF this sort should he
treated in confidence until the men are
tied up with the local cub. The fang
are willing to wait for their news but thew
want II accurate when IL Is published
Ell Gates. the pitcher secured from the
Oakland club for next season has been
doing splendid work recently. and a clip
ping from a coast paper of last Monday
has the following TO say of his twirlinv ana
general play:
Ell Gates had his spit BALI working to
perfection yesterday afternoon. and while
lie was tribe wild at times and ucalked
four. he more than made up for that bv
tanning eleven of the men who faced him
and winning his game by a / to o score
The San Francisco bunch could do abso-
lutely nothing with Gates He allowed three
scattered hits In as many innings and al
though they worked men as far around
as third base. IL was when there were two
down. and the runners died on the sack
From the standpoint OF base running ana
chances for scores. there Is little 70 be said
Gates held the men close In most instances
lie commenced his striking-out feat In the