The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-05-07

At noon today there seemed little
prospect that the baseball game between
Washington and Boston would be play
ed. and the weather man held out no
hopes Of sunshine.
This game was 10 have been the last
the Washington fans would see until the
return OF the team on May q to play
Philadelphia, as Manager Cantillon ana
his trusty henchmen leave tonight Tor
St. Louis on the first invasion OF the
West It is a source Of regret that rain
has broken up the last two games OF the
series with Boston, as in them Can
tinon was going 10 try his new com
bination in the in and outfields.
The players are interested as much in
the success of the changes as the fans
have been, and are even more hopeful
than the fans that the new lineup Will
win more games than the old Ii can
be said that every man on the team
believes that il has been strengthened
by giving George Nil a regular job, and
returning Altizer to short. 70 say moth
ing of putting Perrine at second, where
he properly belongs.
CantiIIon has saved Pitchers Graham
and Patten for the special beneht OF
St. Louis, as McAleer's men are not
so strong against sOuthpaws.
Frank KitsOn is using the spitball al
most exclusively now and reports that
he is making great progress. When he
succeeded Patten on Saturday the game
was already lost because Washington
was unable to hit Glaze, so Kitson took
the opportunity TO experiment with the
saliva shoots He found they were still
somewhat unreliable and Boston had
little trouble in hitting them, but at that
he was much encouraged and believes
he will prove a winner before long.
i am willing to make a little bet
that ] bat better this year than I did
last" said Charley Jones. who now has
a regular place in the Washington cen
ter field.
Ever since have been in the Amer
lean League I have been using a 35-inch
bat, and / have come to the concur
sion that 1t Is too long and too heavy
for the quick, snappy hitting required
in these days when the pitchers have so
many different changes Of pace and you
can't tell what a ball is until IT is nearly
over the plate.
You can pull a light bat around
much faster and, If you connect prop
erly, drive the ball just as far as II you
were using a wagon tongue. Two of
the longest hits I ever made were hon.
ers that l intended for taps over the
infield. I had grabbed the bat short to
be able TO chop at a deceptive curve
when the pitcher had two strikes on me,
and when I saw how far that shortened
stick sent the sphere I was so startled
/ could hardly run. Thinking over my
batting weaknesses the other day those
two swats came TO my mind. and I i'm
mediatelv had my favorite clubs alb
breviated by five inches"
Fans are to get extra value for their
money later in the season, for yesterday
the rain kept twelve OF the big teams
idle, and many double-headers will have
10 be played 10 catch up to the schedule.
There will be no chance today for the
Western clubs of the National League
TO play off any of their postponed games
for they will be on the road TO the East
for their first visit Of the season. To-
morrow the Pirates will play at the Polo
Grounds. Chicago in Brooklyn. St. Louis
IT. Philadelphia, and Cincinnati in Bos-
ton
To date the National has twenty-five
postponed contests and the American
twenty-three. Pittsburg and Chicago
would have opportunity TO run off one
of their deferred contests this afternoon
were II not for the fact that the Pirates
have arranged an exhibition game in
Princeton.
Weather permitting, the Giants and
SupeTbas will play the last game or