The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-31
HERE'S THE ANSWER
By THOMAS S. RICE.

FORT WORTH. Tex. March 3.-ln
theoretical work Washington has the
best fielding team this year II has had
for many a long day. In execution the
fielding is decidedly punk. but should
improve.
The infeld work yesterday in the
game Fort Worth won by 10 l was
marked by n number OF bright spots,
noticeable TO no one not on the team or
constantly associated with it of the
diamond Manager CantiIlon arranged
these exhibition games for practice. and
they are being used almost entirely for
the purpose Of perfecting team work A
proposed play is carried through, no
matter how unfavorable the conditions
in order to see if the men understand
one another and regardless Of the profit
to the other side. OF course, in an
American League game this could not
be done, but in these no-count games
the final score is Of comparatively little
Importance.
The absence Of any professed third
baseman has been a great source Of
weakness not only at that corner, but
to the general play Of the inheld- In
the past two or three days Mcbride has
been making errors at short which are
far from his class. He can play his
position That is certa'n-and because
he is miscuing here for a while the
fans should not begin TO discount his
fielding abilities. Freeman IS not i'm
proving to any great extent, but It must
be confessed he is IN a mighty bad
streak. Players and baseball writer's
who have seen him in Texas say he is
far below his standard and has always
played better ball than he has shown
this year.
Jim Delehanty Is doing noble work at
second and having fewer mishaps than
any other infelder.
Bob GanIey, the original foxy base
runner, was neatly nabbed yesterday
Off second in a peculiar manner. Du-
pree, the Fort Worth pitcher. is prob
ably the shortest slabman in the bust
ness. In fact, he was completely hid
den by Umpire Wallace Wheeler This
enabled Wheeler to turn completely
around and get the ball started for, sec
ond before Ganley knew he was In
danger.
That happened in the fourth inning
where Washington's weakness on the Of
tense was extremely noticeable. Ganley
opened the inning with a single and
went 10 second on Delehanty's single.
Clymer then popped a little fly to third.
After that Ganley was caught of Free
man walked. which should have filled
the bags, and Street flied to the pitcher.
There IS something lacking in the
hitting. We get q reasonable number OF
safeties at times. but aside from Ollis
Pickering's savage swats and Ganley's
great sacrificing there IS little season
able smuggling.
Short flies are the usual best efforts IN
an emergency. Street has been drilling
the other felders In q number OF plays
designed to catch runners of the bags.
Yesterday he slipped IL over on two
Fort Worth men and neither OF them was
a fathead. In the third inning he got
SeutZ absolutely datfOOted of first, but
Freeman threw the ball away trying 70
run SentZ down. IN the ninth inning the
signals worked again and Street caught
Hartman standing up or second.
Both tricks were perfectly turned.
Pickering is head and 81 oulders above
the rest Of the team at present in bat
ting. We have had nine games, big and
little. since landing at Galveston, and
he has made fifteen hits IN that time
getting at least one bingle to every con-
test. He is hitting the ball with great
force, as well as enthusiasm, and his
total of extra bases is large. In fielding
the old Stager never I'D any better
than he Is doing right now. and the in
terest he takes in his work equals that
Of a maiden secretary of a mothers
club. From his work on this trip there
Is not the slightest reason to regret the
exchange Of Charley Jones for Picker
ing.
Bill Burns was in uniform this after
noon and did a few stunts, but was not
IN shape after his weeks lay off to
take a turn in the box
Wickenhofer. who is better known
here as Wick, the Fort Worth catcher,
is touted by the Texas critics as the
best ball player In the Texas league, and
caught a good game yesterday. He has