The Washington times., 1908-01-19
g. Smith and johnson
Only Sure Pitchers
On CanMIon S List
BY THOMAS S. RICE.

Manager Joe CantiIlOn. IF the Wash
ington bail team, broke a worlds record
for modesty yesterday Afternoon in his
letter I'm The Times. when me limited his
midwinter aute-season representation
to a sincere hope that his team would
beat out three OF the seven other con-
tenders in the American League race.
If CantiIlon had never done anything
else worthy of note. by this one bit of
penmanship he made himself immortal
in the annals of the national game, and
in the years to come grimy urchins on
back lots playing Que-two-three VIII
mention with awcd whispers the name
Of the man who, with unlimited space
offered in a newspaper. confined him-
self to predicting that his charges would
lead the second divisiOn-maybe. Wash
ington has never been abe TO win pcu-
nants. but it has always been able To
attract an amount of attention dis
proportionate TO its league standing, and
CantiIIon will send that tradition thun-
dcring through the ages.
One First-Class Pitcher.
The confidence OF the manager in mis-
pitching department is truly ,yuching
and il would be a pity to see Him dis
appointed, but, really Il is hard 10 ste
where ne Is justidcd-as hard as IL Is
to see where he could get better pitch
ers if he tried. for no magnate is let
ling a star twirIer escape these days.
Washington has in sight one first
class pitcher-WaIter Johnson.
Charley Smith had an uncnding series
Of misforuHes last year That put him
out Of the running when he got busy,
which was not until late, lie sliced Oft
the top Of a finger Of his throwing hand
on a piece OF glass on the diamond.
This set him away back and then fol-
lowed sickness and trouble with his
arm. which lad a. most disastrous cf-
feet on his work. he is credited with
having taken part in thirty-twO games,
of WEich he won eleven and lost twenty
one for q percentage of victories Of .34i.
Incidentally. ne offciated in more games
than any other Washington slabman-
An Important Principle.
It may be laid down az e general prop
osition that when a pitchers percentage
Jf games won is higher than his clubs
percentage of victories, the twiTler has
done we'll This is a principle very gen
orally overlooked 10y those who consider
pitchers performances as shown by the
figures. and. according to this principle,
the showing by case Patten in 1906 was
the best IL the maiO leagues.
Smith last year had q safe margin
over the club by 70 points, despite his
hard luck and many performances. He
is a large. powerful man. nov ripe in
major league experience, has good
habits. and is ambitious. Therefore he
looks likely to live up to Cantiiion's pre-
dicticus
Case Patten is the great mystery OF
the washington pitching staff. His fig
ures last year were by Tar the best
on The washington staff. He is cred-
tied with twelve victories and seventeen
defeats, for IN average Of IA a mar
gin OF eigEty-nlne points over the club
But Patterns success WIS limited TO the
carly stages of the seISon. He got q
flyiuS start and lived on It until Octo-
Der Is Toward the end Of the season.
IN fac from about August I. he WAS
decidedly the weakest veteran twlrler
on the washington payroll. with tho
possible exception of FalkcnberE, and
his efforts were little less than pitifuI
He went weeks without a winning. and
had he been traded there would have
been no protest from the local fans.
The tentative proposition to send him