The Washington herald., 1909-04-04

ne I nlleu states Marine Corps base
ball team. which made a brilliant showing
ln amateur circles last season. winning
the championship IN the Marquette
League and second high bidder for the
title OF champion amateur team OF the
city. has organized for the coming cam
paign. under the management Of II. V.
Shurtlief and. from all appearances. with
a lineup % per cent stronger than last
season.
The record Of the Marines during the
last season Is sufficient evidence for the
prediction that they viii be in the race
from the start OF the season. and with
lineup including stars picked from al
over the country. there is every reason 20
believe that they viii be one OF the teams
in the fight in the closing weeks Of the
season. II is true that as team in the
Capital CITY League they viii face opp0-
nents OF higher rank than those encoun-
tered IN last seasons battle However,
the soldier boys proved by their brilliant
showing in the pOst-season series that
thev are 10 be classed with the best. and
Il was this fact alone that won them
place in league that on paper looks %
be WashingtOn's strongest amateur or
ganization-
The following figures. culled from the
Official averages, speak for themselves.
Games played. CD Including thirty against
amateur and semi professional teams in
the District Of Columbia, Maryland. and
the Virginias). games won. 40; games lost.
ls: games tied, I. fielding average in
league. -s29; batting average In league,
.353. The foregoing figures stamp the team
as the best batteTs IN Washington anna
teur circles during The season just closed
Of the games lost the greatest number
We're 20 teams Of the class OF Winchester,
champions Of the South.
The officers Of the Marine Corps, in an
effort To assist the manager 20 put a
strong team in the field. canvassed every
post IN this country. the Philippine ISL
ands. and Cuba where baseball teams
have been organized. and arranged the
transfer OF the stars OF the various teams
20 the post in this city. The officers at
the barracks are thirty-third degree base
ban fans, and boost the game for all that
IS In them
The veterans Of last years team who
are available for the coming season in
clude capt. Meagher. Ritter. LitZ, Snyder.
O'Connor and BerlitZ. Meagher. who is
undoubtedly the strongest player on the
team. as well as in the District will again
do the receiving stunt for the Barracks
team He has received several tempting
offers from professional teams. but pre-
fers 10 stay In amateur company for the
remainder Of his career on the diamond.
Ritter and LitZ were the mainstays Of the
pitching staff last season, and gained the
necessary experience that should make
their services all the more valuable TO
the team during the coming strenuous
campaign. O'Connor and Berlitz held
down the second and third infield sta
tions last season, and ranked in a class
with the best in this vicinity. Snyder
guarded the outer garden in the best OF
style.
The new men include Nuss. Harris.
Reed Haywood. Field. and Buesse. in
fielders. Laurence and TOrrey. Outdeld-
ers, and Nuss. Rick. Sheppard and
Lewenen. pitchers. All come 10 the city
with regulations as ban players OF the
first rank, and promise TO give the vet
Grams a run for their jobs. Pitchers Rick.
Sheppard. and Lewellen were transferred
from stations in Cuba. and were sent 10
this city because they we're touted as
masters of the national game. The young
sters viii be given a thorough try-out and
every opportunity 10 prove their worth.
Famous Football Player Dead.
Philadelphia. April S.-Dr. George o.
Barclay. famous among football players
as q half back at Lafayette College. died
this morning in the University Hospital
He was victim Of peritonitis following
an operation which was performed last
evening for appendicitis.