The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-10
Employees of Municipal Build
ing Will Play Baseball.
WANT LEAGUE FRANCHISE
John j. Strain Elected Manageable
Has Collected Galaxy OF TOD-nOtch-
ers, Including ~CurIey" Byrd,
@Chick" Thomas, Pop Harding,
Cleveland Beckett, and Others.
BY z. A. FULLER.

70 be organized In Washington for thu
coming season has been formed among
the employees Of the District OF Columbia
government and it Is no exaggeration 10
say that scattered among the various
branches OF the municipal Offices ara
some Of the star ball players in the city.
John J. Strain. captain Of the watch az
the Municipal Building. has been elected
manager. and it IS probable that J. Harry
Collihower, assistant chief Eatchman.
viii be made captain OF the team
While stationed al Plattsburg, N y,
Manager Strain played the initial sack
for the team representing the Twenty
first Infantry. in which he was corporal
IN 1896 and 1897 he vas manager Of tbs
Ninth Infantry club. which won thu
championship Of Northern New York
Jimmie Barrett, recently a member Of
the Detroit Tigers, played shortstop
for this club. where he made a reputa-
ton which finally landed him in big
company. Manager Strain also played
with a team Of soldiers on Davids Island.
New York Hsrbor, and also in ths
Philippine Islands. while a soldier there.
He Is an enthusiast. knows the game.
and how it should be played. and seldom
fails 10 correctly judge a ball player
when once he sees him In action He
says he does not intend 10 play any
favorites in selecting the new Commits
sioners' team, but the men who show
class will be the only ones chosen. Hs
believes there IS material in the Munich Il
Building 10 form the strongest amateur
club in the District. and he proposes %
do all he can 20 develop the men
After League Franchise.
Application has been made for member
ship in the Departmental League with
reasonable prospects OF success. Man
ager Anderson. OF the Commerce and
Labor club. has resigned, and should this
club drop out, Manager Strain has been
assured that bis team viii secure ths
vacancy.
There is also said 70 be a likelihood Of
Interior Department quitting. in which
case the Commissioners application VIII
be favorabIy considered So the newly
organized team has a double chance OF
entering the league. Should il sue
cscd. Il is a fine wager 70 play the club
for first money at the close Of the season
On the dope It looks like there Is moth
ing in the running Collifiower. who VIII
probably captain the club. Is one Of ths
best-known bali players IN Washington
He played with Cleveland Cor two years,
pitching and scoOpiug them up around
first base
Returning 10 Washington. he csptaine5
the old Commissioners nine. perhaps TIE
best amateur club that was ever formed
in the city, and which played under ths
management Of that wise old baseball
owl. E E. Helm. Colly is a triie stale,
but having always taken the very best
care Of himself. can easily come onCs
more. and SAYS he has no fear that
he viii make good Il IS probable that hs
viii occupy the first corner, and Occa-
sionaIlv fling them over. He delivers the
sphere from the port side, and has
fooled many OF the big ones with his
famous ''sinkerH ball. Harry Is 2 hustles
and always gets excellent work out o. his
men.
Jack Hurley for Second
For the second cushion Jack Hurley aP-
pears TO have the best chance Two
years ago he captalned the Rock Hi
College team. and last year played tbs
third base for the Columbia Athletic Club.
champions OF the District OF Columbia
For shortstop the new Commissioners
team will have Bill Handiboe. regarded
by many judges in the city as the best
all-around ball player az the Capital to-
day He played short field Tor the
Columbia Athletic Club last summer. and
also captained the team Bill plays
fine mechanical game. but HIS knowledgs
OF inside ball is surpassed by no ball
lesser in these parts =
Third base viii be occupied by cities
Z. L Kemp. an old Western High School
lad. or Chick" Thomas. who held down
the third base for Pennsylvania two years
ago. and last year played with the Com
missiOners.
For the outfeld Dick Senior. who re-
Gently played with George Washington
and Lehigh; Pap Harding, the old
Church League player and sluggsr; A.
s Lay. OF the last years champion
Columbia Athletic Club: Cleveland
Beckett. and McNulty, who played with
the Terre Haute team out West a year
or so ago, are the most likely eandi-
dates.
In the pitching department, the new
club is especially strong. "Curley'' Byrd,
who leaped into the limeIight in Wash
ingtOn last fall as a member OF thu
strong George Washington football team.
is probably the best n the lot. Byrd
pitched for the Maryland Agricultural
College two years prior TO graduating last
summer and his work was mainly respon-
sibIe for landing the intercollegiate cham
pioDship for his school two consecutive
years.
Whiting. who did the major part Of
the twirling for the Rockville Md team
last year. viii be called upon for duty
on the firing line. He is & young man
and a conner.
Howard Beckett, who played with Ian
caster and WiIIiamspcrt, and other SEMI
professional teams few years ago, "a
expected TO get IN condition again for 6oz
service. II he comes around all right
1t will mean q whole lot OF trouble for tbs
other teams in the league The major
part OF the catching VIII probably bs
done by Cleveland Beckett. one OF tbs
best all-around men IN the District
Pap" Harding, in addition 10 bsizE a
fine first baseman and outhelder Is also
handy behind the bat Harding q re-
garded as one Of the best batsmen n the
District
Mooney, the catcher OF the old AEsrins
team Of the Departmental League. and
Myers viii also De called on 10 see what
they can do in the catching department.
Humphrey Beckett an old standby, VIII
likely don the mitt and gloves again nexs
summer Others who viii try for the
team are Ballinger, Thomas J. Crowsu,
c. W. Camalier, Ferguson. and Fuller.
Retrib1tiOn.