The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-06
WASHINGTON BATTING
OFFERS SOME HOPE
Beating Out Two Clubs Encourages the Fans-Schaefer
and COnroy Make Fair Showing
Aimed at FogeI Not Justified
BY THOMAS S. RICE.

ABOUT the only encouraging sign OF
the times we have noted for many weary
days is that the official averages of the
American League credit washington
with a club batting percentage Of DOB, as
against .22l for Chicago and PA for St
Louis
The only way the Washington team
as at present constituted can expect to
make a showing next season is to slug
ts way into the winning column, backed
up by the work Of the pitchers. Any
thing i'm the way Of fnesse or inside
work Will be mostly incidental. That
viii not be prominent enough to catch
the eye for az least another season, and
McAlee. can hardly be blamed He
practically has the job OF organizing a
new ball team despite the fact he will
have several men who have been in
Washington two or three seasons. John
son, Dixie Walker. Bob Groom ana
Witherup, supported by consistent hit
ting, offer the faint hope Of hosting
Washington into seventh place by beat
ing st. Louis. Chicago Will have too
good a pitching staff TO expect II 10
land lower than sixth The trouble is,
Washington has hitters like Iselivelt.
Unglaub, and Gessler who cen slam the
ball with great violence, but heir own
work is seldom consistent for periods
longer than a week, and their general
backing by the weaker stickers 3 sell
dom consistent for more than q minute.
Wonder exactly how much New York s
batting average Of .246 was due to signal
tipping2
What in the name Of the sacred clout
gets into some Of the men who come to
Washington is a mystery For instance,
DR.. Gessler closed the season with an
average Of .2S4, yet he had every right
TO be in the 300 class. He was hitting
like a house afire and hitting hard, mp
to the time he donned Washington
uniform, when he developed a habit OF
going a week or so witt out a safety
of any kind. His average sagged &C
cOrdingly and was not giving any evil
dence Of looking up when he closed the
season. George Browne presented a
pleasing contrast. Kept on the bench
In the National League because he was
all in as a batter, ne began
TO tear up things by the roots in Wash
layton, but just as he looked Ike a
league leader ne injured his leg and the
dream vanished. Then. look at Milan
There was a LAD with the earmarks OF
a $4,000 beauty and such good opinion
Of himself that he demanded an in
crease Of wages. He batteJ just 200.
and was lucky to stand that high. An
outfielder fast as lightning. batting 300.
Shades of Frank Huelsmani
Charley Street Is worth his wages,
even II ne did bat a mere .2lL
When all is said and dOGe and we re-
member the necessity for GUacing the
hitting, the DDS made by Kia EIberfeld
las, season IS not impressive He is a
grand ball player and put up a great
game for the New York Highlanders,
but, If he comes here 10 play third base
there viii be Mcbride, another grand
player. next 10 him. who IS credited
with only .235. This presents a dis
coura gtng outlook. At second base we
may have with us Jerry Downs. who did
not break any worlds records as Il
slugger when with Detroit The only