Evening star., 1909-08-29
SECTION A COMMENT.

The games this week are very impor-
tant, as the two teams that are to bat
tie for the District amateur champion
ship will be decided. 1t looks as though
Brentwood has the section A title as
good as landed, but the younger and
supposedly weaker organization has
hard race on, and the winner may not
be decided until the last scheduled
game is played. Parkview is still the
favorite.
Lefty Herring, the elongated first
baseman OF the Brentwoods, is covering
the initial sack for his team in as clev-
er a style as any amateur In the city.
High throws are as easy for him to
pull down as low ones are to dig out
Of the dust, and he is saving his team
mates many an error by his good work.
Herring, 1t will be recalled, had try
out with the Nationals when j. Gar
land Stahl was In command of the local
bunch. and had Lefty" been able to
hit a little better he might still be play
ing with the elect. In the post-season
games he Is batting pretty we'll.
"Dukey'' Mess. the midget third base
man of the Pension Bureau team. has
tests in section A. Mess had his hand
badly hurt in the last scheduled game in
the Marquette League, but as the team
needed his services in the amateur cham
pionship series, he has covered the third
sack for the Pension Bureau. While he
has been off-color with the stick. he has
fielded exceptionally we'll "Dukey' is
acting manager in the absence of Rob-
bins.
BILLY" Keane is a finished fielder. and
covers about as much territory in the
outer gardens as any fielder in town.
Keane has been getting his share of base
hits In the post-season series. but ne Will
be a bigger help to his team when the
play-off with the section B winner oc-
ours.
Dutch" Kenny plays good game for
Brentwood, but when his team meets
Bethany he is like fish out OF water.
He says he doesn't feel right playing
against team he has worked with and
pulled for all season. but he managed to
help defeat them last week, just the
same. Sentiment takes back seat when
a victory Is to be gained.
ton B leadership. Coach Springman will
endeavor to show the section A team
what a real live ball team, ostensibly In
minor class. can do when the psyche
logical moment in a crucial series ar
riyes. He intends to play the nine op-
posed to him clean off its feet. And it
not at all unlikely that his prediction
would come true. The trust company
boys are every inch ball team.
The old theory, born out by facts. how
ever. in the big leagues. that the pitcher
is always the weak hitter OF the team.
does not hold good among amateurs OIL
this city. Some of the best patsmen IN
town are pitchers-Buscher, lltchneld,
Rawlings. NeWberry, Ferguson, Robinson
all along the line 1t will be found that
the slab artists of the amateurs hoid
their own with the other members OF the
team And this observation brings up
the oft-discussed query OF why the p.tch-
er the man whom it would appear had
the best means of judging what kind OF
a curve to expect, should always be the
weak man in the batting order. The fact
remains, though, that he IS.
AL Handiboe and Billy Keane are the
BiIliken twins OF their team-both can al
WAYS be found with smile on thsir
face. and a happy -go-lucky air ABOUT
them And incidentally, they are star
ballplayers.
Meuefee, the old Tech catcher. is pnt-
ting up a good game back of the plate
for Bethany. His work is always OF
high order and his throwing to bases
nearly perfect
Tomorrow Marquette plays Department
tai at the American League Park, and
Tuesday the Sunday school boys meet the
Brentwood team at Capital CITY Park.
In case there is no tie, the piay-on Tor
the local amateur championship VIII
probably start Wednesday.
When Buscher the tall pitcher for the
Brentwoods, let's himself out. his speed Is
terrific He has q motion that is decep-
tiye. 1t does not appear as II he were ex-
erting himself in the least. but the ball
IS travelling at a terrific pace when II
crosses the plate.
Jack Priest slugged the ball Friday for
two triples, the first two times up. then
singled and Dodd robbed him OF another
extra base hit by good eaten the next
time up. Priest Is star player and
tower of strength at short.
The more one sees of Umpire Belts the
more he is impressed with his work and
the conscientious effort put forth by him
to give the players the very best in his
power. Few and far between are the
kicks registered against him.
McDona'd. Brentwoods shortstop, re-
minds one OF old 'Pianolegs" Hickman,
both in looks and build. and the way he
stands at the plate On the bases, how
ever he Is very fast
Hayes Is setting things on fire with his
terrific siugging. and so far tops all the
batters in section A. Most of his hits.
too, are clean, hard drives.
Dodd. the irresistible Dodd, the mild
hammered custodian of Bethany's left
pasture. is catching everything in and
near his territory in the post-season
games. He robbed Jack Priest of pos
sible home run Friday in the Agricul-
ture game by a phenomenal running
catch back near the fence.
Robinson, Pension Bureaus star pitcher.
put one over on Brentwood Thursday that
made Catcher Moreland look foolish
Robinson had reached third on a base
on balls and an error of Kinney's. and
Mess was at the bat Two were out and
Mess had two strikes called. when the
speedy little pitcher started for the plate
Moreland was SO startled the ball dropped
out OF his glove. and the stolen base
was easy.
venneman. Agriculture's old reliable
catcher, had fifteen chances Friday, with
out an error seven of the chances being
q oeSfStS Ho olSn yrado fuo bStS and cfolo