Evening star., 1909-06-09
WEATHER CONTINUES
TO STOP BASE BALL
If It Clears Tonight the Ma
tjonaIs and White Sox Will
Wind Up Tomorrow.

Drizzling weather and soppy grounds
confronted the local base ball fans yes
terday afternoon and the game scheduled
between the Nationals and Chicago
White Sox was put off until the next
visit of the Comiskey braves. The heavy
rains last night and this morning kept
the players idle again today.
From the look of the base ball map
yesterday the present rain must have
crept up the Potomac river from the
bay, as all the other eastern clubs were
able to play. the inclement weather being
on tap in Washington alone
The postponements have caused a
change in the arrangement of the pitch
ing staff. and the chances are that Nick
Altrock will have to wait quite IL period
before given Il trial Walter Johnson
will go on the rubber tomorrow. and he
will have to battle with either Doc
White or big Frank Smith Both man
ayers. Cantillon and Sullivan. are anx-
ious to win games just now. and neither
oRn afford To take chances on expert
menting with any but the best pitchers
they have
manage the Nationals next season and
for several years to come, but the own
ers and directors of the club have not
taken up or talked about the matter
at all.
There is no doubt but that the showing
of the Washington club has been keen
disappointment to the owners. On all
that done last fall they had
right to expect better things this year
especially as Manager Cantillon had GER
tainly progressed from the time he
struck this burg up until the close OF
last season. There is a screw loose
somewhere. but its location is problem
too hard to solve A majority of the
owners are with Manager Cantillon in
the belief that the team will yet take
on decided brace and ascend the pen
nant ladder. but it is the weary waiting
for this dash to the north pole that is
telling on the owners as well as the
fans
Charley Fredericks. the treasurer of
the Chicago club. is a keen observer of
things and great believer in the
drawing power of this city if winner
could he developed here.
Can you imagine the Detroit club in
this city doing the business 1T is at
home said Fredericks the other night.
Last Friday a week We were in De-
troit and played one of the hottest
fourteen inning games that develops
during a season. the Tigers heading us
out by one run. That night Detroit
was jammed with base ball talk and
no matter which way you turned there
was nothing talked about but that VIC
tory for the DetroitS.
When i turned in that night / had
visions of the Detroit park being
packed to the gates. as it was Satur-
day and the weather perfect for out
door sport. Guess how many turned
out? Exactly 6.S93. Can you beat it?
If that game had happened in Wash
ington under the conditions existing in
Detroit the street ears could not have
hauled all the people who would want
to get into the park and the police re-
serves would have to close the gates.
"Ah, me-" siged Fredericks. Il wish
/ owned a winning club in this city.
There is probably nothing in base ball
that 50 quickly takes the life out of
off the bases. With this fact in view
every club tries to perfect itself in this
department of the game To the spec
tator there usually appear but two men
who are directly connected with the play,
when in reality the pitcher has as much,
If not more. to do with 1t than any of
the other players. This is especially true
where the catcher throws to one of the
bases to catch man mapping. The in
fielder usually gives the catcher the sign
that he is going to attempt the play but
often the backstop signals the baseman
10 this effect. The pitcher is next tipped
off on what is coming, and. knowing
what is expected. he must pitch the ball
where il will be easy for the catcher to
handle and at the same time such a dis
tance away from the batter that II is
impossible for him to hit the ball.
II can readily he seen that if the
pitcher does not keep the ball out or
away from the hitter what swell
chance the man al the bat has TO not
only break up the attempted play. but
at the same time TO hit through the spot