Evening star., 1909-03-14
BROWNS YOUNG
PITCHERS IMPROVE
Graham and Bailey Should Be
of Great Service This
Season.

ST LOUIS Mo- March 13-It is posi-
BILE the Browns viii have powerful
pitching staff for the coming base ball
season. and yet not add a single man to
the present list of twirlers. Manager
McAleer and Owner Hedges are trying
to make trade that will give the Browns
another first-class boxman but the deal
is uncertain. If McAleer can perfect the
young twirlers already on his staff he
need make no more deals
The two young southpaw pitchers Bill
Bailey and Bill Graham. who were MEM
bers Of the club all last season. may
prove to be the salvation Of the team in
1909. They were both a bit disappoint-
ing last summer. Graham started out
well. and outside of apparent timidity
in the box was as good as any beginner.
Bailey started badly because of illness.
but finished strong. There is no question
of the ability of these two boys. and IL
they report I'm good condition next spring
their years experience In the major
league should have rubbed off the rough
edges SO they can begin the season OF
1909 as genuine big leaguers.
Jack OConnor, the veteran catcher,
who has been given his release by Owner
Hedges. has said time after time that
Bill Graham Is a wonder. Jack expresses
1T this way: THAT boy has more stuff on
have seen In many years. All he needs
is little confidence and he'll make them
all guess"
Poor Fielder.
Graham's weakness last season was
fielding. This was due to stage fright
He was splendid until men got on the
bases. and then he seemed incapable of
pitching and watching the bases. too.
With Lou Criger to catch him the coming
season he will undoubtedly gain conf
dence. for the veteran backstop will take
the responsibility off his shoulders.
Until July last season Graham showed
signs of making a great record for first
year man. In the early games against
Detroit, Chicago, Washington and even
Boston and New York he was SO effective
that every one was predicting he would
be wonder.
In the spring he beat Washington to I.
giving the Senators but six hits. His best
game, however. was on May .. when he
held the Detroit Tigers to three singles
and beat them to 1. In Boston the lat.
| ter part of May he lost a tight game, ?
to 1. after holding the bean sluggers to
six hits. A few days later he gave New
York a neat trimming that started II
down from the American League lead.
Andy Strengthened It Out.
It was on the first day OF June that
Graham's pace was blocked, and IL IL
could be laid to any one man. that man
was Big John Anderson OF the Chicago
White Sox. The Browns had Just re-
turned from their first eastern trip, and
were billed against the Sox at Sports
mans Park. Graham had been saved for
the game because McAleer knew his left
handed shoots were bothersome to the
Sox's left-handed hitters, as had been
proven in the previous games OF April.
Fielder Jones shifted his outfield on
that day, sending Pat Dougherty to the
bench, putting Hahn in left field and Big
Jawn in right The Browns had on their
batting clothes. and hammered Frank
Owen and Frank Smith for five runs In
four innings. All this time Bill Graham
was just breezing along pulled up for
the Sox had made but one run and about
four .dinky hits. But In the sixth inning
George Davis bothered Graham SO that he
the next hitter and he laced one nearly
to the fence two more singles followed in
quick order, and Bill was taken out of the
box That swat of Anderson's took all
the steam and all the curve out OF the
ball and left Bill helpless in the box. The
Sox held a regular batting festival and
won the game 10 to 6.
Bailey had an experience similar TO
Graham's last season. He showed stage
fright and poor control in tight places.
He could be as wild as a deer when men
were on bases, and lost two or three
games with bad throws. Bailey has a
curve ball like a snake in the grass. and
even more speed than Graham. But 1t
was almost September before he was In
good condition.