The Washington herald., 1910-07-18
By n. IT. MORLEY.

Now that the Departmental League
has closed its 1910 season. the relative
merits of the different players on the
various teams have been discussed pro
and con by the fans. and they are still
being boosted or knocked around town.
Just as opinions differ. The postseason
series is coming In for big share OF
the talk these days. despite the fact that
the games for the District championship
are some weeks of. The reason for the
gossip is that the Departmental League
which will be represented by the Com
nlissiOners this fail, has a fine chance this
year 10 win back its lost laurels The
Commissioners are considered by many
one CT the fastest sand-lot aggregatons
in the city. and with Robertson and
Byrd TO pitch viii make any team play
good baseball 20 cop the pennant.
An all-departmental team has been
picked, the writer considering. when
making his selection. the batting. field
ing, and all-round strength of the diff
ferent men. their head-woTk and expert
ence The Commissioners easily have
The best nine in the league. as is proved
by the dope" and they have FIVE men
on the an-departmental nine
Norman Kraft was picked from the
field OF good catchers largely because Of
his accurate throwing TO the bases and
his wide experience. covering many years
in harness. Joe Giebel has his friends.
and Is undoubtedly a fast man, being
considered next in line. Neither Kraft
nor Giebel have hit the bah hard this
season.
The Commissioners have the best pitch
ing STAFF in the league, Byrd and Robert
son delivering the goods whenever called
upon. and Robertson in particular being
very reliable. He has the stuff. mix
ing I'D his shoots and curves in a puz-
Zl1ng manner and battling hts opponents.
Byrd has a wonderful change OF pace.
and his timely hitting has won more
than one game for his team
Dutch Hessler has long been regarded
as one Of the best first sackers in Wash
ington. and he has passed one OF his best
years. maintaining a heavy batting gait
all through the season and winding up
with a percentage Of PSI. He is a fast
base runner and has the necessary ex-
perience 10 be of value to his club Ora
ham, of Agriculture. and Harsh. of
Navy, are both good felders. but cannot
WELD the willow with the timely effect
mastered by the man selected TO guard
the initial corner Graham Is hitting
.293 for the year, but his batting has not
been impressive.
The second corner goes to Charley
Moran. an old Washington player who,
because of his form and experience. is
hor sf4n
infield for the Laborites. and has proved
a dangerous hitter, pounding the sphere
for 300. Murphy, of the Aggies, and
Hurley. Of the Commissioners. are good
men. but both rank lower in the batting
column and lack the experience to get
the selection over the former Washington
professional.
Probably the best fielder In the De-
partmental League is selected for short
stop. Drummer who went through the
season with only one error. the lone mis-
cue coming in the last game in which he
played. after he had been struck in the
eye by bad bounder. One Of Brunner's
best traits is his ability to wait until the
pitcher earves the plate, and he averages
two bases on balls a game. something
which can be said of few players. But
for Watson's inability TO field the ball
as cleverly as Drummer the Navy short
stop would give him hard rub for the
short field job. as he is a good batter.
Connie" Doyles wonderful playing at
third base puts him in class entirely
10 himself Doyle is about as reliable a
man on hunts hit to his territory as has
donned uniform in the Clerks League
in several seasons. Besides. his batting
mark of 1902 is a grand one, and his
wallops have been very timely. Thomas,
of the Commissioners, Is weak on hunts,
which puts him out of consideration.
The Commissioners get two men in the
ontfeld, the other going to Navy. DAILY,
of the Sailors. is picked to gambol about
the left garden on account Of the sure
manner in which he handles everything
hit in his territory, and his good bat
ting. He hit FOR .So4 for fourteen games,
making seventeen hits. DAILY is fast as a
shadow on bases and is clever fellow
on the bags. Rapp. of Commerce and
Labor, was considered. but his batting is
SO far below that OF the Navy man that
he was eliminated.
IN the center garden Pop" Harding. OF
the pennant winners takes the cake and
all the candy Pop" Is veteran In
point of service, leads the league IN bat
ting with a percentage OF 1893 for fifteen
games, and is a good fielder
Gus" Lay. also of the Commissioners.
who leads of for the District lads. and
who leads the league in stolen bases
with thirteen stolen sacks. is appointed
custodian OF the right field garden Lay
hit for only .1SS but he has a good arm,
a good eye and was hit by pitched balls
more times than any other man in the
league, all of which contributed to his
teams success. Van Buskirk. of Com
merce and Labor. deserves honorable
mention. hitting the ball for pa.
In the last three games with Norfolk
Johnnie Priest. the Washington boy who
is playing shortstop for Danvllle went TO
bat eleven times. made two runs. one hit
fourteen put-outs. eleven assists. and one
error He also made two sacrifice hits
and figured in TWO double plays. Priest
won the fourteen-inning game with a
home run.
In the doubie-header Saturday with
Augusta AGAINST Savannah Menefee went