Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-14
BY J. ED GRILLO.

IF 1 had a ball team such as the ALI
Stars to enter the next race with l could
sit On the bench and laugh myself fat
all season." remarked Jim McAleer this
morning.
It's pleasure to be in charge of such
team. It's the strongest combination
that could possibly be got together,
though there may be players for that in
field who would make it look better, but
this bunch is good enough for me.
ITO see this team makes me feel that
there is always hope for a manager with
the nucleus for a good team for 1t takes
but the addition of a few good players
to give him a pennant winner. Id ike
to play in the worlds series with my
team. 1t would be a cleanup, sure.
don't believe we would lose game, for
those three pitchers can come pretty
near making any team bite the dust
when they let themselves out. l don't
think that the All-Stars' victories over
the Athletics reflect on the champions.
They are up against a wonderful combi-
nation, which l don't believe any team
could beat in series of games
What a remarkable pitcher Christy
Mathewson really is. When keyed up
for some special occasion the Giants
great star never fails to deliver. Mathew
son has ever been best against a team
which has never faced him before. He
Outguesses the batters, and his perform
ance of striking out fourteen of the
Highlanders yesterday proves conclusive
ly that there are years of usefulness still
left in MathewSon.
Playing with a team of stars makes a
lot of difference in a ball player. Sur
rounded by the best outfelders in the
country. Clyde Milan is just now having
an opportunity to show his real worth.
A good ball team furnishes opportunities
for display of good base ball to the play
ers. One great ball player thrown in
with a lot of mediocre talent is handi-
capped and does not show to his best
when sandwiched in with a lot of stars
will look good.
If Milan played on winning combina-
ton he would be classed even higher
than he is at the present time. 1t makes
a lot Of difference in base ball the kind
of company player travels in.
1t is to be hoped that the present slump
Of the Athletics will have run out by the
time they get into the worlds series.
Ball teams have their off periods and 1t
may be this as much as the fact that
they have been up against three crack
feats Of the Athletics at the hands OF
the All-Stars. But even good ball team
does not figure to gather 4 whole lot of
runs when opposed by pi1c rs Of the
pretty nearly win 80 per. cent of ITS
games when they are backed up by a
good hitting and fielding team such as
pany the games are played in. Certainly
there was not team in the American
League during the past campaign which
presented such strong front as the ALI
Stars. No team could boast Of three such
consistent pitchers nor such a brilliant
outfield. So that these games really do
not give a very good line on the -Ath-
pionship team is helpless when facing
high-class pitching. That is where great
ball teams are made-On the pitcher s
rubber.shoagh; OF course oI no pitcher can
and the All-Stars have the combination
to do this.
1t can safely be said that in Cobb.
Milan and Speaker the All-Stars present
the greatest outfield that ever stood In
spiked shoes. No combination that might
be arranged could be made stronger,
when fielding, hitting, throwing and speed
are considered. Give that outfield to any
team in the American League and it will
come pretty near making 1t contender
for the pennant. Add to that Outfield the
three pitchers McAleer has worked
against the Athletics and you nave the
favorite in either league pennant race.
The official scorers statement regard
ing the hits made by Lajoie Sunday
would lead one to believe that he had
been under suspicion. There never was
any question as to that. Lajoie's bunts
had to be scored hits There was no way
out of it so far as the scorer was con-
cerned, but the question which the ma
tional commission has to determine is
whether or not the st. Louis players de-
liberately conspired to give Lajoie these
hits. If it can be proven that the ST
Louis players so stationed themselves
as to make 1t possible for Lajoie
bunt safely and Lajoie was in no way
connected with the scheme and merely
took advantage of an opening ii is ques-
tionable whether any action can be taken
against him, and yet the whole affair is
going to be {. black eye for base ball. fol-
the suspicion that there was something
rotten in Denmark will no: down.
"A Fam wishes to make the following
| point anent the Lajoie-Cobb batting con-
troversy:
Sporting Editor The Star: VIII
| you pardon fan If he sub
mits to you the inclosed clippings from
todays issue Of The Star, and asks II
m his