Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-23
BY ]. ED GRILLo.

II would no doubt be most gratifying
TO the patrons of the game here to nave
the Nationals finish in NTH place this
season. In fact, Manager McAleer ana
his players seem to have their hearts
set on accomplishing this feat. and yet
the club may be making a sacrifice IN
it's efforts to lead the second division.
While this fight for fifth place is on
McAleer is using only his seasoned ma
terial when perhaps II would be TO the
best interest OF the team TO do lot of ex-
perimenting this fall. True, but few of
the new men have reported. but there
will be others shortly. and they should
arrive. even II by so doing the team
should be put out of the race for fifth
IL will be of the greatest benefit to
McAleer to get line on the material
from which he is expected TO build up
winner this fall.
some of the green hands may even be
improving during the remainder OF this
season. for the benefits derived from CIV
ing young players tryouts In the ran Is
generally conceded.
Connie Mack had poor ball team in
1905. and Just as soon as he realized that
he was out of the race he began to ex-
pertinent He brought In his young
sters and played them. Some OF the ex-
hibitioDs may not have been up to the
major league caliber. but that fact did
not disturb Mack, who, when the season
was over, had a good line on his team,
and the very next year had the runner
up in the pennant race, and this year
the pennant winner
Every effort should be made to get the
youngsters McAleer has secured TO re-
port here as soon as possible. To nave
them under his wing for month or 50
will give him chance TO size up MS
new material now instead of next spring.
when conditions for doing this will not
be near so favorable.
Manager Duffy is doing a lot of ex-
He is getting all the young
sters he can and Is playing them. In
this way Duffy hopes to start into the
next campaign better fortified in every
department than he was this year. He
is getting a line on his young players
and will be able to present his strongest
front right from the start Of next season.
IL has been many day since Wash
ington team won a game from Doc White,
and il has been longer still since the
genial doctor was forced to retire under
fire. u may not have been just proper
for a lot of the Doctors fellow townsnen
to look upon his humiliating exit with
glee and the cheer which went up when
the Doc was making his way to the
bench may not have been in keeping with
true sportsmanship, and yet 1t cannot he
denied that there was something pleas
ing about IL. II was an achievement for
which no one seemed prepared. Game
after game has been placed to the credit
of the White Sox because of Whites ef
fective pitching. and It looked Tor time
yesterday as II that same old hoodoo were
still over the Nationals. so that when
the break came even Docs friends could
not help from cheering.
Walker pitched good game of ball.
But for a couple Of errors behind him
he would not have been in trouble at any
stage.
Mclean gives the impression that he
Is going to be a good ball player. The
youngster fields we'll is fast on his feet
and handles his bat as IL he were
hitter. He got two of the drives yester-
lay. and one OF these was a triple.
Zwilling, the other recruit. did not have
much to do yesterday and he was not
lucky at the bat. Both are husky lads
Ind are barely in the twenties.
Ambrose Mcconnell Is an unfortunate
fellow. He is always getting hurt. Yes
terday he twisted his ankle while ham
iling a thrown ball from PAYNE. He
was forced to retire. and IL may be sew
eral days before he will-be able to play.
Mcconnell and Lord will make a great
difference in the Chicago infield. Both
are good fielders and fast on the bases.
In exercising its option on the pick of
the Minneapolis Club Washington has Sc
cured First Baseman Gill. while Tom
Hughes has been purchased outright. Gill
has been In the majors before. Pittsburg
gave him a trial, as did Chicago. He
lid not answer the bill at either place,
but Is said to have greatly improved dur
ng the past season. Cantilion insists
hat he Is the best first baseman In the
though that does not necesi
sarily mean much. fer there are no real
stars in that position in that circuit.
Mercer, the pitcher to which Washing
ton lays claim by reason Of an option on
the players Of the Peoria club. joined the
Pittsburg team some weeks ago. If the
club insists that Mercer IL
It's property tine case will most likely so
to the commission for adjustment.
Wild Conroy has done some splendid
work for the Nationals this season, but
at no time has he been going at SO fast
q clip as the present.
Not only Is he fielding brilliantly in left,
hut he In welding his bat with telling ef-
feet. He get three hits again yesterday
and did much to win the game for the
locals. and he has been hitting time
~ and frequently ever since the team re-
turned from its last western trip.
There Is no danger OF McAleer doing