Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-25
By J. Ed Grillo.


been for the failure of Doc Gessler and
Bob Unglaub to hit up to their usual
standard McAleer's team would be oc-
cupying a berth in the first division now
would be mighty near 1t.
on paper these two players were nat
urally figured as the ores to do the most
effective offensive work. Their past rec
ords were such that it was but natural
to consider them the two men to do the
bulk of the run producing swat work.
Neither, however, has been hitting any
where near his usual stride, and to this
there is no telling how many defeats
can be charged Game after game was
lost early in the season WHICH could
have been won with a base hit by either
Gessler or Unglau5.
Considering the fact that the two play
ers who were supposed to be the teams
best hitters have lamentably fallen down
il is really remarkable that the team has
shown up so well in the race and 1t Is
also plain that it would have occupied
much higher position had this pair come
up TO expectations
1t Is certainly not good break to
have two good hitterS have an of sea-
son at the same time. but that is exactly
what has happened. No doubt both Cess
Ter and Unglaub will bat again as well as
they ever did, for there is no reason why
they should not. but their slump has
been a sad blow to- the hopes of the Ma
tionals.
Just what causes these batting siumps
is hard to understand. though ii is no
doubt true that the players state of mind
has much to do with his batting. III
player when he happens TO be batting
poorly would not give it a thought he
would probably recover in the course OF a
little time, but it is the fact that he wOT-
nd fri n Slllmn
frequently changing his entire style of
batting, so that he goes from bad to
worse. Some of the greatest batters have
had their slumps. Lajoie. for instance.
has had years when he did not hit up to
his standard. but he always came back
with rush the year following.
Over in Philadelphia they are talking
Of the rennant parade and picking places
OF honor for some of the players. 1t will
he well to go slow about such matters,
for il is long way to the finish, and
those Athletics have the reputation of
being none too strong when they get in
tight pinches. This thing of making ar
rangements for parades and figuring On
dividing bonus money has always proven
disastrous. Ii is not many years ago
when the Cincinnati team, being fourteen
games in the lead for second place. with
but one more trip before it. made arrange
ments to divide the receipts of the Temple
Cup series, which was played between
not seem to be a chance for Cincinnati
To he beaten out. and this was apparently
cinched when the first game of the trip
was victory. But what happened? The
next fourteen games were defeats and
the team finished third. Don't count
your chickens before t1,y are Matched.
Jim McAleer was in his time considered
the greatest of outfielders, though he was
never a strong batter. But if any one
ought to know outfielder 1t is Nc
-Nleer. and he believes that Clyde Milan
has no superior as a gardener.
They talk about all the others,
but it is my opinion that Milan has no
superior as a fielder. He covers a re-
markable lot of ground, has good judg-
nent and is sure CATCH said McAleer.
Don't overlook the fact that Milan is a
great ball player. There are none more
valuable to a team. What is more, he is
young and will continue to improve. He
las just started TO come. and next season
will be his banner year, of that 1 am
convinced.
There are going to be lot of former
major league players now in the minors
brought back this fall. The veterans are
making things hum in the minors and are
doing so much better work than the
youngsters that many major league
manager will find room fer players who
have seen service in the big show years
AGO.
Had il not been for an accident which
rut Jimmy Barrett out of the Milwaukee
EGe-up lie would now be playing with
Chicago. Negotiations We're on when Bar
rett hurt. The former Detroit star
Is Hitting and playing we'll as he ever
did. and he would have fitted in nicely on
the Chicago team.
Jimmy Williams is another player who
is very ayt to come back. and Wyatt Lee
who has been in the minors for several
years, is spoken of as a probable member
81 some big league team next spring.
This only goes TO show that players are
rot being developed very rapidly. for
those who have at one time or another
made good are still hanging on.
Tonorrcws game with the White Sox
VIII be the last the local field for
some weeks. The Nationals go to Phila-
6elphia for four games Wednesday and
then make their second western trip.
An American Associate manager in
discussing the game the other day, stated
that some of the association clubs were
getting behind the times and falling into
the same rut that weakened the National
League a few years ago-that of hanging
on to the oid-timers instead of develop
ing more youngsters. says the Evening
Wisconsin. 1T seems to be the general
feeling in the association. said this man
ager. that no matter what PLAYER the
major league clubs let out. he is well
come in the association. That is a wrong
Impression. Many of the players who
come from the big leagues are no better
than have and some nf them NOT ca