Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-06
BY j. ED GRILL0.


In the eighteen games the Nationals
have PLAYED this season they have made
almost the same showing as they DID
last year. This spring the team mas won
six games of the dozen and q hal1' aho
last year in the same number Oh games
played but five victories were credited TO
it. So it would seem that the team is
going along at about the same rate IL
did last season, notwithstanding the
change in management and other sup
posed improvements.
The impression has been prevalent mere
that Washington had a better team thaii
results had shown. There was oouo'
whether the man in charge was getlhns
the best out of the material on hand, ana
1t was finally the consensus OF opiiio"
that Joe Cantillon was to blame for the
teams failure. That the manager OF
team must have the proper material
and he needs lots of smiles from Daine
Fortune to get that-before he can az
complish anything stands TO reasoh'
though this is often overlooked by the
teams critics. McAleer is capable man
to handle a team. but all his knowieose
of the game, his ability to keep MS
players keyed up and the nJectIon Oh
the right spirit will not bring victories
unless the players are capable or doiHs
their parts on the ball field. y manager
may devise means to Outgeneral the OPP
position, but it is up to the players 10
set these plans into execution. He can
not play the entire game himself
That the patrons of the game should
grow impatient because of the teams 1aii-
ure year after year is not TO be won
dered at. This thing Of being with loser
is most discouraging, but winning Dali
teams are not gotten together over nignt
1t takes time and lots OF H. Is
case of plugging up one hole at a. time
and then the luck may be that with one
weak spot strengthened others VIII de-
velop.
who would have thought that with FL
berfeld playing in his old form at tnlru
and Milan putting up stronger game
than he has at any time since ne joined
the team, the Nationals would not De WIN
ners But what happened? Why the pltcn-
ers. who were considered a formidabie
lot, failed to deliver and the sertngth that
has been added in other departments was
more than offset by the falling down Oh
almost the entire pitching stan NO one
could foresee this On past perIormance
all that was needed to make the team
was the addition Of strength enough to be
able to score few runs. The Nauonafs
have scored more runs this spring IMAM
they did last. but they have mostly Deeh
wasted because the pitchers were unable
to hold down their opponents Surely this
does not reflect on McAleer any more
than the teams inability to score runs
should have been blamed on Cantillon
Just what has taken place to change
Dixie" Walker from pitcher who
doomed up as a star last fall to a rather
uncertain proposition this spring no one
seems able to surmise. His Ineffective
ness in the games he has pitched this
something radically wrong with the
husky fellow. In the four games he
pitched for Cantillon last fall he gave
but one base on balls. and that purposely,
to get a weak batter up in a pinch.
HIS control was nothing short of re-
markable, and there was every reason
for believing that Walker would be of the
greatest help to the team this year. But
Walker has not had that same control
this spring.
While he has not issued a great many
of the batters who have faced him, and
this may account for the many hits that
have been made off of him.
Then, too, that terrific speed which
marked his work last fall has only on
infreuuent occasions made its appear
ance this spring Walker had nearly as
much speed as Johnson when he first
came here. Now he usually starts a
game with everything, but cannot go over
to improve considerably if he expects to
be of any help to the team.
Doc Reisling expects to be ready to
take his turn on the rubber when the
Nationals return here. Doc was in splen-