Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-23
BY J. ED GRILLO.

Dixie Walker is the one pitcher on the
local staff from whom Manager McAleer
expects great improvement next season.
! Though Walkers showing last season
was anything but poor. his physical con-
dition was not of the best or he would
have been close to Walter Johnson in the
records.
I 1t is believed that trip to Hot Springs
will bring the big fellow around TO fis
best form. in which event he is sure to be
a winner for the team.
i Last season there were innumerable ru-
mors regarding Walkers conduct off the
ball field. His defeats were attributed to
his failure to take proper care of himself.
but McAleer after a careful investigation
pronounced these charges as being I'M
founded.
1t is one of the failngs of the average
fan to charge dissipation after every de-
feat. When a player happens to. go wrong
rumors are started that he is doing this
OF that which ne should not. Most of the
time there is no ground for these stories.
but they travel mighty fast and grow as
they travel. Walker was a victim of
these stories. according to McAleer.
Tom Hughes is another player who had
| a rather unenviable reputation. not all OF
which was deserved. Hughes, like many
If he felt like drinking a glass of beer he
made it a point to so TO the most promi-
nent place in town to do it. and saw to it
that every one in the immediate vicinity
! was aware of his presence. But Hughes
according to Joe Cantillon. for whom he
pitched last season, has turned over a
new leaf and has not touched drop for
| over year.
| There is no need for alarm over the
entrance into base ball of the so-called
kid glove syndicate which recently pur-
, chased the ST. Louis club. They are go
! ing to be funny for while. but there Is
| no danger of their ever getting gay. They
have, way in this American League OF
| sittinf down on magnates, and these new
| corners will not be allowed to go far IL
! they stagger off of the narrow path.
| This thing of being suddenly thrown
| into the limelight has upset even strong
| men, that some of the vaporinss OF
Ben Adkin. one of the new owners. must
| not be taken too seriously. BY the
time the season starts the new owners
of the Browns will know more than they
do now and by the time the season is
| over they are sure to have gained lot
more wisdom and experience.
! Major league bail players have paid for
/ their uniforms for the past fifteen or
| twenty years, and yet the announcement
that this rule will be strictly adhered to
| by the National League in the future
| seems to have caused a lot of fuss.
| The trouble is that some players have
persuaded their club to eliminate the
clause whereby the player agrees to pay
a certain amount for uniforms. This
naturally has caused dissatisfaction among
other players, and for this reason the
| National League during its meeting
wanted to know whether the clubs want
| ed to continue to make the players pay
| for their uniforms or have the clubs buy
| them. The rule was therefore made i'm
perative SO that every player will be on
an equal footing.
John E. Bruce, secretary of the national
commission. is authority for the state
ment that in but two instances during the
| hearing of 700 cases in which ball play
ers have been involved has it been found
| that the truth was not told. This is a
| record of which the PLAYERS can we'll be
proud. 1t shows that large majority
| of them are honest and can be trusted
1t would be interesting to know from
Mr.. Bruce how many times the club own
| ers have told the truth during the same
| period
| In letter to Washington friend Tom
] Hughes writes that he will be here shortly
| to remain until the Nationals start for
Atlanta. Long Tom insists that he will
/ be i'm as good condition next season as
he was last. and expresses confidence
| that he will more than hold his own with
| McAleer's team.
| 1t is not unlikely that Hughes will be
| SeHt 10 I1Ot Springs WIFI the duNdHce
! guard. A trip there should do him lot
| of good.
Umpire Billy Evans has returned from
| Cuba TO his home in Cleveland, and he
| brings the information that the worlds
| champion Athletics are not proving the
| dra wing cards in Cuba that did the De-
| troit Tigers. The fact that the Athletics
| are presenting a patched up team is not
| pleasing to the Cubans, who want the big
| show or nothing at all.
! According to Evans, the infield. which
/ is composed of Davis. sBarru Derrick and
| McInnes. is finding it difficult to shoot the
| wingy ball across the diamond, while Ira
Thomas is bounding them to second i'm an
| effort to catch base runners.
| 1t is very evident that this sort of thing
is not going to help these players in the
least. To play with wingy ball has al
ways been considered the most harmful
thing for a players throwing arm, and
d few lame wings may result from the
| champions present experience.
| Art Griggs, who was traded to Cleve-
! land by st. Louis for Mig Clarke. is out
! with the usual statement that he is
| tickled with the change and that he will
| show his true form I'm a Nap uniform. 1t
| was understood at the league meeting
that 1t is not the intention to play Griggs
| regularly. Being a right-handed hitter,
, it is figured that he will prove valuable
| on occasions when left-handers are being
used against the Maps, as that team has
become a left-handed hitting club since
the numerous changes were made.
GriggS certainly had no incentive for do