The Washington herald., 1910-06-12
BEST SHOWING IN WEST
SINCE STALLS 1905 TEAM
Nationals Have Thus Far Won Five and Lost Seven
GameS-Rube Benton WOnder-Other
Sporting Gossip of Interest

ington club was out after Benton and
hoped TO land him.
Still 5000 is pretty stiff price to pay
for bush Lacquer.
Tom Crooks. the Washington boy who
was sent TO Jersey City of the Eastern
League three weeks ago. has been let
out by the "Skeeters and sold 10 the
York team of the Tri-State League. Bill
Abstein. late of the 81. Louis Browns
takes Crooks place on the Jersey out
n.
When Norman Elberfeld broke into pro-
fessional baseball ne was only seventeen
years old and still wearing short trousers.
according to an intimate friend Of the
Nationals infieldef. Sixteen years ago.
so the story goes, the 'Tabasco Kid
broke into the game as a professional.
To quote: He went from his home to
GAINESVILLE, Ky, and according to his
own story. he was a sorry-looking spec
tacle when he reported 10 the manager.
There had been a wreck the night be-
fore, and instead of making the trip IN
few hours Elberfeld was on the road all
night. He was sleepy, dirty, and as hun
CRY rs a youth Of seventeen years can
become over night. He wore knee trou-
sers, and the manager looked at him
askance when he walked up and said:
Are you the manager Well. I'm
Norman Elberfeld. your new player
a few minutes later Kid heard the
manager confde to one of the old players
that that half pint of cider will never do
However. he gave Kid chance that very
day. and he won the game for Clarks-
vile. The same evening, as they were
walking along the main street. the man
ager turned to Kid. and after looking
him over from head to foot said;
81 guess you are a ball player. all
right, Kid, but If you stay with this
team you will have to wear long treu-
sers.
" Tn willing. boss replied Elberfeld.
You buy them for me. You see. I'm
dead broke and couldn't buy shoe
l lace.
It's needless TO say that the minnr
/ league managers prophecy came true
l EIberfeld is one of the most prominent
, participants in the game te-day. even
| though he has seen years Of service. He
is thirty-three years old and, according
to Jim McAleer, is good forssone time
to come.
Baseball players bats differ in size and
shape as much as the players do in
physique. and the strange part of it is
( that many of the big fellows use a small,
/ well-shaped war club and a couple OF
rabbits WELD something resembling a
wagon tongue. An instance Of this is the
| wood pile that Rebel Cakes. a former
Cincinnati star, but now with the CaTdi-
nails, uses. man can scarcely imagine
such little fellow swinging so large and
heavy a bat as Cakes does. The opposite
side of the case is presented by Bresna-
han, who, while large in stature. his
with a reasonably small club After q
glance at the Hans Wagner bat one
would think that the Flying Dutchman'
might just as well pun up a young but
promising tree and use that TO destroy
the hopes of young and old pitchers alike
No balance to IT, large and heavy al
over. the average man could hardly
swing it. 1t takes a person of immenss
strength to use it properly, and Hans il
that. Being so heavy, the great batsmaI
can meet the ball either on the handle o.
the very end and make a hit. where an
other player would put up pop fly o.
weak grounder.
There is a report current in PhiladeI
phia that Manager Connie Mack. of th'
Athletics. is anxious TO obtain a new
catcher 10 help out Lapp, his other tive
catchers being laid up. Paddy Livings
ton has been suffering from a sprainet
tendon, and Ira Thomas has a broker
! thumb: and since these accidents IN
new recruit has been doing the maio
he needs a new catcher. and only recent
~ tried to get Beckendorf from the De
troit Tigers
Hughey Jennings is a wise manager
and refuses to part with the backstop
FOR what is his loss is the Athletics gain
Since Livingston and Thomas have beer
out of the game the White Elephan
twirlers have not been going as well a
they might have.
Mack has been worrying a little lately
, II is said. over his catcher question. III
says that If his team is TO figure in tn
race. he must have another catcher
Thomas viii be ont for some time an,
the work will fall on Livingston. lap
; helping him out, With another catcher
, say man of Beckendorf's ability. Macl
declares. a big load would be taken OF
his mind. Mack is said 10 have offere
Jennings 5000 for the catcher, but III
Tiger leader turned down the bid. Tn
St. Louis Americans were also after him
offering Bailey, the left-handed pitcher
for Beckendorf, Works. and O'Leary
Hughey smiled at the offer.
; Just TO show that the Yankees hav
some OF the Western clubs guessing. on
> of the st. Louis scribes hands out tn
following about the New York club:
THE Yankees have everybody guessing
I It looks ridiculous 10 consider them
r sure enough contender for Col johnson
flag. Just the same, they are playin
4 ideal ball. are the one team in the Amer
D lean League which hasn't suffered
I slump. and. all things considered, or
a justly entitled TO their high rank.
. But the season has four months {
run, and the chances are that in til
/ stretch the Tigers and Athletics will /
4 having 1t out by themselves. with til
e Yankees a beaten third team The pro.
perity the Yankees are enjoying at pre-
v ent and have been enjoying all seasol
p shows what IS possible in balloon whe
e a team trains right. husties. and fighi
[ for success. On paper each one OF II
n four tail-enders isn't a whole lot inferiC
[ to the Yankees On the playing gree
!. though, all the hOnors are with Sailing
n tidy little crew. Luck hasn't put the
: on top They richly deserve to be rigl
n where they are. They are playing SCUM
d rapid ball. and If the team had a hard,
set of hitters II would run one, two sur
AS II is, 1t looks as If eventually It mw
/ 4 -. IL