The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-10
NATIONALS PRIMED FOR ATHLETICS:
PLANK AND JOHNSON THE TWIRLERS
Fans Confident McAleer
Will Show Something
Better than a Tail Ender.
Players in Fine Shape.
by WILLIAM PEET.

BN " lillian
The American League baseball season
for 1910 will be fnaugurated next Thurs
day The Philadelphia Athletics meet the
Nationals here on the Florida avenue
grounds, New York and Boston clash on
the HighIanders' field, and in the West
Chicago and St. Louis hook up in the
Windy City. and Cleveland meets Detroit
on the Tigers jungle.
Each year District fans have read
glowing newspaper accounts Of the Ma
tiOnals' prowess during the early season
games, and each year have hoped for
something better than the bottom OF the
heap. The result has invariably been the
same. Something has happened-the boys
did not hit or the pitchers failed to strike
their true form-and the wind-up found
the team hopelessly in the rear.
This year the fans believe that Manager
McAleer IS going TO turn ont team that
will not only finish higher up in the
percentage column. but one capable Of
winning the majority Of home games.
They claim that McAleer is a better
manager than Joe Cantilon: that he has
better material with which to work. and
that he uses kind words and encourage
ment instead of slave-driving tactics, and.
consequently, will be able TO obtain better
results.
The Nationals are certainly stronger
right now than they were at this time
last year. The old players admit this
themselves, pointing out that with John
son. Walker. Gray. Groom, and Resisting
showing good form, the pitchir staff is
IN a position to hold I'D NOR than its
own. while such sterling hitters as Milan.
Lelivelt, Gessler. and Unglaub are likely
to get busy and break up a game almost
any old time.
Kid Elberfeld has strengthened third
base wonderfully, also added considerable
hitting strength. Charley Street, Bob
Unglaub, and Clyde Milan give promise
of hitting better this season than last
Ailan's work with the stick has been
particularly gratifying thus far. Man
ager McAleer has great faith in Milan,
and declares that the yOungster VIII be
the sensation of the American League
this year.
For the opening game here Thursday
the battery has already been selected.
Walter Johnson viii be in the box, with
Gabby Street behind the bat. Walter has
always twirled good bali against the Ath-
letics. and with any hitting behind him.
the fans can count on a victory for a
starter.
The Athletics are going to send their
prize southpaw, Eddie Plank, against
McAleer's hopefuls. Eddie has worked
against US before, and while always put
ting up a good article. has never been
particularly effective. The fact must also
be born in mind that Plank is a veteran.
and pitchers do not always improve with
age-that is. after a certain age
Connie Mack believes the Nationals
left-hand hitters will find Plank a tough
nut to crack. AS a matter of fact, Milan
and Gessler can hit sOuthpaws just about
as handily as they can right-hand
fingers.
District fans remember very well the
opening game last season, when the Ma
tionals. with Charley Smith I'm the box
trimmed the New York Yankees to and
then lost the next two games. This year
McAleer is going to win the first three
games, just to give the fans something
10 sloat over The players are just as
determined as Manager Jim. and the
Athletics viii find that they have got to
show something better than We have
seen here in some time.
One of the veterans OF the local club
said last night: I have always been a
warm friend of Joe CantilIon, but Man
ager McAleer has opened my eyes and
already taught me more baseball than
I ever dreamed In the first place, he
has put US in the hands of real trainer;
every man is watched carefully. He is
given just the right amount OF work to
do. and the slightest ailment is looked
after on the spot Cantillon never had
an ache or pain in his life. and Jerry
Eddinger was joke. Cantllon believed
that a player should always be in good
shape. and failed TO have the proper kind
of trainer on the job At present every
man is ready to start the long season
grind. This helps whole lot, and don't
you forget it,"
Germany Sehaefer advances a good
argument as to why the Nationals should
win more games than last year. He SAYS
'In most all of our early games we have
won out by a Ted-hot batting rally in one
inning. The pitchers are now confident
that the men viii get together behind
them and bat in runs before the game
closes, and they win not grow lackadasi-
cal IL the opposing team happens to be a
few runs ahead. The players have a
lot more fighting spirit in them than
any Washington club I ever saw before.
They are out to win. first, last, and all
the time. II we get our share OF baseball
luck, and the pitchers keep up to their
present form-look out for the Nationals. -
Incidentally, Schaefer's view is the old
Detroit idea. Jennings slabmen always
kept plugging away. realizing that II they
did their share the men behind them
would bat out enough runs eventually TO
win.
The idea is a good one, too. Think it
over.
The other Eastern game of the Ameri-
can League opening Thursday will be
played IN New York, with the Boston Red
Sox as the Highlanders' opponents. The
Boston aggregation is practically the