Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-11
NEW PARK NOT LIKELY THIS
YEAR; ENLARGEMENT CERTAIN
Local Club Owners Encounter Obstacles in
Their Plansfor Permanent Improvement
Walter Johnson Being Worked Hard.

| for the past two weeks or more is. no
more easily explained than his remark
| able slump early in the season compar-
| ed with his work during preceding cam
| paigns. Unglaub, up to this year was
one of the most reliable batsmen who
ever wore a Washington uniform, but
this season, though In perfect condition
and more anxious than ever to make
good he fell down lamentably and his
failure to hit anywhere near his standard
has proved one of the most unfortunate
occurrences of the season for the Ma
tionals.
man and there is no reason for suspect
ing that he has reached that stage where
he is sliding backward.
Bv striking out eight of the Athletics
yesterday Walter Johnson brought his
grand total of strike-outS for the season
to 20. The record held by Waddeil Is
3U1 for the year and Johnson has but
twenty-five more men TO strike out to
equal this record in the remainder OF
the season, and he should not have the
slightest trouble beating the mark by
several before the season comes to
close.
Johnson's wildness and Beckendorf's in
ability to hold his delivery cost yester-
days game. Notwithstanding the fact
that Beckendorf has handled Johnson $
delivery fairly well and that he insists II
is no more difficult than that of any or
binary pitcher, 1t seems nevertheless that
he has many passed balls when john
son is in form. Charley Street undoubt-
eddy seemed capable Of handling Johnson
to better advantage than any catcher
who ever stood before the big fellow, bar
ring the veteran Mike kahoe, who caught
him in all his early games with the Ma
tionals.
1t is hard to sec where Jim McAleer
has any better trading material this year
than Cantillon had during his three years
here. The players who are most wanted
by other clubs from Washington are
those most needed here, for they COM
ball team. There Is always a Lot of talk
about making trades, but when IL comes
down to talking business the other clubs
want Johnson. Street, Milan or Mcbride
and of course no sane man would part
with any one Of this trio, because they
are hard to improve upon. Every club OF
course Is open to make trades, but al OF
them want something which the other
club can i'll afford to let go, and for this
reason more than any other there are
but few instances where any of the trade
talk develops in a real transaction.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Ma
tionals have lost their last three games,
they are still in sole possession of fifth
place, but of course they will have to
position or either Cleveland or Chicago
will pass them. But the hardest part
of the remaining schedule is very near
over, for out in the west the sailing
should be easier. though OF course II Is
an uncertain game and the teams which
promise to be easy are very often the
toughest kind of propositions.
Just what it is that gives some certain
pitcher some certain teams goat as
they say I'm the parlance of the street. is
hard to figure out. Quinn of the New
Yorks can beat the Nationals any time
he walks out on the rubber, and yet
other teams do not find him so very
| troublesome. Yesterday, for instance,
Boston forced Quinn TO retire under fire.
and when he pitched here few days
ago he did not have to extend himself
| to be effective.
Speculation on the outcome OF the
worlds series between the Athletics and
| cubs must be based on the pitching.
| The team which has the most effective
/ twirling will come pretty near winning
the ma iority of those games, though il
is contended that il the pitching is even
that the Cubs will be turned in VIC
tors. be- ause Of the fact that the team
is given credit for being wiser one
than its opponents arc. But wisdom in
base ball amounts TO nothing il the
not until the two teams hook up will
there be any way to get a good line on
the relative strength OF the pitching
I stats.
In nearly every worlds series the best
PLAYING has been done by some PLAYER
who was not figured to do anything out
OF the ordinary, and that may be the
case again this year.
PLAYING i'm a world series is quite diff
ferent from taking part i'm the ordinary
schedule games. The strain made pos
sible by the fact that there is much at
stake. affects players differently. In some
in others it makes the stars look like
dubs.
| In base ball you don't have to be a
spcndthrift TO be successful but YOU must
loosen your grip on the purse strings
Z when there Is chance to better condi-
tons. No chance must be overlooked to
get a ball player, and there are few clubs
! that do.
| When Walter Johnson recommended
Hinrich the local club met every demand
that was made to secure the youngster.
He has. OF course, not panned out but II
| would have been serious mistake to
have raised up the opportunity Nor can
one do much dickcring In base hall for
| the reason that competition is so great
/ for playing material that. to hesitate
! often mems TO lose star, and while
: ing the number of players that are en-
gagged in the game. yet no one man can
ever tell when q Cobb or a Johnson will
drop into the fold. Hence u pays to
take chances.