Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-06
BY J. ED GkILLO.

By u. ELI 0h4LAO.
II Bob Groom Is ever to be a successful
pitcher for the Nationals there will have
to be a change in the feeling of local
patrons toward the tall twirler or he
will have to be used exclusively on the
road AS matters now stand II Is i'm
possible for Groom to do himself justice
on the home grounds for the very reason
that Just as soon as he makes the slight
est miscue the crowds demand his being
taken out of the game. and Groom has
not shown a tendency to stand up We'll
under discouraginS conditions
The result is that while he pitches good
ball away from home he is failure at
home.
McAIeer. like most every manager in
the American League. believes that Groom
should be winninS pitcher. He mas
plenty in the way of speed ard curves
to win a large majority OF his games ana
is always successful when ne has con-
troll of the ball Strangely enough. he
seldom displays any wildneSS When pltch-
ing on foreign grounds. but In his anxiety
to win at home he seems to work MIN
self into nervous condition which
makes him virtually useless as a pitcher.
Had Groom received the encouragement
that is usually handed out TO local pitch
ers when they happen TO get into hoie
he would probably have pitched sooo
game yesterday. but just as soon as ne
walked a man the cry of Take him out!
went up and Groom faltered
1t is. of course, the privilege OF patrons
to criticise ball players. but II they nave
the best interest of the team at heart ii
will be we'll to go slow in shouting their
disapproval of some players. 1t is much
easier to make good player worthless 10
a team by what is vulgarly called get
ting his goat than 10 make him success
full by encouragement
There is not a club in the league which
would not take Groom off Washfngtons
hands. and incidentally 1t would not be at
all surprising to find Groom winning
pitcher under more favorable conditions
than surround him here.
BY continuously harping on Groom
shortcomings some of the local fans are
in a fair way to strengthen the pitching
staff of some one of the Nationals rivals.
Yesterdays game dragged more than
any contest seen on the local field this
season. To begin with. it was seven min
utes after time before the game was
started Though the bell announcing the
time for starting the game rang at ex-
actly 3:45. lot of time was wasted by
Umpire OLoughlin in conversation with
Manager Donovan. apparently about
ground rules and the like. which could
have been attended to before the time for
starting the game rolled around, Then.
too, both teams did lot of loafing. and
the result was that a game which no
doubt could have been finished went to
tie.
Though Ralston's batting on the whole
since he joined the Nationals has not
marked him as great hitter, he never
theless is an impressive-looking player at
the bat. To begin with. he has a perfect
stand at the plate, swings we'll and picks
out good balls to hit at He got two hits
yesterday and he looked dangerous every
time he faced the pitcher.
Ralston contends that he has been
using too heavy bat. and he made a
switch to lighter stick yesterday. which
may improve his hitting Jim McAleer
Is not making any mistake in announcing
chat he intends to give Ralston thorough
trial in the spring regardless of what his
showing this fall may be. for there seems
to be no good reason why he should not
be a good man for the team, for he GER
rainly looks the part.
John Somerlot is not a slusger At
least he does not impress one as being
long hitter the way he slaps at the ball.
The younester has peculiar swing at
the bat. which warrants the prediction
that long hits are not his forte. He Is
said, however, to be a cracking good man
for the hit-and-run play, and as fielder
be displayed a lot of ability yesterday,
though he had no very difficult chances.
His error was the result of his humping
INTO Elberfeld on a little fly hit over
Reisling's head, which caused him to drop
the ball.
Though Bill Cunningham failed to get a
base hit, he made a good impression at
the bat. He is a hard hitter and though
he did not get the ball safe, he hit it
hard every time up. In the field he made
splendid impresso fielding cleanly and
showing a lot Of speed in handling the
ball. He looks like a chap with q lot
OF grit, who is sure to earn his position
That Boston team is not the gingery
speedy aggregation it has been on all its
former appearances here. Either the
players. realizing that they are out OF the
race for a better position. are not putting
forth their best efforts. or the absence of
Harry Lord has made a. great change in
the team Ball players of the Lord type
drop into team only about once every
ten or fifteen years, and while there Is no
doubt that the Boston mana cement had
good reasons fer trading It's star third
baseman. yet IL was a gerat sacrifice 70
make for the sake of harmony. Lord Is
Invaluable TO ball team and his acausi-
ton by Chicogo has given that team hopes
of being d factor in the race l,ext year
Iris Speakers home run was more or
less of a f1uke The ball hit near the
top OF the right field fence and bounded
back under the bleachers Schaefer had
TO cover a lot of ground on the plav an 4