Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-08
BY J. ED GRILLo.

Last years miserable showing of our
base ball team was largely blamed on
mismanagement. 1t was contended that
Cantillon did not get the best work out
of the players. He was driver, and the
players resented his methods and would
not put forth their best efforts.
Then we got McAleer, with a new sys-
tenn. He would praise and coax his men.
There would be no driving. He would
make them believe that they were good
ball players. and they would proceed to
prove it. Well, have they?
The time has come when it should be
realized that the manager is not an all
important proposition. The man who
could make a weak team win has not
made his appearance anywhere to date,
and when you put all the managers to-
gether you will find that one knows
about as much about handling a team as
another, though their methods may differ
slightly.
The trouble with the Nationals has not
been the management. The team Is at
the fielders make errors at critical mo-
ments. that the batters fail to hit when
an opportunity for runs presents itself,
nor that the pitcher can't hold the oppo-
sition down Get players who can DO
these things and close your eyes and Sc
lect between Peter and Consul. and you
will have a competent manager. If as
much attention had been given to getting
ball players as to the managerial sug-
gestions McAleer might be having easier
sailing now.
1t is, of course. hard to understand
that a team which really has at times
shown considerable class should continue
to lose games, and that in the face OF the
%on <1xox &C. inc
season than it ever has before. or
course, you blame that on the pitchers,
but you notice that there are always
few boots coming along at the right time
to help the other fellows. And when
the other fellows make errors it is sell
dom that the Nationals get anything out
of it, Things have been breaking that
way for good many years around mere.
but is it hard luck or lack of strength!
How is it to be figured?
Here we are, the second strongest team
in the league In batting to date. &C
cording to the figures, and yet We are
only Kept out Of last place because st.
Louis is even a more consistent loser
than McAleer's crew. Figures Will show
that there are teams which have fielded
worse than the Nationals, yet they are
higher in the race because they are wise
enough not to make their errors when
they cost anything. :.
When the season opened 1t looked as II
McAleer had a team which would at
least be troublesome; instead it has been
easy and after nearly month OF the
schedule has been played 1t is found nee
essary to switch the team about Ill an
effort to strengthen 1t.
1t is all right to make the changes and
try and better conditions, but 1t Is also
an. admission that we are weak, for II Is
natural to suppose that we started WIN
what looked like the strongest team.
A fellow don't want to be superstitious.
but somehow you can't help believing
that some one has his fingers crossed on
the teams which represent washington
Bob Groom is pitching the kind of ball
| that Falkenberg used to deliver here
go along for the greater part or the
| game like a whirlwind. but always nave
| one bad inning in which the opposing
team made enough runs to win hands
down.
Cantillon used to say that Falkenbere
would pitch good ball until he was salts
fled that the delivery he was using couio
not be hit, when he would change his
style long enough to lose the game. aho
| then go back to where he started from
1t seems so with Groom. He always has
enc inning when he appears to be eX-
perimenting and before 1t Is over the
game is lost
No team Washington has had since II
has been represented In the American
League seemed as well balanced and
gave az much hope as the present aggre'
CATION. OF course. no one expected 1t to
win the flag or even be up there fighting
for it, but 1t was believed that 1t stood
a good chance of winding up with per-
centage of 500. 1t may still do that. but
| the start is so aboniinabiy poor that this
can now hardly he hoped for.
The old cry of the players not trying
| Is absurd There are few ball players
who do not go out on the field to do the
best they can. The fellows who DELHI.