Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-11
BY j. ED GRILLO.


team reports for practice next spring.
/ This was announced by Manager Nc
Aleer before he boarded the train for
Philadelphia to take charge of the all
| star team.
| McAleer would like to get an outfielder
| for Groom, and he believes that he will
reputation away from home is much bet
ter than it is here for the reason that
he always does his best pitching on
| foreign grounds.
| 1t is because of the feeling against
| Groom which makes him the target for
| all sorts of abuse when pitching on the
| local grounds that McAieer has decided
| to trade him, and as he feels that his out
| field is none too strong. good gardener
| would be acceptable.
Davy Jones of the Detroit Tigers Is a
/ player McAleer. would. like to add to his
team. and next in favor is Duffy Lewis
of Boston. Either Detroit or Boston can
have Groom if they will give up the out
| fielder mentioned. and there Is no doubt
| that Groom would do satisfactory work
on either of these teams.
But here in Washington Groom. seems
to be through. His nervous disposition
makes it impossible for him to stand up
under criticism. and this greatly inter-
| feres with his usefulness. On different
team and with new surroundings Groom.
who beyond question. has sufficient
natural ability to be a successful pitcher
in this league. would probably shine.
McAleer will go to the December meet
ing with other material to trade. but
Groom is his star card, and he is con-
fident that he will be able to secure
good man for his outfield for the tall
pitcher.
Red Killifer is not going to wear a
will either be found with some other
American League club or he will go
back to the minors. McAleer gave KILL
fer every opportunity to win a regular
position on the team. He kept him In
the game when it seemed that he was
hurting his teams chances: but SO anX-
ious was McAleer to have Killifer de-
velop that he sacrificed games for the
sake of his future
Killifer, however, did not hit enough
to warrant his being given a regular po-
sition on the team. McAleer realizes this
American League club don't want the
Paw Paw NIich.) lad that he will go
back to the minors.
For utility men McAleer will have
Schaefer and Conroy. Schaefer. he fig
ures, will be of great value TO the team,
outfield and is fast man on the bases
Conroy, like SchaeSer, can play in either
position. but he is mostly wanted Tor
third base Elberfeld takes such long
chances that he let's himself open to be
injured in nearly every game, and the
team needs a man to take his place
every now and then, and McAleer figures
that he could find no one more compe-
tent to do this than Conroy.
Bob Unglaub's future IS in doubt. with
everything indicating that he will be
found holding down first base on some |
other team next season. While Somer- |
lot has not proven hard hitter, he is |
so much better a fielder of the position !
than Unglaub and faster on the bases |
that McAleer has about decided TO Keep !
him there regularly.
There is no doubt that there are other |
teams in this league who would take
chance on Unglaub. and he may Inquire In
g. trade this winter.
Doc Gessler is pretty sure to be back
with the team in the spring. 1t was an
off year for Doc with the stick and he
may come back to his old form next
year, in which event he would be of the
greatest value to the Nationals.
Gessler drew stars pay this year, for
Washington assumed the contract he had
with Boston. His work did not justify
the salary he drew and if after his con-
tract has been cut down he feels that he
can be satisfied he will be retained, if not
he must go elsewhere, but there is not
chance of his drawing the pay he did
from the Washington club for the past
two seasons.
Larry I.ajoie may not have been a
party to the conspiracy to give him eight
base hits, to the extent that he sat down
and prearranged the plans for making
this possible, but there rs no doubt that
he played into the hands of his opponents
who deliberately left an opening for him
to take advantage of. He undoubtedly
realized what the st. Louis players were
trying to do after he had been to bat two
or three times. Yet he did not change his
tactics and continued to fatten his bat
ting average.
The entire affair was hardly legitimate.
and no matter what view may be taken OF
Lajoie's part in the matter. the most
lenient charge against him is that his
action was most unsportsn-anlike.
Though there are demands for an in
vestigation from many quarters it is
hardly likely that the national commits
sion Eill take up the matter. but it is
also certain that there will be no more
prizes offered for any players to contest
for. 1t is the old story over again of