The Washington herald., 1910-06-09
Rv MnLIAM PEET.

It came as a great surprise 20 the Wash
ington fans to see the acknowledged
mouthpiece of the Nationals manage
ment announce that a new man would
be playing in every position on the team
before the end OF the season.
While the statement is based partly on
an alleged expression Of Manager Nc
Aleer. not a single admirer of the local
team believes that such radicalism re-
fleets our conservative managers views
or opinion.
Probably it is due to the unfortunate
fact that the author of the article often
makes statement one day, only TO deny
it the next. and thus keep his columns
filed. But when such a sweeping state
ment is made there should be a basis for
it. The damage done in such rash an
nouncements cannot be repaired by ex-
plantations the following day.
No greater harm can be done a ball
team than to demoralize the men by in
timating that their positions are in
jeopardy. and that the good are slated
TO go along with the mediocre
Personally, the writer does not believe
that the views expressed in the after
noon paper are those Of Manager Nc
Aleer or any officer of the Washington
baseball club. If they should be, so
much the worse for management and
owners
If the statement is true. it should be
stated frankly. If it is not true the de-
NAL cannot be made too strong.
No team is perfect. Yet no team in
either major league is so poor that tbs
entire aggregation can be supplanted by
any men gathered together within one
season. No man should be released. nor,
as a rule is he. unless there is reasonable
BELIEF that a better man has been found
to hn his place. Nowhere in professional
baseball are sulncient men available
either by drafting or by purchase to
make up a team OF the class of the
Nationals
Good men are not for sale in large
numbers, and for any management 10
hope for team of youngsters is the
sheerest folly. Youngsters must be sea-
sened by playing alongside of veterans,
and must be brought in snglSgsnd not in
swarms.
If the writer of the article In the after
noon paper can suggest man TO I'LL
kid" Elberfelds Rlaee, or MeBride's.
or Lelivelt's, OF Milan's, without men,
tioning Johnson or Street. why does he
not inform Manager McAleer or Presi-
dent Noyes? He does not suggest names
Of men to I'LL the places OF the present
membership OF the Nationals. But he
does make statements which will tend
10 discourage the men who are now play
ing q good quality of baseball despite
their three defeats at the hands OF De-
troit.
For three years the chief criticism lev
eled at Cantillon was that his players
were in a state of uncertainty, and no
man without a Certain peace OF mind can
do his best work. AS a result the Ma
tiOnals were a demoralized team from
beginning TO end Of season. This year the
team made a poor start, then took a
wonderful squirt. and is now playing good
baseball
To those who know the inside work
ings OF the team this season, there is one
criticism to offer. 1t IS that the critic
who takes the team TO task IN thesafter-
noon paper is closely associated with the
managing ownership Of the team, and
no doubt McAieer Is often influenced con-
tTary TO his Judgment by criticisms which
appear in the afternoon paper.
Manager MeAleer Is an employee and IS
trying 10 serve the interests OF his en-
pleyer and the public at the same time
When an opinion regarding the team OF
its work is authoritatively stated In the
Nationals newspaper organ. Manager
MeAleer no doubt takes It IN the form
OF advice from headquarters. This re-
suits In a dual headship to the club. and
a team with two managers has never yet
proved a success.
II McAleer is to be. in control OF the
team, he should be unfettered, and it (.
unfortunate that he IS forced to listen tC
recommendations by one without author
ity and whose writings one day ar,
Numerically opposed to his writings Of
the day previous. Such recommendation:
are worse than useless They are de-
eidedly demoralizlng and when the team
suffers the Washington fans likewis,
suffer. for they pay TO see a certain
quality OF baseball and find the team i:
not playing up &c It's standard due K
no fault of the players themselves.
Il now remains for Walter Johnson e
Try 80 land the nnal game Of the De