The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-05-24
MCCLURE TOO LIGHT
FOR MAJOR LEAGUES?
Amhersts Remarkable Pitcher Thought to Lack Stamina
Templeton, of Williams, Large Man-St Louis
Plays Bad Ball.
By THOMAS S. RICE.
Detroit here today at 4 o'clock.

Dy LA1OAAE
Detroit here today at o'clock.
While Manager McAIeer Of the
Washington baseball team is serious
" considering the potentialities OK
Mcclure. the Amherst pitcher. as a
jor league proposition, there is
rift in the lutte that sings the praises
Of this star couegian.
The great criticism of Mcclure is
that he is so light physically. men
who are accustomed TO picking ball
players doubt whether he has the
strength To stand the gruelng he
would have TO undergo in fast COM
pany. He is about five feet seven in
Ches high and weighs about 145 pounds.
He is admittedly far above the aver
age in amateur ranks. so far that he
frequently does not have 70 extend
himself, but in the major leagues he
would have 10 cut loose with all OF
his ability in every inning, and it is
thought that the chances are that he
could not go the distance.
Templeton, OF Williams, whom Nc
AIeer and a number of other mana
gers are cycling. is a taller and
stUrdier man than Mcclure. His more
liberal proportions have caused many
wise critics to prefer TempletOn to
Mcclure as tuture-great in the
American or National League, and IL
he wants a berth he VIII receive
plenty Of offers.
You never can cell. There was Wal
ter Garrison. fO- instance. who mad
all the earmarks Of a pheuOm, but
never quite reached the best base
ball society such as we are travelling
IN now that we are in the four hun
dred.
Manager McAleer was anxious to
make nay while the sun ShOne. hence
the usipg Of Walter Johnson yesterday
10 clinch game with St Louis That
precluded the chance of Johnson facing
Detroit today in the first Of the series
OF four games here. But johnson Will
nave ms chahce on FSlcay, Tor he has
already been selected for the last game
on the home grounds. As the team
leaves Friday night for New York and
VIII be gone until June ., playing four
games in every city except Philadelphia,
that Friday date should draw a big
crowd
Then Johnson WI have a crack at
New York, probably on Tuesday.
Dolly Gray Is scheduled to pitch
against Detroit today, Groom t0mor-
row, Reisling on Thursday and john
son on Friday. AlcAleer is basing a
power Of hopes on Gray. He Is the only
left-hander on the stam, and Washing
ton needs a sOuthpaw the worst way.
He has won one game in season, the
only one Washington took on that dis
astrous trip 10 Boston after the good
start here against the Athletics. Since
then Gray has not shown signs Of being
right, and MCAleer has had him warm
ing the bench during the games, but has
given him plenty of work in the practice
periods. He looks to be mt now, and
II he is, great will be the jubilation.
NcAleer has been so habbergasted by
the almost total collapse of his pitching
staff for two weeks. followed by its sud
den and remarkable return 10 good
form. that he Is almost afraid to pass
judgment on ball player nowadays
What on earth is the matter with that
st. Louis team2 IF YOU stop TO examine
IL carefully YOU will find that it is by
no means as punk as you might expect
Wallace at third and Hartsell at short
make a left side Of the diamond that is
FAR from being a Joke, while CrigEs is
a pretty good second baseman and has
hitherto been a hitter Of repute Alb
stein is a slow thinker, but mechanically
he is not such a bad first baSeman, and
does not show himself up except occa-
sionally when an emergency arises
Stone is fielding and hitting well and
seems TO be getting back into his old
stride. Hoffman IS a good centerfielder
who can hit the ball with great vigOr
and should not be all in SchweitZer IS
a weak spot in the Outfeld. Stephens
IS a catcher not to be desplsed I'm these
days. when clubs like Detroit have been
forced 10 put up with backstops that
were little, II any, above minor class
Bill Bailey and Joe Lake are two pitch
eTs who would fit In well with any team,
and Bill Killifer the substitute catcher.
IS esteemed so highly that there is not a
chance OF him getting ont Of the Ameri-
can League Aside from the fact that il
has better pitchers, Chicago does not
impress the Eastern observer as a whole
lot better than St Louis, and If the
Chicago pitchers nave slump St Louis
should not ne far behind the White SOx
when the season ends.
People outside of the 400 viii kindly
remember 70 say Mister and take off
their hats when talking TO our bail
team.
There is bad headwork IN The St. Louis
ranks. Although away behind in the
seventh and eighth innings, and In q
position where nothing but violent and
prouacted smuggling could produce favor
tempted steals, and both were promptly
suppressed by the good right arm OF
Charles Street. The proper play was for
the Browns 10 get as many men as pos
sible on the bases and trust 10 luck 10
have them hammered home by long
swats. one or two. runs would do no
good, while every unsuccessful attempt
10 steal meant a reduction Of from one
chances for pounding victory out of de-
feat That this was moi an altogether
impossible proposition was proved by
the fact that in the sixth, seventh,
eighth, and ninth innings johnson was
reached for good, clean. whOle-sOuled
hits which would have stirred up the
animals if they had come with the bases
filed.
Never did a ball team curl I'D and fade
a way worse than the Browns did yes
terday when they saw Kid ElberfeId
make his freak home run In the third
inning. They did not have energy
enough after that 10 pick up money
found on the street The homer itself
was a curiosity. It went along the right
field bleaCheT line. then CarOmed into
something and disappeared into the
bleachers through a gate. When a fair
ball goes out Of the umpire's sight IL
goes for four bases. As Johnson had
singled and Leliyelt had walked the
strange swat netted three runs. and
right there the Browns faded as serious
contenders, although they were but two
runs behind and Graham had pitched
well in the first two innings In the
fourth inning Graham was a droopy ob-
jeCt killfeT doubled to left, Mcbride
sacrificed Streets double to center
scored Killifer Johnson famed. When
SchweitZer made a miserable nun of
Milans fly Street scored T,eIiyeIt