Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09
SPLENDID TRIBUTE
TO MANAGER NJ ALEER
Clever New York Writer Tells
of the Early Days of
Washington's Leader.
BY John B. Foster.

1t had come TO be part of the dogma
of the oldest base ball org 1niZation that
beginners should be losers. Here was
Cleveland. mostly made up of young
blood. which not only refused to sub
scribe to the doctrine. but looked as if i,
might race with all OF Its venerable CO.
temporaries to the end of the season.
! say that the club arrived on the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and il
memory serves correctly that is. right
Ii doesn't matter much whether it was
the Baltimore and Ohio Or the Pennsyl-
Sania. for il is certain that the club did
arrive. and that with it was the now new
man ger of the Washington cluh-JameS
r. McAleer-making his first trip through
the east as member of major league
organization.
This season he goes back 10 Washing
ton as the manager of the American
League team in the Capital city. I can
say with personal assurance that on the
FIRST visit of the new Washington man
ager to the city of Washington he had
no more idea that he would some day be
the manager of the Washington club
than he had that he would some day be
the mayor of Youngstown. Ohio. It's the
private opinion of more than one that he
might have been the mayor of Youngs-
town. Ohio, had he settled down and
shown any willingness to accept the posi-
ton, but the call of the diamond has
proved too much for him. Perhaps he is
better off for it.
i
McAleer had been in the National
League little more than month when
he paid his first visit to Washington The
Clevelands were scheduled To play there
May IS. 90 and 3o-two games the last
day-on their first visit I'm 1889.
They had made only ordinary progress
in April. So far as that Is concerned
they PLAYED but seven games in that
month. of which they won three and los
four. With the beginning OF M,y they
began to pick up. Strangely enough for a
first-year team they showed that they
could win games on the road. Young
folks don't know what a difference ex-
isted twenty years ago as to the faith
that was had in a frst-year team on the
road. compared to that which exists at
present.
All through the month Of May the
Clevelands consistently Won more games
than they lost, and when they arrived in
Washington, in the very last days of the
spring calendar. tne, had acquired fame,
and they were barely eight weeks old as
Il base ball organization, spring training
and all.
Out Of the group OF players, who were
curiouSly watched by the pickaninnies
who were clustered around the station
and by the base bali fans who were wont
10 gather in those days at the railroad
terminal whenever a new base bail club
made its appearance in the city there
stepped Il slender youngSter with drawn
face. Drowned the color of a seasoned
1utternut, and with u long stride In which
he. while apparently moving laZiIy got
over more ground than most OF his COM
panions.
He carried in one hand an individual
bat bag-it was fashionable then for
each PLAYER to take care of his pet bats
and in the other travelling bag which
he threw into the baggage wagon with a
Ih.l mao %yryc a
to the tender guardianship of any hotel
baggage custodian.
This was McAleer Even then his fame
had preceded him, and many a question
was asked to the identity of the man
who had been upsetting all the east by
the wonderful catches which he had been
making in center field for the Cleveland
club.
The players went to the Willard ii men,
DRY serves right. and found there another
curious assembase seeking In become &C
quainted with the infants of the big .eagu..
They also found Walter Hewitt, then the
owner of the Washington club who had
some curiosity as to how Cleveland would
draw in Washington.
McAleers first trip 10 Washington ex-
cept :or the games which were played by
the Cleveland club on the old Capito
grounds. was particularly DEVOTED e
sightseeing. IL visited the Capitol. the
Of pubic interest as time permitted.
lie was greatly Impressed by what he
saw. Standing orc evening III front III
the hotel. he looked down Pennsylvania
avenu. and remarked: After all vor
cont Know what a big government This i
until you come here.
At the time that M1.Alce. was making
tbs CONNIE ncemen. as an outtlcider and
inaugurating 4 career which has induced
more than one - hold that ae was Tire
cal fNE,-
| do not believe that his etIa! ever has
played as a judge 81 fly hits and stilit y
10 cover ground to caleb almost impossi-
bic Washington was represented
by two of the sterling outtieiders OF tina,
time. and If the team ever had been able
10 settle on a good right fielder. would not
have suffered with any of them so far az
the gardens were concerned.
SO when MCtleer made his first appea r
aroe in Washington there was a great
deal of local curiosity as to- the ahility
of this Young stranger who dared To chaI.
ienge such men as Walter WHnlct and
Hoy the mute. To a comparison ON the
rome field. On the occasion of the Clevc-
land clubs first visit Shock was playing
right field for Washington. Shock
Beecher and Carney a'ternated in the DO.
sition for Washington during the year
and Carney was by far the best Of the
three.
x 4
Washington fans had come TO believe
that Wilnot was one OF the wonders .,
the diamond. They had quite as much
faith III Hoy, and the deaf and dumb
athlete was a model In his way, anc
would have been a greater player than he
but for his physical inhrmity. He
always feared collision in running for q
lily ball. and payers who We're associated
with him were compelled TO be very care
full that he understood thoroughly theil
signals and that they understood hi:
while working with him in a game.
On the first afternoon on which the
Clevels .lis played IN Washington McAleel
appeared on the field. saunt. we'll train
ell. lean and leaihers looking athlete
VINO seemed to be all legs and arms.
One can never forget the terse descrip
ton accorded to him by a coai-black sol
of the bleachers. He watched McAlee,
intently for awhile and then he turned Il
MS companion and in a loud voice, which
could be heard for many feet away, h.
observed: so dat am McAleeah Fo
,iawd man, he looks Ike a closeptn an
runs like dc Gsbbl.
Md row McAIeer comes back to Wash
il ston, his fame established as the grea
uuidellcr o. his day. and another fame
established manager who, II he ha.
rot Won championships, has pulled TIVE
ci'ihS oIt of the pit ~ GsspoG iency and
tudG4 Them factors IA one of the mos