The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-02

At the very beginning of the season
the Colts find themselves in q critical
position for want of pitchers. from
a promising beginning. all through
the training season. and even through
the first series of games, 1t has now
developed that the staff is woefully
weak, and unless there is strong
addition in short time there VIII
be little chance for the locals to get
In the race.
OF the five twirlers now on the
staff only three of them seem to De
In form or to possess that combina-
ton of pitchers accomplishments
that go to make slab artist worthy
of the name. Eerbout is beyond
question the strongest of the lot at
this time, and gives promise of main
tanning his position for some time 10
come. Although he lost Saturday IS
game after q display OF his usual
good form. he was the victim OF cir
cumstances, going In to try to save
the game when only one day had in
tervened since he twirled ten innings
Thursday, holding his opponents TO
five hits and one run. With two USE
less twirlers sitting on the bench. II
seemed unfair that verbout should be
called upon to work again, and to
have the defeat charged against him.
Revelle, in both of the games in
which he has worked at home. has
performed well. and has not allowed
tally. but in one of the Portsmouth
games he was bumped hard. AS al
ways. he Is regarded as one of the
mainstays of the Colts, and little APP
prehension Is felt concerning him.
Hale, who proved an easy mark
for the Crew Saturday, started out
we'll in his first game, and may Yet
prove of value to the locals. On last
Friday he BANKED Danville, allow
ing only one to reach second base,
and keeping the six hits we'll scatter
cd. 1t may be that he had an off day
Saturday. and will do better when he
works again.
OF the other two members of the
stan, but little is TO be said. Oil,
the sonthpaw secured from Washing
ton. worked against Portsmouth
Tuesday and allowed ten hits, losing
his game. He has not been tried since
Peterson. who started out so well
during the training season, has been
OF no value to the club, and has been
batted hard whenever worked. Tha,
these men We're not put in to relieve
Hale Saturday, when neither Revelle
nor verbout was fit to work, Is the
best evidence that they are of little
value to the club.
Although Manager Lawior is con.
fined to his hotel with sprained
ankle, he is Well able to size up con-
ditions and to judge the weak spo,
in his team. 1t may be expected that
in view OF developments In connec-
ton with the pitching staff of the
Colts, there will be an addition at nc
4 u&n N,xr "a
veile and probably Hale going we'll
II is necessary to have another twirl-
er quickly, and this man Is doubtless
forthcoming.
Peterson and Oil viii very prob
ably be given another chance each
during the present series in Roanoke
and II they are still unable to twfrl
in form, one or both of them viii
be released as soon, as another pitch
er can be found.
Lawior has been unsuccessful In
his efforts to land a good Ieft-hand
pitcher. something that he .particu-
larly desired on his staff The other
clubs in the league have been more
fortunate. Hanks, OF Danville. and
Walker. Of Norfolk, are among the
best twirlers in the league. Unless
he can find a very promising left
handler. 1t Is probable that Lawlor
will hold Oil a while longer ano
endeavor to get him into form. :.
Under the present conditions. some
thing must be done soon. since the
two twirlers who are going Well must
not be called upon to do more thar
their share of the work, or was the
case with verbout Saturday When
strained in this manner the twirlers
are likely to be incapacitated for
come time to come. and in the cases
OF the two best men this must be
avoided. even at tho COST OF games.
1t would seem that veterans Of the
game Of baseball would be familiar
with the rules governing the sport.
especially those veterans who man
age Clubs and are empowered 10 look
g