Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-25
CATCHER BECKEND0RF TO
BECOME A NATIONAL
Hughey Jennings Says He Is Willing tc
Turn Player Over to McAleer-Yes-
terday's Finish Most Exciting.

hope that the score will be close re-
CARELESS Of the result. but believe they
can beat any team they play. There may,
OF course, be tougher propositions on the
pitching staff Of the Tigers than Mullen.
but he looked like the one man the Ma
tionals would have trouble in eating,
and having accomplished this, it makes
no d1nerence how. the prospects Of gain
ing another victory or even two over
the champions looks rather bright
You've got to be lucky to win in base
ball.
When Dolly Gray was sent in against
the Tigers yesterday it was for the pur-
pose OF giving him final trial. 1t has
been questionable in the minds of many
whether Gray would do or not, though
pitch good ball for the past two weeks
Manager McAleer did not enthuse about
the way Gray worked out, so he selected
him to work against Detroit, a team
which has never been able to do much
with Gray, so that he might work under
the most favorable conditions.
But Gray Is quite different pitcher
when In ball game and when merely
working out, and his game yesterday
was much better pitched than the base
hit column OF the visitors might ind-
cate. In that second inning things
broke rather badly for Gray. Every ball
that was hit was placed where it could
not be handled, and when finally chance
for a double play was oered Mcbride
the ball took a false bound and got
through. Gray's control. which was not
Of the best last year. was almost per-
feet yesterday. In fact, he seemed in
much better form than he has at any
time since joining the team and Man
ager McAleer is of the opinion that Gray.
like Groom. will be a winning pitcher
this season.
The practice of yelling Take him OUT"
just as soon as one CT the local pitchers
is allowing a few base hits should not
be INDUCED in by any one who has the
best interests of the Nationals at heart.
There is nothing more discouraging to the
pitcher. and besides it accomplishes
nothing. Manager McAleer is capable
knows better than any one SeIse when to
take pitcher out. and theI fact that a
few fans get up and yell does not have
the slightest influence on his action,
though it may do much to disturb the in
dividual pitching. McAleer's management
to date has been most satisfactory, and it
would be well not to handicap him by
interfering.
Neither Crawford nor Cobb was able to
do much with Gray. Cobb's only hit was
fluky two-bagger, made on little pop
fly over third base, which neither Elber-
field nor Mcbride could reach, and this
hit did not cost anything.
George Mullen is a hard loser Until
yesterday he had won seven games and
lost but one. and there Is no doubt that
he felt fairly confident that he would
add another victory to his string at the
expense of the Nationals. When Bush's
throw went past Tom Jones Mullen real
lied that his game was lost. and. throw
ing his glove high in the air, he walked
to the bench muttering to himself. IT
was, OF course. tough game to lose
hrff xx-t1 an m
base ball
1t helps to have a hitter like Doc Cess
Ter on a team. He is always dangerous
fellow, and in their efforts to fool him
the pitchers frequently get themselves in
q hole. Doc has been responsible for
many of the victories the Nationals have
scored lately. for his hitting has been
most timely.
Jack Lelivelt has made many hair-rais-
ing one-hand catches since he became a
member of the team. but one Of his best
stunts was the capture Of Moriarity's line
drive In the fourth. The ball was hit hard
between Lelivelt and Milan. Jack crossed
back-handed catch with his right hand.
The play seemed impossible when the ball
was speeding toward the fence. and when
the crowd realized that the catch had
been made Lelive!t was applauded. Presi-
dent Taft joining in the ovation given the
fielder
Trainer Harry Tuthill Of the Tigers is
well up in matters pugilistic. He has been
handler of fighters for years and was
responsible for the bring-out of Young
Corbett when he beat McGovern. Tuthill
is 30 confident that johnson will beat Jim
Jeffries that he proposes to wager all the
money he can get his hands on on the
colored champion.
johnson is the biggest cinch that the
pugilistic game has ever offered said
Tuthill yesterday. II know that Jeffries
is all in. No matter what these favorable
reports say, I know that his right arm is
crippled SO that he can't close his fist.
Now, jeff has always been given credit
for beating his men with his left, but the
fact OF the matter was that II was the
body punches which he delivered with his
right that put all his opponents away. He
hasn't the use of that arm now. What
is more. he has been out Of the game too
long to ever come back, and Is far from
being a well man.
johnson has never extended himself.
He toyed with his opponents. but he will
make quick work of Jeffries. He can
hit as hard as any man living, and l
don't look for the fight to go very far.
and Johnson will win 1t. There are going
to be a lot Of surprised people when they
find that Jeffriss could not lay his glove
on Johnson. and that will be the condi-
| tons exactly"
This Is how the runs were made YES
ferday. In the second inning Crawford
walked but died trying to steal Then
Delehanty and MoriAr1ty singled Ioing to