The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-05-16
ANOTHER TIMES IDEA
ADOPTED BY JOHNSON
American League President Orders Playing Field Kept
Clear of Masks, Windpads, Brooms, ETC. = Enjoy
ment of Fans Needs Consideration
By THOMAS s. RICE.

! Of the fans all over the country for the
readiness with which he has taken up
any new idea that might tend 10 make
the game more attractive without weak
ening its sporting side.
Il would Re pretty tough for the comet
TO put this old earth oct OF business
Just when the Washington baseball team
was developing a WANING streak.
The coming 70 lie q Bob Groom OF
Friday. and Walter johnson on Satur-
day. has greatly encouraged the ath-
letes and Manager EIcAlcer TO believe
that Dixie Walker ard Dolly Gray viii
I return to the form expected OF them
Walker certainly had the goods last
year ana showed the same in spring
practice. but has been positively weak
Z himself. 50 TO speak. and his poor show
iIlS 50 Iar IS not as ciSheartentnE as
that OF Walker. Gray Is not a world
be2Jer- but a lot Of good baseball men
1 think ne IS mighty classy person for
this league. hence NcAleer Is waiting
patiently and will give him every Oppor-
tunity. 10 get into shape before callins
upon him for supreme Effort
Walker or Doc ReislinG is scheduled
to pitch this afternOoH.
Cheer M St Louis has lost lust As
many games as Washington and has
Won only half as mary This makes tae
winter dope that Washington would
!eno seventh place tbs year look all TO
the gladstone. for St Louis does not
even show siCns OF strength, while
washington undoubtedly has a team
that needs only thC shaping up OF its
pltcnerS 10 make II one Of the most dan
geEous factors in the league
We days without losing Let's make
a week Of il.
nil -
paved I'VE games less than washington.
u has Won eight and lost eleven, while
1cAleeFS Henchnen have won eight and
iost sixteen When Chicago was here II
looked about as pUny as any American
4eag que team that has visited this city In
years except Tor the pitching. II id not
seem 70 have any innate batting ability
ana tne neIGing was decidedly coarse.
cotn as 70 hands ana brains. The great
pltcneIS are carrying the Sex along al
their present gait II those pitchers ever
get 10 going badly as they must before
the season Is over there Is no earthly
reason why Washington should not
cuInO INTO sixth place ana remain there
unless our pitchers give q continuous
performance exhibition OF stunning for
a whole year, which is not at all likely
~ view OF the recent Improvement
SHOWN by Groom and Johnson.
Minneapolis, under the guidance Of
Joe CGntiliou and with q team composed
largely OF veterans. Is second ia The
American Association with eighteen won
and nine lost.
When you stop TO think how uni
NeTsally baseball is played in the
! United States. IL is really astonishing
that there should be so few men OF
major lea que caliber- There are thou
sands or professionals. and under the
limit rule OF twenty-five PLAYERS per
team, only 900 Of these Set into the
majors Tor permanent berths. Of which
about a hundred are substitutes whose
standing is doubtful. and who are on
the ragged edge OF going back 10 the
minors Walter Blain Garness writes
z sensible letter IN which he asks
why the scouts Washington has en-
I piOEed have not come across with a
few men, at least. worth a trial This
I has occurred 10 hosts Of fans, and viii
I keep right on occurring in the same
old way, but II is fact that con-
scientioUs scouts see far fewer prom
isinE youngsters than YOU might sup
pose. Still. IL would be an enco11r-
aging sign OF the times II Scout Kahoe
and otners would ship in few sample
specimens Any pitchers they might
send would hardly make worse
showing than those we nov have