Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-31
tom HUGHES WILL BE WITH
THE NATIONALS NEXT SEASON
McAleer Takes Joe Cantillon's Tip and Re
calls Veteran Twirler Who is Leading
American Association Pitchers.

| day the ST. Louis Cardinals jumped on
Mordecai Brown of the Cubs and scored
| a bunch of runs in one inning. Mathew
son fell victim to the same team
| which scored five or six runs off him in
! one inning, though he came right back
and pitched great ball against a much
stronger team.
These are things which cannot be ex-
planned. 1t just happens some days that
everything pitcher sends toward the
plate is hit. and everything that is hit
goes safe. That is where the games I'M
certainty lies. Had. Johnson been anything
like himself he would have won yester-
days game, for the Nationals scored five
runs behind him, and that is many over
the average when he is pitching.
An even break with the Athletics on the
iatters grounds is good enough show
ing. and yet after winning the first two
games it seemed certain that the team
would get one game out of the remaining
pair Then, too. if Gray and Reisling
could win it seemed that Groom or John
son would be sure to turn the trick But
that sort Of figuring is never reliable I'm
base ball. Pitchers who figure to win
easily are often pounded Ell the slab and
those that do not seem to. have much Of a
chance win their games. The fact must
not be overlooked that the Nationals
were up against the leaders in the race
with crippled team. Milan, undoubtedly
the most valuable man on the team, did
not take part in a game, and Leliyelt an
outfielder, had to play first base. BY the
time the team gets started. in the west it
will probably present strong lineup, for
Street and Milan will have sufficiently re-
covered to play, and Unglaub. while he
is not hitting, is surely an Improvement
over Lelivelt on first.
Considering the fact that John Henry
has had little or no experience, he has
m udn q eli
tionals. This is particularly true of his
catching. He seems able to stop the OPP
posing team from running bases at will,
and that in itself is a strong point in his
favor. Henry is mere boy. and 1t usual
ly takes about two years to develop play
ers of that sort, SO that 1t really seems as
if McAleer had picked up something
worth while in Henry.
With Unglaub and Gessler averaging
about 200 in batting it is really remark
able that the Nationals have done we'll
enough this season to be in sixth place.
This pair looked like the stick work
would fall on their shoulders and had they
done anything Like what. was expected of
them many game that was lost would
have been won. But there was no way to
see ahead that both of these sluggers
were to have an off year.
Even If McAleer found himself unable
to strengthen any positions excepting
first base and the Outfield he would have
team which should finish in the first
division next season. But the Nationals
need first >baseman who can hit, and
two outfielders to help out Milan. Per-
haps one good outfielder would answer
the purpose. for if shifted over into right
field Lelivelt might hold his own as a
fielder, and he is always sure to hit close
to the 800 mark, which, of course, is Of
the greatest Importance.
McAleer's catching staff with Street,
Beckendorf, Ainsmith and Henry, will
be well supplied with material. and his
stack up pretty well. Then there is that
infield with plenty of material to choose
from. Killifer or Cunningham for Sec
ond, Mcbride at short, with Conroy and
Elberfeld for third, and perhaps Schaefer
to be figured as a utility man. When
E]berfeld is in the game he is hard to
improve upon Knowing the game and
always an earnest worker there are few
players more valuable, but because of
his misfortune to be injured a good deal
it will also be policy to have some one
around who can fill the position.
McAleer will. of course, go slow about
letting Unglaub out. He may have a
good year or two in him yet, and not
until Somerlot, the recruit who has been
bought to take his place. has shown his
ability to do so Is there apt to be any
permanent switch made. II Killifer keeps
up the pace he is setting there is little
VI hO ShoIiCC ~AOT TO IAkS
his place, for no one could play better
ball at second than has Killifer. But, be-
ing an infielder. Cunningham may prove
valuable man for third. At any rate,
the team is well supplied with fnfield ma
terial and the scouts are now making
every effort to bolster UP that outfield
and get pitcher or two Of promise.
For the first time In several weeks the
Detroit team is now playing up to it's
real form. The slump of the Tigers seems
to be over, and If 1t Is that team is going
to cut figure in the race before It Isl,
over.
The Athletics start their western trip in
Chicago Monday. The last trip there
Mack's men lost three out Of four. II
they have no better luck this time they
will be in bad way before they have
got fairly started on their trip. Detroit
hooks up with Boston as starter and
that will be an important series. Much |
depends on what the Tigers do against
the Hub team to determine whether there |
Is a chance for them to get higher up In