Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-07
BY ]. ED GRILLo.

| Special Dispatch to The Star.
| ATLANTA, Ga, March 7.-Whethel
| Jim McAleer will be able to find even
| one outfielder among the several young
| sters he is looking over to become a
running mate for Clyde Milan is a ques
| ton which the little work the players
| have so far done fails to answer.
! 1t is, however, a pretty safe guess tina,
! it will be no easy matter to pick a play
er from among the recruits who will be
f, an improvement over either Gessler, Leli-
welt, Schaefer or Conroy, and on last
years performance none of these were
{, stars. 1t may be, of course, that several
of the newcomers will prove surprises
once they get into their stride and ii
will not be until the end of the present
j, training season that 1t can be determined
| just how we'll McAleer is fortified in this
| respect
| Just at present there is little to choose
between Miller, Conway, Swain. Keefe,
Ralston and Corbin. All of them look
| good enough considering that work has
| only begun, but none of them stand out.
| OF course there is something about Cess
| Ter and Lelivelt that might indicate that
| they are to have good season. There
| never was any doubt about Lelivelt as a
hitter He has no equal on the team, but
| he is such or rather has been such a
| slovenly fielder that McAleer will natural
~ hesitate about playing him anywhere
In the outheld as regular propos. ton
unless he should show great improve
ment, which is not at all unlikely, as this
is really Jacks second season in fast
company.
Gessler is working harder than he ever
has before. To begin with, he is more in
earnest than ever before, realizing that
TO fail this year will mean that he must
spend the remainder of his base bail
days in a minor league, which has spurred
Doc on. One of the reasons he assigns
Tor his poor hitting last season Is the fact
that he had allowed himself to become an
inveterate smoker. Doc has forsaken the
weed now ever since the first of the
year, and he never expects to use 1t
again. He is confident that the nicotine
habit affected his eyes, and he looks for
great Improvement in his hitting from
that source. AT any rate, it will not be
poor guess to say that Gessler seems
to have the inside for that right field job.
AT least he seems to be assured that he
will start the season there, and it is then
up to him to stay there.
That Jim McAleer has by no means de-
cided to turn first base over to John Som
erlot is shown by the fact that he has
Lelivelt and Henry both practicing at the
even Henry would come pretty near land
ing the place, for he seems to be a splen-
did fielder and appears to know much
more about playing the position than does
Lelivelt. But the makeup of the Nationals
justifies most any change that will in
crease the batting, fer 1t is in this de-
partment that the team is weakest. Som
erlot, who Enthusiastically has few SUPERB
ors in fielding. will have to hold up his
end with the stick if he expects to fill
the position.
Henry. If the good judges of the team
are to be believed, is eventually going to
make good hitter. He seems to have
improved lot already. but it is not to
be expected that young ster with viz
tually no experience should make good
in q regular position right at the start.
These conditions lead to the belief that
Lelivelt stands good chance to become
the teams regular first baseman. Being
an excellent hitter, he can hardly be
spared from the lineup. With good hit
tiers scarce in the lineup it would seem
an outrage to allow batter like Leli-
welt, who will hit close to the 800 mark,
to sit on the bench and be used for utll-
ity purposes. That is exactly what Nc
Aleer is trying to get away from.
Corbin, Keefe and Miller, the three
left-handed hitters among the outfield re-
cruits, are all fast and show good form at
the bat and in the field. But of course
the pitching Is not yet anywhere near
mid-season form. and not until the tWirlerS
begin to let themselves out and use their
to get a good line on the ability of these
players. 1t is most likely that one of
this trio will be carried. If not for regu-
lar work, to use in emergencies. but that
can't be decided until much later in the
spring.
Miller has had the most experience. His
last season at Scranton seems to have
hte,
He goes about his work with more con-
fidence than ever before and for the first
time that he has been with the team he
shows a willingness to work. keefe un-
doubleday is lad who has ability: but
whether he has experience enough to
hold his own in the major company is de-
cidedly doubtful. though he has all the
earmarks of a conner. His style is not
unlike that of Milan, though of course
he is not Milan by any means, as yet.
The most impressive-lo looking youngster in
yesterdays workout was Dave Bunting.
Not only did this young man handle HIM
self to perfection in the field, but he sur
prised every one with his manner at the
bat. Every time he faced the pitcher he
drove the ball out on a line, and. while
of course there was nothing very difficult
to hit. he showed form that i'm
pressed one with his ability.
harvey ouSScy SOTt Vi StOIc d HdI Su
on the other members of the team.
When he warmed up yesterday his team
mates cautioned him to take things easy,
but much to their dismay. he began to
cut loose at top speed, used a knuckle
ball. a curve and all sorts of twisters as
IL it were mid-season. Upon inquiry. 1t
was learned that Bussey has been work
ing out daily at his home at Wilmington.
n. c.. for the past month and is right
now I'm condition to work full ball
game.
There was a mistaken impression about
Bussey which was discovered when he
reported. 1t had gone out that he was
big fellow, but is anything but that. In
fact. he is no bigger than Meyer. but
nevertheless he appears to be a pitcher
of some class If his present gait counts
for anything. Bussey has been pitching
in the minor league for six or seven
years and he is no longer a, spring
chicken, but there is no reason Why that
should be held against his chances OF
making good. HIS style Is not much
different from that of Doe Reisling. In
fact. like Doc he relies considerably upon
his knowledge of the art to fool the bats
men.
AS a rule the young players always set
the pace during the spring training, but
conditions are reversed so far as the Ma
tionals are concerned this spring. In
stead of the youngsters showing up the
OF nc II, 10 nj wprk the old fellows