Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-21


not shown it on the ball field and that is
what counts.
Judging from the success with which
is going to be tough year for picking
up players that are worth having.
Though Kahoe has been through all the
leagues In the east, and is now on his
second southern tour, he has not found a
man to date who, in his Judgment would
better the local team
kahoe Is encountering the same condi-
ton that do the scouts of other teams
badly In need of material in that when
ever he sees a player he might want to
take a chance on he finds that the in
dfvidual belongs to some strong major
league club. Many of the major league
clubs farmed out their promising young
sters by using the option clause disguise
and thus develop players i'm the minors
which they can draw back every fall.
True. the Washington club has the same
privilege. but 1t has been the misfortune
OF the local club never to be in position
anything at all they were needed right
here, and there Is no doubt that several
youngsters were spoiled because the club
could not afford to allow them to get
more education in the minors.
When the facts are known 1t will PROB
ably be found that the American League
clubs who protested against Pitcher
CiiItH SOlnS 10 cincinnati Ola not
exercise their rights to refuse waivers
In time to prevent the deal. The very
fact that the national commission award
ed the player to Cincinnati shows that
the evidence was entirely one-sided and
that the Boston club acted within its
rights when it made the sale of Smith
to the Cincinnati club.
There will have to be decided brace
in majority Of the positions on the local
team during the remainder of the season
before Jim McAleer' can be convinced that
his aggregation does not require an en-
tire overhauling before he can hope to
cut any figure in a pennant race. First
of all, he is in need of new pitching
staff to be built around Walter johnson.
He can hold his own with his catchers.
needs a couple Of outfielders and pair
of infielders badly. That is a nice pros
pect to start out with. indeed. when one
stops to figure the small percentage OF
players coming up from the minor leagues
making good in fast company. Still. that
situation confronts McAleer. and the
sooner he starts out to prepare himself
for the inevitable the easier will be the
task
Base ball has become such an enormous
business proposition that winning team
makes fortune in a single year, and the
competition for players is naturally great
er now than ever before. The time when
a club could expect to buy or deal Tor
major league talent from or with a
1t happens occasionally perhaps, as was
the case with Boston and Chicago when
Chicago secured Lord and Mcconnell, but
that has become incident Of a life
time. Clubs of the big league are now
required to develop. and 1t takes lot or
time and good breaks of luck to do that.
McAleer appears to be worse off than
any manager in the major leagues. for
the reason that he has little that stands
a chance to develop. and much that Is
apt to go back. For several years 1t
was conceded that Washington had the
nucleus for a good ball team. Perhaps
that nucleus still exists. but with every
year 1t must be figured to be deteriorat-
ing, so that what good players there are
now are not apt to be as good a few
years from now.
A losing team is more wearing on the
PLAYERS than is a winner. 1t is dis
couraging to appear day after day on
ball field and be whipped. 1t takes the
ambition out of the players. and they
naturally grow careless, If not hstless.
With winner, 1t is different There
is an incentive to put forth every effort,
and the opportunities for accomplishing
something are so much greater than on
loser.