Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-16
BECKER OF LOCAL
FAME TO JOIN NATIONALS
Youngster Who Pitched No-Hit Game to
Be Given Trial by McAleer-Schaefer's
Hitting Astounds Fans.

been comparatively few days that the
"Dutchman" has failed to get one or
more hits. He is by far the most
consistent hitter on the team, and this
squirt with the stick, coming at time
when Schaefer was mentioned among
those players who were apt to find
themselves in the minors, makes his
performance all the more remarkable.
Aside from the pitching. which has
been far below the former standard,
the Nationals, as a team, have not
played poorly this season. The team
has scored more runs than at any time
| in recent campaigns, but it is the first
year In long while that the pitching
has been weak from start to finish.
Formerly the teams greatest fault has
been its inability to score runs. In
Vulnerable games were lost by the to
route, because the batsmen seemed
unable to get even long fly with a
man on third. This year runs have
been much more frequent, but the
pitching has been so weak that the run
getting proclivities of the team could
not stand off the opposition which
pounded the local pitchers.
Not one of McAleer's pitchers has per-
formed consistently this season. All OF
them have done good work in spots. but
on the whole their work has been poor,
and this more than anything else has
been responsible for the teams absolute
failure. Heretofore there has never been
any occasion for bolstering up the pitch
ing staff. OF course, the team has never
been in a position where it could afford
to pass up good pitcher. but there was
no occasion to make any special effort
to secure twirlers. Just now, however,
conditions are reversed, and before Nc
Aleer can even hope to have a team
which will make an improved showing 1t
will be necessary for him to reconstruct
his pitching staff
Though Bill Cunningham has been kept
in the game. Notwithstanding the fact
that his inability to hit is a serious
handicap to 1t, he fails to show the
slightest Improvement, and it would seem
high time to make some disposition OF
this player. 1t may he, of course, that
in time he will regain the confidence
which he now lacks at the bat, but it
will be better for the Nationals if he
does his developing as a member of some
minor league team. Cunningham as he
has been going all season is virtually of
game he has played, with very few eX-
ceptiOns, he strikes out two or more
times, thus eliminating all chance of a
base hit or an error. and thereby placing
a great handicap on his team.
Cunny is still a youngster, and If placed
with some minor league club he may
develop into valuable man, but it is
becoming very evident that his retention
on the local team at this time is much
like playing eight men against nine.
Detroit's chances for the pennant
look brighter now than they have at
any time since the season opened, for
the reason that two of the Tigers
veteran pitchers, Donovan and 'Mullin,
have in their recent appearance on the
rubber shown high-class form. Here
tofore Jennings has been compelled to
rely almost entirely on his young
pitchers to win games. and there was
great danger that these would not
last But with Mullin and Donovan
back in form, Willetts and Summers
likely to pitch good ball. Jennings
seems better fortified than he has
this. All that Detroit team requires
to win is corps of pitchers who can
hold the opposing team down to three
or four runs. for the Tigers will aver
age more tallies than that. Those four
victories over the Athletics has inject
ed a lot Of confidence in the former
champions, and, barring accident, they
are sure to set a fast clip from this
out.
Luderus, the first baseman of the
Phillies, is very apt to break all rec
ords for home runs this season In
GLIDING the two he made yesterday
by which Pittsburg was defeated, he
has already fourteen to his credit If
memory serves right Buck" Freeman
holds the major league record with
nineteen, and with nearly half of the
season still to be played. Ludsrus
Continued on Second PaSe)