Evening star., 1911-06-08
BY ]. ED GRILLO.

D
Give the Nationals pitching of the kind
that Walker delivered yesterday and Ii
looks like a real ball team 1t makes
lot of difference when one team Is not
hitting and the other is doing just enough
to keep a comfortable lead.
In most of the games recently the
locals have beep asked TO shoulder
handicap of three runs or more right
from the outset. When this condition
prevails there remains but one thing to
do and that is to hit. System has to
be thrown TO the winds and the only
chance TO get on even terms is to drive
in runs Once in a while team like
ours may accomplish this. but not often
There is not any question that the weak
ness of the pitchers has been the teams
principal fault. In former campaigns
when it was usually a case Of being beat
en- by a narrow margin 1t was the good
work of the pitchers which kept the locals
in the fight and the pitching this spring
has been so far below the standard that
nothing but a remarkable hitting streak
would have made it possible for the Ma
tionals to win many games Yesterday
they had what was pretty near a per-
fectly pitched game of ball. The result
was that there was general revival OF
spirit and good base ball all along the
line. 1t stands to reason that it is dis
couraging TO team to see Its opponents
running up bunch of runs in the very
first inning, as has been the case here
in most of the games. Yesterday the
team got started right and it gave one
of the best exhibitions of the season. and
all because 1t had a pitcher working
who was effective.
Doc Gessler is hitting better these days
than he has at any time since he joined
the Nationals. In the games that have
E1a rIo tnn ,rN16c f,on
the team returned from Its last trip he
has been hitting at 3s5 clip. and most
of his hits have been most timely. 1t
was his hitting yesterday which won the
in the fourth. which cleared the right
field fence. was one of the hardest hits
made on the grounds this season. and
brought home two runs. His double was
tionals their fourth run. Gessler is
swinging like he did when he used to
break up games here for Boston He is
hitting hard and seems just as effective
right handlers.
The one great difference in the playing
of the Cleveland team under Stovall COM
is taking many more chances on the
bases than 1t did. In the two games here
the Maps have stolen five bases and the
double steal has been pulled twice. Ef
are also in evidence. though to date they
have not been successful in this.
When Joe Jackson was hit by pitched
ball by Tom Hughes Tuesday he appar-
emily was not injured in any way, though
he spent sleepless night as a result OF
that blow. Ii seems that the ball struck
Jackson on the end of the spine. causing
right yesterday. and ii may be that he
will have to lay of for a while until the
injury mends.
by Washington from the Greenville club.
is q marvellous hitter. or the pitching in
that league is Of very low caliber. Cash
ion is hitting over 400 in the fifteen
games he has been in. and Tuesday he
got five hits in as many times at bat,
one of which was home run. Unfortu-
nately. the opposing teams are not hav-
ing much trouble hitting his delivery and
II would seem that he still has much to
learn before he will be a major league
twirler- But Kahoe SO reported to Nc
Aleer. saying that Cashion was a big,
green boy. with world of natural abil-
ity, which remains TO be developed. But
his hitting is most astounding, for as a
rule. these green pitchers look ridiculous
at the bat
ers on Art Grigss nor is it apt to. accord
ing TO Manager Stovall. Manager Nc
Aleer has never been asked to waive on
Griggs nor Is he apt to get the opportuni-
". Grisgs has been out of the game for
some weeks with an injury. and it is the
intention to put him back just as soon
as he is able to play.
Grover Land, the youthful Cleveland
catcher. is the inventor Of sliding pad
which is growing very popular with the
players II is made of sheepskin with
the wool protecting the players hips and
limbs.
There is marked improvement nj
Cunninghan's playing. He is gradually
recaining the form he showed last fall
and IcAieers plan of keeping him in
the game is bearing fruit. Cunny is hit
ting the ball hard. though he is not get
ting il safe as often as he should Nc
Aleer has never lost confidence in this
youngster and still insists that he will
eventually prove himself all that was
expected of him after his brilliant debut
last fall
Base ball of the kind the Nationals dis
played yesterday will win them a lot Of
games All the team needs is good pitch
ing. and II Is about time the twirlers were
doing their share of the work. Johnson
Is expected to show improved form today
over what he has displayed recently.
Cy Young believes that ne is just as
capable now to pitch winning bali as he
has ever been in his career The vet
eran has not worked in game this sea-
son, but he says he Is ready whenever he
is called on. This has been a peculiar
spring for the pitchers" said Cy yester-
day. Take all the pitchers who were
expected to hold their teams in the race
this spring ard very few OF them have
come through. I don't know whether it