Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-08
Strong PITCHERS
MAKE GOOD TEAMS
MatheWson, Johnson, Walsh
and Coombs Would Win Flag
in Either League.
JERRY DOWNS TO BE
GIVEN TRIAL AT FIRST
Former Tiger Player to Fill Po-
sition for CoIumbus-Might
Have Helped Here.
BY j. ED GRILLO.

idhC ally Vic VI tiie league I6dHlS
and give it a pitching staff consisting Of
Mathewson, Johnson, Walsh and Coombs
and it is almost certainty that the
team would be picked the favorite In
either pennant race.
To win with such an array Of pitching
talent a team would not have to be very
strong extensively. If ii could average
nm and half per game it would win
large majority of its games, for it is but
seldom indeed that any one OF the pitch
crs mentioned is hit hard enough to give
the other team runs enough to win.
OF course, pitching alone won't win
remnants. but 1t is by all means the most
essential factor. Nothing SO keys up
team, even though it is not the strongest,
as to play behind pitcher the opposing
batsmen cannot hit. 1t injects confidence
into the. players. and they always perform
better behind pitcher in whom they
have confidence than they do in playing
with one who has the reputation OF not
Icing able TO go the route.
IL was 10 the excellent work of the
Athletics twirlerS that the victory OF
that team last season must be attributed.
True, it was strong in other respects, but.
after all, 1t would have accomplished but
little had not the pitching been OF the
highest grade.
Where the Athletics were strong the
Detroit team was weak, hence its failure
10 land the flag. 1t was also the great
difference in pitching that made the Chi
cago Cubs look, outclassed In the world $
series.
IT is then no wonder that every man
ager puts in most of his time fixing up
his pitching staff 1t is the first thing no
needs and on it largely depends the sue
cess or failure of his team.
When the. Washington, Glpb failed ~ se,
fall no one felt that anything worth while
hada beeit overlooked. for, the local pa
irons of the game can remember DoWns
only as a mediocre infelder. poor out
fielder and a fair hitter. But perhaps 1t
would have been ten-strike for McAleer
had he secured the authenticated youth.
for who knows that he would not have
filled that hole at first base. At any rate
Downs is to be played at first by Column
bus next season. He should make good
there He is just good enough a fielder
to fill that position. and in that company
he is an Al hitter.
So. after trying to make himself a big
Lacquer in other positions in which ne
failed. Downs may come back one Of
these days as a high-claSS first baSeman
1t only goes to show that at times it takes
years to find the proper position for a
player. and first seems to be made to or
der for Downs
Every spring the most encouraging re-
ports are sent broadcast from the various
major league training camps anent the
good showing OF the youngsters All ap-
pear to he real stars during the training
stage. though comparatively few ever get
chance to show what they can do in
a championship game.
No matter who the critic or how SIN
cere he may be. he is always sure to
stretch point in favor of young player
In making his predictions during the
practice season. The average man writ
ing base ball wants winner In the
town that he is located in. He wants to
DO his share to help the team along and
II is therefore but natural that he should
do scne boosting for the youngsters, in
the hope that the encouragement win
spur them on 10 their very best efforts.
To tell the truth about these young
fellows on their showing in the train
ing camps would frequently result in
good young player being spoiled
Ball players. especially when they are
trying for berth on a team, cannot
stand criticism; that is, there are very
few that can. To read anything detri-
mental about themselves usually ends
their efforts to try, and Ii is a sort OF
an unwritten rule among the scribes to
boost the youngsters SO that they will
have every opportunity to make good.
But. after all. his showing during the
training season seldom wins a player a
regular Job.. That Il manager may be
Influenced by what the player shows in
training stands to reason. but he must
make good in a real ball game before
he can lay any claim to having upheld
his end. These training games amount
to little To begin with, the old play-
ers. men who have had four or five
years experience. do not put forth their
best efforts in these practice games
They take things easy. while the young
sters are going at top speed in order
81 -. ~
urally look to outshine the veterans,
but 1t Is all different when the real
article is furnished. for then the pitch
ers cut loose while the older players
get down to real business.
The difference is that the veteran
goes south TO prepare himself for the
seasons campaign. He does not try for
a record because he is already estab-
lished. The young player, on the other
hand, wants a berth and he feels. that
lie must show his best right from the
outset. which he usually does. for the
pitching Is then weak and he gets a
chance to hit balls that he likes, which
IS not the case when the season is on.
Clyde Milan is another one OF the few
players who, after a three-year expert
ence in fast company, should show his
best form next season Last year was
Milans best year since he came here,
because 1t was the first time that he
enjoyed good health. He learned much
during the season and looked more like
a finished ball player than ever before
Milan, like many other great players,
has been greatly handicapped by the
fact that he has been on a losing team,
which always offers less opportunity for
a player to shine than a winner. But
Milan established himself as a really
great player in the fine games he played
with the All Stars last fall, when he
had Speaker and Cobb. undoubtedly the
premier outfielders of the league, as his
running mates. In that classy company
Milan was not outshone. but really looked
10 be the equal OF this great pair.
Jim McAleer does not believe that the
young player who joins a major league
team I'm the fall of the year gets as
good a chance to show what's in him
as IL he made his debut i'm fast company
I'm the spring.
Mac argues that everybody is going
CONTINUED on Second Pa9eJ