Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-10
By J. ED GRILLo.

| AOs~ sH~AAOAA0 SA0 PAoJOA NAA~~SA ~A@AA >A>>
Aleer before the season starts. there IS
not apt to be an unfamiliar face In the
lineup on opening day.
While there are several Of the young
sters showing up we'll in the training
one Of them will be able to break into
regular position unless something unfore-
seen happens to the veterans.
! McAleer does not differ from other
managers in wanting to build up his team
with youngsters, but he Is too wise to
make changes for the mere sake Of max
ing them. and the young player who does
not show more than the veterans will
not be given the preference. To date
there has been no display of superiority
| by any of. the new hands over that of
/ the seasoned material 1t may be. OF
course. that only the real exhibition sea-
son will prove their merits, but that is
doubtful, for as rule the ball player
| who stands a chance to make good In
| this company proves 1t by his very &C
tiops In practice.
| The fact that there are no sensational
stars among the new material does not
discourage McAleer. He believes that
even If he is forced to go into the cam
paign with the same material with which
he finished last season he staINs an ex-
cellent chance to better his position in
the race. In the first place. he hgures
| that he Is better fortified at second basa
Of course, there Is some doubt about
| the outfield. it can be put down as a
certainty that even If these positions are
given to the same players who alternated
/ there last season the team will be pct
| ter fortified, for it is not likely that
Gessler will have another season in which
his hitting will slump. and Jack Lelvelt
| appears to be in perfect health, some
thing he did not have last season Schae-
| fer may be looked upon as an experiment
as an outf1elder, but his knowledge OF in
side ball, his speed and energy give HIM
| a good chance to make good.
There is absolutely no reason for any
! one worrying about first base. That po-
sition is sure to be we'll taken care Of
1t can be safely said that there Will be
some genuine surprise expressed When
the Washington lovers Of the game
watch Henry and Lelivelt at first base
Either one Of these youngsters is capable
to fill the place. and good judges believe
that there will be little to choose be-
tween them SO far as hitting Is con-
cerned, for Henry is showing remarkable
! improvement in this respect. Then, OF
course, Somerlot must be reckoned WITH
! though he is not looming up as having
| the place cinched.
| There Is not the slightest doubt about
| the catching department Street and
Ainsmith are already in perfect form
and better working pair would be hard
| to find. If the fact that there were ru-
| mors of trading Street created the I'M
| preston that the Nationals star catcher
| was on the down grade it would not re-
ouire more than a single game to dis
| prove this charge.
| Street appears to be in better form
| than ever before. 1t may create smile
| to say of him that he is faster on his
| feet. but he Is. nevertheless, and SO far
as that wonderful throwing arm Is con-
cerned it seems to have lost none or its
cunning
AS for Ainsmith, those who have seen
him work need but to be told that he mas
not gone back, and experience has al
ready helped him considerably.
IF there is any.virtue In tall pitchers
McAleer will have the most wonderful
staff in the league. Six Of his pitchers
are six feet or over, and every one or
them is pitching down to the batsman.
Hughes and Groom are each six feet one
and one-half inches. Johnson is six feet
and half an inch, while Walker Is six
feet one inch and Gray exactly six feet
Then there is Bill Otey at six feet one
inch This haL-dozen will be among the
tallest in the league and undoubtedly the
tallest staff on any one team
There have been some great pitchers
among men who did not have extraordi-
nary height. but the fact remains that
large majority of the successful tWirlers
have been men who lowered over their
teammates.
Bill Cunningham is one of the few play
ers who will have to do whole lot of
work during the training period. This
youngster is inclined to take on tat. he
was heavy when he reported and, to the
establishment of Trainer Quirk and Man
ager McAleer, he took on a few pounds
after the first days light work. The re-
suit is that a great deal of attention is
being given to Cunningham. He is the
| only player put a diet, and after all
4 = 1a 9th hoy N
| is compelled to run around the park hve
| times wrapped UP in heavy sweaters and
| coats. McAleer is determined to take
fifteen pounds off Cunningham, and it is
| going to take a lot of work to do this.
AS he is now Cunningham. while ap-
parently fast enough in the field. finds MS
| superfious- flesh firing him easily and, IN
cidentally, it interiors with his hitting.
| I'VE must have Cunningham in the best
possible shape. said McAleer. for much
depends on him. With him in form
hope for a great surprise in the next
| race, but we must have him at his best
and we will have him there If he has to
run and reduce. every night in addition
| to his daily work.
] It is very gratifying to report that keen
ed to discover the presence of a sword
| swallower among the entire squad OF
players This is most unusual condi-
ton and proves progress.
| 4cAleer's system of instructing his men
on their weaknesses is not only novel but
very effective and pleasing to the play
ers. There is no criticism Of the players
on the ball field. II one has fault Nc
Aleer Is quick to discover it. and perhaps
II will be half day later when he will
| take the offender aside to some quiet cor
ner of the hotel lobby and. tell him OF
his shortcomings. Under conditions which
| exist when q ball team is training and
| there are old and young players thrown
together. all striving to get a position,
1t is most embarrassing to have the man
ager publicly criticise a player, and Nc
Aleer's system Of doing this quietly is
greatly appreciated by the team.
the training is beginning to show on
the players. The full cheeks are begin
ming to disappear and aldermanic pro-
| portions in the region Of the waist are
! growing scarce. There are. Of course. q
whole lot Of sore muscles prevalent, but
| that Is to be expected during the first ten
! days Of the training. Not until these dis
appear are the players able to let them
| selves out at top speed. To date no time
| has been missed by reason OF the wealth
err The grind has been steady and Is
| tired-looking lot which drags itself to
| the clubhouse when a halt is called after
| about two and half or three hours Of
| steady work. McAleer keeps every man
| going from the time that he gets on the
/ field until he thinks 1t time to quit. There
are no favorites and those who are
/ sure Of their positions work as hard as
the youngsters who are trying for a
place.