Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-23
HAVE FAILED TO
'SEIOW OFFENSIVE STRENGTH
Teams Success Has Bee Largely Due tc
Splendid Pitching and Fielding Cunning
ham Sure to Show Better Form Later:

is so much stronger a team than its pred
ecessors representing Washington in the
American League that there is no COM
parison.
1t is not stretching the facts least
bit when it is said that Bill Cunningham
has been disappointment to the patrons
of the game here this spring. Cunning
ham is not within mile of himself now
when his last falls form is considered.
But there are reasons for this and criti-
cism of his work should be withheld for
time at least Cunningham will come.
That Is the opinion Of every one who
saw him in action last fall. But to take
on fifteen pounds in a climate that was
not always springlike requires a lot of
hard work and is very apt to leave the
subject trif1e weak and unsteady. That
is what ails Cunny. He is neither strong
nor steady and consequently he still lacks
the eye whhh is so essential in paying
ball. 1t will require several weeks yet
before the youngster recuperates from
the training siege he underwent this
spring. He has been taught most valu-
able lesson. and when he. reports next
spring he will be trim looking athlete
| instead of carrying pounds of weight
which lie will have to work off.
When Tom Hughes pitched that shut
out against the New York team last
Tuesday he gave one of the best exhibit
L
| a day. No pitcher ever used better judg-
| ment or worked better calculated nine
| innings. Old ball players who know the
ms and out and every angle Of the game
looked with admiration upon Hughes
| that day. He did not pitch a ball WITH
out purpose. Knew exactly how he
| was going to pitch against every man
! that faced him, and it is questionable If
ne was once found in error. That was
| indeed a finished article of pitching Not
single batsman got a ball where he
| likes it most OF the kind he is apt to
drive into fair territory. Few fast balls
were over the plate. Hughes wasted
these, but was always over the corners
with his curve. and the veteran has a
curve that he need not be afraid to dis
| play in any company. When the game
was over Jim McAleer shook Hughes by
| the hand with the words. Tom, that
have witnessed In many day." And
McAleer meant every word Of it.
Players Of the Elberfeld type do not
break into base ball every day. The
game has developed few players who,
after seventeen years Of service as an
| infielder. are still as valuable as the lit
tie man who is holding down third base
a youngster who for the sake of estab-
| fishing himself will take long chances.
| but cnce established he Is very apt to
| play with much discretion and for his pay
| cneck only NOT so with Elperre1o. NC
ball player works harder or takes more
chances than he. No one ever heard OF
| him breaking ground, either for a pair
Of shQrpened spikes being hurled at him
or a ball travelling like lightning from
some opposing players bat The Kid is
| always there, come what may, and dom,
overlook the fact that he has done much
to bolster up the local infield The Kid
admits being thirty-four- years old. Nc
/ one wants to dispute that, but the
writer saw him playing semi-pro. bal
twenty-five years ago. But age cuts nc
figure with Elberfeld. He is still youns
man In every sense of the word and par.
/ ticularly SO on the ball field.
One victory out OF seven games played