Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-26
FEW TEAMS SEEM TO HAVE
PICKED UP GOOD RECRUITS
McAleer May Fare as Well as His Rivals in
Matter Of Securing Youngsters.
Base Ball Gossip.

have good year for he seems to have
everything now that lie lacked hereto
fore. This would give the team a much
more formidable staff of twirlers without
hguring on Gray, Groom or Bussey.
Behind the bat no team is better forth
fled, for in Ainsmith Street has a most
capable assistant. and it is the first time
in the recent history of the club that the
Ground rules will be in vogue ON the
local grounds until such time as the
lnf1eld is shifted to suit the new arrange
ment of the stands. With the home plate
hardly forty feet from the grandstand
a ground rule will be necessary, giving
the runner one base ON d passed ball.
wild pitch or an overthrow. Left field
VIII be decidedly short, there being hard
ly more than 125 feet of space between
the base line and the stands in left
along the foul line. There will be a
limit placed on nits into the stand, of
course.
But the field will compare favorably
with any on the circuit when the dia-
mond is shifted. which will probably be
during the period that the Nationals are
on their first western trip.
That the element of luck cuts a. de-
cided figure in base ball is perhaps bet
ter illustrated in the case of the Chicago
White Sox than any other team
Comiskey's team did not give promise
of being anything else than a candidate
for the cellar championship last summer
but it was his good fortune to catch
Owner Taylor of the Boston team in a
hum and make the trade which gave
the Sox Harry Lord and Mcconnell, TWO
ball players who have made a wonderful
dlnerence in the teams strength. But
the good breaks did not end there 1t
looked as II odds would naturally be
against player of Jimmy Callahan's
age ever coming back and making good
hut fIara to.
to Indicate that the veteran is just
as good ball player now as he ever
was, which means much to the SOx, for
1t gives them the services of brilliant
fielder and a good hitter and a wise ball
player The addition of Callahan. If he
Keeps up his present clip, actually makes
the White Sox a factor in the race,
providing, of course, that there is not
falling off in the work of the pitchers.
VINO Tor years have given that team
their right to claim strength, when COM
pared with it's rivals.
Players who lack spirit, even though
they possess world of natural ability,
are really of little value to a ball team.
Warren Miller, the youngster who for
time promised to develop into a star
will probably spend the remainder of his
career in minor league simply because
he cannot make himself take base ball
seriously. Being a natural hitter. one
course of a few years have learned the
rudiments Of the game, but he hasn't
and takes no more interest I'm the sport
than II he was not engaged in it. 1t is
a pity that youngster who can hit as
can Miller will not devote a little time
to improving himself in a general way
If Miller had more ambition and showed
an inclination to hustle he would be
splendid man for the Nationals, but as
it is the fact that he can hit does not
n &c, IL ~ III
all his good points have been shown.
John Henry may not be able to hold
down the job of regular first baseman,
but II he don't John Somerlot will have
developed into q really great ball player
ence. has developed faster than any
player who ever came under tho obser-
vation OF the writer. 1t will not be
more than year before he will be fin
.1shed ball player and there is no reason
why he should not hold his own as a
hitter right from the start. He stands
perfectly and takes n. good swing and
does not go after badly pitched balls. He
is fast on his feet, can run bases and is
far from being an easy man to touch.
What is most encouraging about Henry
is the energy he displays and the fact
that he has every confidence in himself.
Two weeks from next Wednesday the
opening game will be played here To
look at the ball park today it is hard
TO believe that the base of the stand
Will be ready to accommodate the
crowd at that time, but assurance is
given that ii will. Most of the work
TO date has been underground, and is
not visible on the surface. Thousands
of tons of concrete have been dumped
into the various foundation pits and
within the next few days the stands
ICOntinued on THIRD PaCel