Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-30
BY J. ED GRILLo.

strike IL called on a home player or a
f, ball on visiting player the crowd be-
hind the plate sets up howl; and yet
! I'll wager that John Henry will bear me
out in that the ball Groom kicked on
was not over the plate.
spectators should be more reasonable
, and not always accept the action of
player against the umpire as evidence
that a mistake has been made. Tmpires
call pays as they see them. and they do
not make nearly as many mistakes as
players and spectators charge them with
The idea OF an umpire's judgment on
balls and strikes being criticised by some
one sitting at a different angle is. OF
course, absurd, and yet most OF the COM
plants in our work come from those who
are not in a position to see.
, Mcbride stated this morn ng that SO far
as he was concerned the incident was
closed, and that after cool reflection he
had no objection to make against any
thing that Connolly said to him during
their argument at the plate
Until that ninth inning Bob Groom gave
a splendid exhibition of pitching. He
seemed to have everything that goes to
to know how to use It, Speed, curves.
splitter and crcssfre were dished up by
Groom so successfully that the champ ons
found him a most troublesome pro. osi-
ton. But Groom came very near to off,
setting his good work of eight innings by
his slovenly work in the ninth. He started
this inning in haphazard manner. and
before he got through with it he was in
serious trouble.
Though he had a lead of six runs when
the final round started. Groom again per-
sisted in giving most Of his attention to
the base runners, with the usual result.
that he was both hit hard and lacked con-
troll Up 10 that ninth inning Groom Gre
ated the impression that he had at last
learned the art Of pitching, but he got
| back into the old rut In the final inning.
and but for the splendid lead his team
had gained for him would have lost out.
! There were two occasions yesterday
when Doc Gesser's oyeranxiety probably
cost the team some runs. He faced Nor
gan in the first inning with the bases full.
Morgan had walked Milan and Schaefer
and hit Eiberfeld. and seemed unable to
get the ball near the plate. Instead Of
walt ng and looking one or two balls over
Gessler swung away at the first ball
pitched and a weak grounder resulted, ON
which Milan was nailed at the plate. In
the second inning. with Morgan still wild
as hare. Gessler duplicated his per
Torrance of the previous inning. and
with two on swung On the first ball pitch
ed. hitting a grounder to first base.
There are occas ons when 1t is policy
to go after the first ball pitched. but yes
terday was not one of them. With Nor
hit him or gotten himself in position
where he had to put fast one right
through the middle. and maybe Doc can't
hit that kind.
Four victories out of the last five games
played from teams Of the caliber of New
York and Philadelphia shows that the
Nat are playing their best ball
right now. The improvement in the
pitching has been responsible for these
victories. for the local team is one which
can score runs enough to win the aver
age game II its pitchers can hold the OPP
position down to a reasonable number of
scores.
All teams have their off periods and
just at present the Athletics appear to be
playing considerably below their true
J standard. Mack's team is not going right
just now and on what Its pitchers have
shown here they are in none too good
form to stand the hard western trip.
Plank and Coombs. who for weeks have
done all the work for the champions, APP
pear to have overworked themselves.
Neither Is pitching the kind of ball
usually expected from him. The strain
of too much work seems to have told on
this pair, and unless the team is in po-
| sition to give them needed rest they are
not apt to be Of much use for quite
while To have Plank and Coombs going
poorly would prove great handicap just
at this time. when the team is within
hailing distance of the leaders
Up TO yesterday Cy Morgan had been
pitching g,lt-edged ball and he seemed
to have everything yesterday excepting
that essential control without which no
pitcher can win games. When, after two
| innings. Cy did not steady down Mack
pulled him out and sent Plank, who had
pitched the day before. back. But Eddie
was not effective. and after working two
innings, In both Of which the Nationals
scored. he was replaced by youngster
named Long. Long had a troublesome
than nd bo haxy
men on the bases and could take a long,
free motion he was hard to hit. But once
he got men on and had to cut down his
swing he was no tnearly SO troublesome.
Saturdays game. the last to be played
on the local grounds until July %. will
| be called at 3 o'clock. When the team
| returns from its next trip the double
decker will be completed and the field
shifted Washington will then have
regulation ball field.
| Mcbride is hitting at terrific clip in
the games against Philadelphia having
| seven drives. all of them timely, to his
| credit in the three games.
| from the Boston club Though the vet
eran catoh was reported to have been
sold to Jersey City of the Eastern League
several days ago, John 1. Taylor's wire
Offering McAleer Kleinow conveyed the
| impression that the Boston club was will
| ing to turn Kleinow over to the local club
to help out temporarily. However, such
| was not the case. What Boston wanted
| was to sell Kleinow TO the local club,
| and the prize asked would bring tears to
] the eyes of a rocking horse. II kleinow
was a Chase, a Cobb or Speaker the prop
osition might be entertained. but being a
| catcher who has seen his best days and
IS ready for the minors Boston's offer is
declined with thanks. These club owners
are q sympathetic lot.