Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-28
BROWNS WANT HELP
St. Louis Fans Want Ban
Johnson to Ship Players There
TEAM Is IN BAD SHAPE
Wallace, Lake, Powell and Petty
Only High-Class Men
on Pay Roll.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ST. LOUIS, June oS-The news that
President Ban Johnson will force other
clubs in the American League to render
assistance to the Browns by selling them
surplus players is like the rumor brought
to a certain professional man that he had
twins. important if true" The Browns
may get help and they may not-proo-
ably they won't.
Aside from two pitchers. catcher. a
first baseman, a utility infielder and two
outfielders, the club is we'll fortified as
1t stands now. Five good ball players
might put the Browns in sixth place be-
fore the current season has expired.
With all due respect to the athletes
now employed by Col. Hedges 1t is pat
ent to all who study the national pas
time that very little can be expected OF
the Browns in their present makeup.
Only Three Pitchers on Club.
To begin with, Petty, Powell and Lake
are the only pitchers who have shown
symptoms of being effective. Three men
can't hold up a club that isn't hitting
and whose fielding is abominable. the
catching has handicapped the pitching
being far from what can be expected rea-
sonably in major leagues
The club has not had and has not now
a competent first baseman. Young MT.
Black may develop and is working very
hard to overcome his defects. but any
man who cross steps six times in one
day taking throws that did not come the
way he had set himself for them ISM
covering the necessary ground 10 Dc
rated as competent in the major leagues.
No Kick on Wallace's Play.
On second base Frank Laporte has
played acceptably-not brilliantly, but
good average game. However, he is out
through injuries frequently. There has
been nothing wrong with Manager wal
lace's fielding at short and he has hit
about as well as the others. His running
has slowed up materially and he con-
sumes much time getting about the bases.
Austin has done a good job at third.
but of late failed to bat very hard. He
is fast, but fails to take big enough
leads to become a prominent base stealer.
In left field Hogan Is unreasonaoly
slow pursuing a fly ball. He has had
some first base experience and If the
right kind of man could be secured
for left Manager Wallace would shift
him to the initial sack in an effort to
solve that puzzling question. Shotton is
all to the merry as a fielder and is
using his head at the plate and on bases.
In a season or two he should be star.
Mclean Can Hit-That's All.
Mclean can bat. He has pulled some
weird stuff in the field and seems lack
ing in judgment Of a fly ball. It's a
gamble il he stops grounder at all.
The Browns may never be successful
until there is a change of management.
This may seem a broad statement. in
view Of Bobby Wallace's long connec-
ton with the game and his popularity
with players and patrons. but it is true
ceeded as a pilot Of such a ball club
as the Browns unless he possessed one
Of two qualifications-he must either be
suave. persuasive individual, holding
mering continually in a diplomatic way.
or be must be slave driver.
From April II to October ) is a long
journey. A ball club is collection Of
peculiar individuals. Ball games are lost
by overlooking one slight incident The
manager can't do all the thinking. and
he must train his men to do their share.
Constant plugging alone will accomplish
this
Bobby Wallace is too polite, too kind,
too gentlemanly to prod the faltering
athlete when he grows careless. The
day OF the out-and-out redneck in base
ball has passed. never to return. but you
have to own certain amount Of hit 'em
on the head" disposition to get by. Nc
Graw. Bresnahan, Jennings. Mack, Clarke
and others can pan their men to the
queens taste. and you very seldom find
a sleepy ball player on their teams.
But It Isn't Bobby's Fault.
In commenting upon the success or lack
Of same of Manager Bobby Wallace. 1t is
unfair to be unduly critical. for Wallace
has nothing with which to work A