Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-06
By J. ED GRIL1o.

There will be no southern trip for the
Nationals next spring. Manager McAleer
has decided to train his charges right
here in Washington, where for the past
few years the weather has been more
suitable for such purposes than the
southern chimes the team has trained in.
1t is also believed that the players will
be benefited by training where they are
expected to open the season, as there
will be no danger of their suffering as a
result of change in climates after they
once round into form.
The fact that the local club now has
the best equipped clubhouse in either
major league, which makes it possible
for the pls.yers to take the best of care
of themselves, is another advantage which
none of the southern training points af-
fords.
For the past four or five years the
southern trips in the hope of getting
in good shape for an early start
in the race, but there Is not single in
stance on record where the team has
gotten away well In the spring. The con-
dition of the club has never been salts
factory, barring one year, in 1905, and
then Jake stahl took it down to
Charlottesville. Va, where the climate
does not differ from that here. McAleer
believes that he can get his players in
better condition right at home than by
going to any Of the southern training
grounds, and he is willing to give the
scheme trial.
Last year the southern trip cost the
local club a small fortune, for 1t realized
little or nothing from the few exhibition
games 1t played in Atlanta, and yet when
the season opened not one of it's pitchers
was in shape. In fact. it has only been
recently that they have shown any form
at all. By training the team at home
McAleer hopes to obtain better results,
so far as the players condition is con-
cerned, and it is the intention to arrange
all the exhibition games possible with
the National League clubs passing
through this way from the south early
in April.
Just what the object was in putting
Bill Cunningham in to bat for Buck Beck
err in the ninth is hard to understand. To
begin with, Cunny has had no chance
of the game, and he established new
strike-out record while he was in the
game. True there were not many right
handlers to select from, and 1t would have
been foolish to send Becker up to hit
against Young, but a player like Walter
Johnson stands a better chance OF break
ing up such q game with a long drive
than Cunningham. who, as was to be
expected, struck OUT
Becker's performance after the fourth
inning was most credttable. That the
youngster did not go well in that one in
ming may be attributed to the TACT that
he did not have much OF chance to
warm up, or perhaps he did not have
rest enough since he pitched the last
time. Furthermore, Becker pitched and
batted for fully an hour before the game.
and this took from him much Of his
stamina After that fourth inning he
gave a splendid exhibition of gameness.
He lacked control, and in the seventh
inning had to buckle down and give the
batter everything he had to get out OF
a hole. He walked Payne and Hovlik
after one man was out and then struck
out Mcintyre. Lord got a scratch hit to
Conroy, who slipped when he threw. and
this filled the bases. 1t was not an en-
viable position for any man to face
Jimmy Callahan with the bases full, but
Becker tackled the job and succeeded in
striking Cal out.
There We're two drives made yesterday
either one Of which would have brought
the victory to the Nationals had they
avoided the fielders. In the sixth, with
Becker on first and one out. Milan hit
screeching liner to right which Mcintyre
lust managed to pull down, and In the
ninth Elberfeld hit a terrific clout at
Collins which the latter would have been
unable to see on a fast field. He made
a splendid stop of the ball and threw to
Tannehill at second in order to force
Schaefer, but fanny dropped the ball.
This put two on and one out, but Cess
Ter hit the first ball pitched. little NY
to Mcconnell resulting. and then Walker
fouled to Payne, ending the game.
It was not Tom Hughes day. The wet