Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-05
BY J. ED GRILLO.

| BY J. ED GR1LLO.
| About the only thing that was crafty
| ing about Yesterdays disaster was tn"
| impression made by Fred Sherry. 1t was
! the youngsters initial appearance In a
| game on the local grounds, and he did
not enter the fray until tho game had
| been sewed UP by the Athletics. For
! four innings, however. he held the cham
pions down to a single hit and no runs
| and, incidentally, allowed only the man
| WHO hit him safely, Baker, to reach first
| base.
Sherry worked like veteran. lie was
| over the plate continuously, and seemed
| to have something on the ball and knew
! how to pitch. OF course, those four in
nings do not indicate him wonder, or
even winner, but they should at least
prove the entering wedge for consider
alton for the yoUngster.
This was Sherry's second appearance on
the rubber. He finished a game over Ill
Philadelphia n week or so ago. ana ut
| that time drew a few bouquets for his
| effective york
long on pi.cnin.; st,.ngth. Johnson APP
pears TO rc the only one ready to go the
route and he is not yHt at his best. Gray
may come around, but has not accom-
pISHt' fIutIi l1bSHtS ! hS ii sore arm,
while Groom has not been good of late,
Walker is out Of the question until hts
arm comes around. AS for Otey. he looks
to do, but in the meantime it might he
policy TO give Sherry a chance.
The fact that Shcrry- pitched about
half an hour before yesterdays game
must also ne taken into consideration, so
that he NAV really not lave beaI. at his
bes- yesterday.
1t is really astonishing that the Ma
tonalS have won seven games this season
when their lamen- ably weak hitting is
taken into consideration. No team was
ever a. weak with the stick as McAlecr )
team has been this spring, and IS Yet
there does not seem to be a turn for the
better in sight.
Yesterdays game again illustrated the
teams shortcomings in this respect, Ten
men were left on bases. Three innings
were started with two base hits, and in
only one OF these did the first man up
score. ON two other occasions two ag
| gers came with one out, Yet runs
were scored. Three times second and
| third Were occupied with but one ont
| ard no runs came. That timely base hit
was always lacking. excepting in the
ninth, when Milan hit safely with third
| and second occupied. A team which can
not hit cannot expect to he In a race,
| unless it has a pitching staff which shuts
| out its opponents or allows d run but
occasionally.
| AS matters now stand McAleer must try
| to pick a pitcher whom the other side
cannot score on. The assurance that some
| twirler will hold the opposition To Il run
| or two means nothing for the Nationals.
II would be winning pitching with some
other team.
Just at present there is no relief in
sight. McAleer believes that his teams
| hitting will improve. He believes this
! because he cannot imagine how a team
| Il
| hits. To date k,lberfe'd appears to be III .
| only member of the team who Is hitting
the bail at all. IT takes more than one
| hitter to carry a team along.
In the meantime the pitchers are work
! ing under disadvantage and it is no
! easy JOB to keep them keyed up TO their
highest pitch, and unless they are at
! their best they do not stand a chance to
win under existing conditions.
| For many years there has been a
| tendency to blame il players shortcom-
! ingS on dissipation. Let pitcher go
wrong and the stands fairly ring with
! rumors of what lie has done the night
| before Ninety-nine times out Of a hun
dred these stories arc deliberate fabrica-
/ IONS emanatlng from dis runtled mInCS
\ great injustice has been done in this
way more than once. McAlcer. for in
/ stance insists that Walker Is taking the
| best Of care of himself He de.ies any
! one to prove the contrary. Yet there are
not twenty patrons or the game here VINO
! have not heard stories of his CarouSing.
! A cowardly attack on Walker while he
| was absent from the city was RESPONSE
! bile for this state OF affairs. McAleer is
! the man held responsible for the condi-
| tion of his players and he SAYS Walker
is taking care OF himself, and he ought
| to know.
! When the Nationals return from their
| western trip the games Will be called at
! 4 O'Clock here. This because OF the
| work on the stands that will be unde.
| way 1t is the intention to keep the work
| up from . in the morning until . in the
! afternoon, and this will necessitate the
| calling of the game a half hour later than
has been the custom this spring
| The upper deck OF the grandstand Is
| not to be completed as soon as was ex-
| pected 1t develops that the steel will
| be three weeks more coming and this
| will prove a severe setback to the orIgi-
| nal arrangements.
i, Milan got three hits but only one Of
them was clean cut-his single in the
/ ninth. His other two We're scratch two
| baggers. one OF which fell lust out of
reach OF the fielders, which by good
! sprinting he stretched into a double. and
the other went into the pavilion seats.
Whatever influence Harry Davis has
with the rules committee he Is going to
utilize IN an effort 10 have the bags used
for bases buried on the level with the
| ground. Harry had an awful time get
ting over the bag at first Yesterday He
| took tumhles over II and rooted IN much
of the ground in the path with MS nose.
:" the second inning he opened up with