The Washington herald., 1911-06-08

first.
The Maps last week asked for waivers
on four players, one of whom was Art
Griggs, formerly. with the st. Louis
Browns, and a player whom McAleer has
often expressed a wish to capture for
the local club.
It was learned last night from a re-
liable source that Griggs could be OBJ
tained at the waiver price, $500, and It
is reasonable to suppose that McAleer
has refused to let this chap go out Of the
American League.
Cleveland newspaper men here with
the Maps declare that with Graney,
Birmingham, and Jackson going so
nicely, there is no room for Griggs in
the outfield, while the inf1eld is also
settled until Larry -LaJoie returns.
Griggs puts up fair game at first
base, but his hitting would add lot
of strength to the Nationals, and Nc
Aleer should. II he has not done so.
make every effort to grab this player.
Just what McAleer has done regard
ing the matter is not known, for he
absolutely refuses TO discuss waivers
with anybody. The Nationals boss
contends that such business should be
treated as confidential. and not given
out for publication.
The Washington Club is not the only
one, after Griggs. 1t is well-known
fact that Hughey Jennings would like
to get the youngster for Detroit, while
the New York Highlanders could also
use him very nicely.
Griggs Joined the St Louis Browns
during the last year McAleer was in
charge, and turned out to be a pretty
sweet hitter. Last season he continued
to show ability in this line. and as he
is a youngster of good habits, consid-
erable promise is held out for his
future.
When a club asks for waivers on a pail.
player. the first reply to such requests
gets the man.
Now, il McAleer's wire, and it is pre-
sumed that he sent one, was the first
to reach the Cleveland club, Griggs can
become the property Of the Nationals
after payment of $500.
1t might be just our .luck. however. to
be a few hours late. and thereby lose the
opportunity of obtaining a promising
young ball player.
Doc Gessler sure is hitting the ball in
his old-time form. His two hard smashes
yesterday scored three runs, and every
indication points to a good year at the
bat for the NJ. D.
1t is barely possible that McAleer will
work Walter johnson against the Maps
this afternoon. Manager Stovall, Of the
Maps. intends to pitch Mitchell, a left
handler.
Like a catapulted figure the tense ath-
lete who has been counting the inches
between his foot and first base, while
his eyes steadily watched the right shoul-
der of the police, and his ears strained
to catch the slightest change Of tone
in the voice Of the catcher shoots for
ward toward the goal, hurls his body
sideways, crooks one leg toward a saw
dust-filled bag. hooks one foot over it,
while the body tears a furrow' in the
dirt and stops. A cloud Of dust hides
him. the bag, and the second baseman.
"'Ye're out
The umpire turns wearily away as the
crowd roars for his hearts blood
The baseman grins, tosses the ball back
to the pitcher. spits into his glove. An
other runner has perished in the effort
to steal second"
What are the chances for a base
runner on first to steal secondly Prob
ably you'd say about one chance in
three. But Hugh Fullerton, who likes
to go into the figures, says that with a
catcher behino the plate an average
runner has Just sbout an even chance
to steal second safely IL the ball is
perfectly handled. Great base runners
like Cobb, Collins, Speaker, Evers, and
Fred Clarke steal safely about 40 per
cent Of the bases they start for.
The reason more bases are not stolen.
says Fullerton, is because the players
no longer run wild on the paths. In
the old days a man who reached first
was practically sure to attempt to steal
second. Nowadays managers do not
often let their men try the play, but
rely on the sacrifice and hit-and-run to
advance basemen. Now for the figures:
In an average season in both big
leagues S9,156 players face the pitchers,
but only 27,O5S reach first-19154 on safe
hits, 5,956 on bases on balls, 1903 on err
rors, aud 654 by being hit by pitched
balls. of the H.05S on first, $17,13S reach
second 12,SS2 third, and S,272 score. There
are thus 55,9SS chances to steal, but only
274 players steal-one out of twenty
chances Nineteen runners steal home,
IA from second to third base, and 1851
steal second.
Fullerton put the stopwatch on pitch
ers and catchers and the throw to sec
ond to catch men stealing. The pitchers
timed were White, Walsh, Three-fngered
Brown, Cole, johnson. and Gray; the
catchers, Killing, Archer. Sullivan, and
Street The average time from the start
of the pitch to the moment the second
baseman held the ball to touch the steal
er was, on straight balls 2-3 seconds,
on curve balls ga seconds, on slow balls
and spitters 1-3 seconds.
Then Cobb and Zeider were timed
sprinting to second. Their average time
was 3 rs seconds.
But the above figures are averages
Cobb and Zelder both beat their aver
ages many times. The throws to second
are often slower than the average. While
a perfect fast throw TO second viii catch
the fastest runner nearly every time, the
actual performances show the best base
runners beat the throw seven out of ten
times.
FulIe-ton believes that drawing the
catcher's throw to the base behind the
runner Is the best variation Of the de-
layed steal II the runner has a good
lead when the throw is made. he can
beat the relay to the next base almost
every time.
Pitcher Cashion. purchased by the
Nationals from the Greenville. s. c.
club, win not report until the close Of