Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-27
nnERTINENE @l11ENT
KsssHappeni3$$s1

members Of the team. SO that if IL should
be McAleer's good fortune to find the
missing link which will make his team a
winner he can look for much improved
form from those players whose ability
has been established beyond question.
Though there have been several changes
on the Chicago Cubs which necessitsted
the passing up of PLAYERS who have been
the mainstays Of that wonderful piece Of
base ball machinery. il would fseem that
just enough is left of the old organization
to 1T least make the team factor for the
flag right down to the finish. \
The Cubs showing to date Only proves
that once a club has a winning team 1t
can be kept strong by occasional changes.
A strong team may spring a 14ak. but II
Is much carrier to plug up thesefholes, be-
cause they are not numerous, Than II IL
to turn a loser into a winner.
No one gave the Cubs much Or chance
this year. and yet they are again leading
the race and displaying much OF their old
time form. and this, too. with Chance.
Evers and Steinfeldt out off 1t. trio
which for years was the team'S mainstay.
When 1t comes to makingl pitcher
work his utmost there are few players
who excel Herman Schaefer. though a
majority of the spectators probably over
look the prowess which Schaef@r displays
in this respect. For instance, in the two
games Detroit has played here Schaefer
in seven of these he has had three balls
and two strikes called on hin. This
means that the pitcher has been forced
to pitch something like forty or more
forced him to this limit he would not
be apt to last through nine innings. But
the average fan overlooks the value OF
such batsman. and is more apt to ap-
plaud the fellow who happens to get q
timely base hit.
That luck plays quite part i'm base
bah has long since been conceded, but
SO far as the breaks of the game go they
are believed to break even during a sea-
son. But 1t is in the matter of accidents
that luck does its most damaging work
to team. Take the Phillies, for in
stance.
With Magee suspended the team was
handicapped sufficiently to 5lessen it's
chances for the pennant. but now that
Manager Doom. one of the beSt catchers
in the game, is out of 1t with a frac-
tured leg, the Phillies' chances for beat
ing out any one of three clubs which
are fighting for the flag have been re-
duced to Il minimum The team which
can go through season without having
one of its most valuable players inca
pacitaied is surely receiving the smiles
from Dame Fortune.
That one of the Nationals. weak points
this season has been the inefFectiveness
of its pitchers must be conceded. but to
date the future gives little Tlromise for
in this respect. | McAleer.s
scouts have been unable to dig up any
pitchers who give promise Of being of
major league caliber. Cashionl the Green
Vile recruit. is the only twirHer who has
been purchased and he at THE best is a
green hand who needs development. Just
now ,McAleer can boast of but three
twirlers who can be depended hpon to de-
liver their share of the goodsl He needs
at least Ave or six to go Through a siS-
paaptb ~calppaigp, and this I}umber ap-
lecidedly hard tQAgather.