Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-24
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lieved to be near as strong as their
eastern rivals.

lieved to be near as strong as theil
eastern rivals.
Those members Of the Detroit team who
went on record last winter as consider
ing Joe Jackson only fair hitter may
have occasion to change their minds be-
fore the season is much older. Jackson
is accomplishing some wonderStunts with
his bat. and there does not seem to be
the slightest doubt that he will be one
the American League this year. To date
he has found but little trouble with any
of the pitchers who have faced him, and,
incidentally, he holds the long distance
hitting record. How nicely Jackson would
fit in on that Philadelphia outfield.
Carl Morris next fight will be with AL
bert Palzer at Tulsa, Okla. July 4. Pal
ger is virtually an unknown. having been
dug up by Tom ORourke, the fight pro-
moter. He is a big fellow. and O'Rourke
says he has ability. Joe Jeanette, the
colored heavyweight has signed con-
tract to train Morris for this fight. He
will leave for the west shortly. Jeanette
is to receive $500 and expenses for his
trouble.
1t seems to be but one step from praise
to criticism in base ball. Only a few
weeks ago the Athletics were the great
est ever but. according to the critics OF
Philadelphia. the fans there have already
weakened on the Mack team. The fol-
lowing is self-explanatory:
Faint heart ne'er won fair lady" This
time honored and true aphorism might
serve to express the attitude of some OF
the Quaker enthusiasts toward the Ath-
letics. Already many have lost conf
dence in the worlds champions. They
claim to see signs Of deterioration in the
team that will become more apparent
as the season progresses, and make 1t
practically impossible for the team to win
the American League pennant. To those
alarmists. We would say that their fears
are without foundation.
Two reasons may be assigned for the
poor showing of the Athletics to date.
The inherent strength of any base ball
aggregation counts for little when the
units of that combination are not hitting.
and when the defense is weakened by
lack of condition of its pitching corps
This is exactly the plight the world s
champions are in today. Weak hitting
and weak pitching have combined to lose
six out of seven games played to date
But to the man who will spend suff1cien,
thought to analyze the situation 1t must
appear obviously patent that these de-
fects are only temporary; that the same
elements that were perfected to the ex
tent of winning a worlds pennant arr
still existent and in no wise impaired OIL
dulled. Why then, this hasty conclusion
that the Athletics are down and out
There is batting prowess in th;t Macl
lineup that every pitcher dreSe IDS, and
will have good cause to fear before tn.
season is much older. Base ball sharp.
do not think for an instant that thu
Athletics pitching staff Is superan
nuated. White it is admitted that Planl
and Bender must age some time, still
neither showed any indications of deca,
last year. It is conceded without argu
ment that Coombs will be a special mari
of fortune If he repeats his great worl
Of last year. Still. his record in 1911
could suffer quite little and yet he would
prove of material use to the team. WheI
these three twirlers strike their true
form, which warm weather alone viii
give. the Athletics vii move along will
much more success that they are enjoy
ing at present.