Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-19

Ia great difference In the class of those
leagues and the American il the work OF
these chaps In the training camp is tC
be taken as q criterion.
On paper the squad of youngsters
looked promising enough. but when uI
|against major league pitchers and catch
their work. 1t only goes to show thai
averages do not always give a line on 9
ball player, unless 1t is made in the best
of company.
Had not McAleer entertained the hope
that he would get man or two out OF
his squad of recruits he might have
taken chance with some seasoned ma
If he had made the effort he could have
secured Matty Mcintyre of the Tigers. a
PLAYER who is showing up remarkably
| well with the White Sox this spring
Perhaps there was another fielder or two
who could have been secured. But the
club had been so successful in picking up
promising players last fall when Ain
| smith. Henry and Cunningham were Sc
cured. that McAleer took a chance on
from other clubs. Unfortunately for him
none of these gives promise Of panning
out and it is now too late to figure on
getting anything worth having from the
rival clubs.
There il no fault to find with the policy
to try to strengthen the Nationals with
young blood. 1t Is the only way open to
the club. but it just happens that it
might have been a wise move last winter
tto corral few players who could have
been spared by some Of the other clubs.
No club did more scouting last year
| than did the Washington club, but the
effort to get players is to be continued on
| even a larger scale this year.
| Last year the club had Mike Kahoe
and Dick Padden as travelling scouts,
while 1t has Dennis Long on the coast and
Joe Cantillon in the Association, not to
speak of the many friends of McAleer
| throughout the minor leagues who kept
him posted on the development. of play
| ers.
The effort to get more good young play
ers will be pushed to the limit this year,
and Kahoe and Padden are to do more
| travelling than they did last year. Ka-
| hoe will most likely look after the east
| the territory west and north. Long will
| continue on the coast. Outfielders are
wanted badly and all scouts will be in
struced to make a special effort to get
| players who can fill these positions.
The inside work OF q team depends en-
| tirely on the ability Of the individual
player being able to discern the intent
communication by means of a signal
code, but these vary between the various
players SO as to make their detection
more difiicult by the opposing team.
tracing lot of attention are those who
are the most successful. Modern base
ball is played along lines that make 1t
possible for the base runner and the
batsnian to have a thorough understand
ing as to what is to be attempted 1t
has long been established that In order
to get satisfactory results the base rum
ners and batters must work together. II
the base runner is to attempt a steal the
batter must know 1t. and If the base
runner is to play the hit and run he
must get his information from the batter.
Then there is a sign for the squeeze
play. and another for a steal of third, for
which the batsman makes q bluff to bunt
So as to draw in the third baseman, thus
making it most difficult for him to get
back to his bag in time to handle q
throw from the catcher.
1t takes weeks even though all the
players are seasoned; to get a. coda of
signals, to working smoothly. Usually
there are two sets. for 1t Is dangerous to
work one set continuously, Tor the op-
posing teams will soon solve them when.
instead OF benefit, these signals be-
come handicap. to the team using them.
No doubt the man who managed the
Tacoma team in the spring of 1907 has
give himself good kicking. for he had
Walter johnson signed to contract, and
let him go because he failed to win an
exhibition game.
Johnson was signed for 500 per month
by that club, and the day he reported he
was asked to pitch an exhibition game,
which was to be played for the benefit
of some charitable institution. 1t was a
badly patched-up team which Johnson
had behind him, and, besides. he had
not pitched any and waa not in shape.
OF course, he lost after being pounded
rather severely. and the following day
he was Informed that he was no longer
wanted He went to Weiser, Idaho, to
hal nd x,-l.I1
attracted considerable attention The
Tacoma manager, seeing him successful
tried to induce him to return but john
son was sore over the treatment handed
him at Tacoma and he refused to return.
as result of which he came to WASH
ington
From contract calling for 500, signed
in the spring Of 1907, Johnson in four
years is demanding $500 for a season
That Is certainly some advancement
1t would be rather discouraging TO Doc
Gessler IL he should not come up, to
expectations this year. for no player ever
made a more sincere effort to get himself
in the best possible playing condition
Gessler is the hardest worker on the
squad. He has reduced himself to where
he is now lighter than he has been in
years and he is doing nothing that might
have tendency to interfere with his
being able to put forth his very best
efforts. He appears faster IN his feet
than ever before, and is covering lot
Of ground in the outfield He is hitting
the ball hard, too. for him. for he Is
never an early starter with the stick.
Doc was one of the high-salaried men
on the team last year. but because OF
f, his failure to make good he lad to stand
a cut. and instead Of being discouraged
as result he seems determined to bring
his playing up to such standard that
an increase will be forthcoming again
next spring.
| Herman Schaefer will never play the in
| field again IL there is any way out OF ii.
| Schaefer believes that he was originally
| the position so well that he proposes to
end his ball-playing days catching and
chasing flies.
There is not near as much worry play
| ing the outfield as the fnfield. There
are so many things to watch playing. right
| behind the pitcher that there Is hardly
moments rest. With the outfield it is
| different OF course. an outfieider must
be alert, but there Is not the strain in
| volved upon man playing one of those
positions that Is necessary on the infieid.
| Schaefer has the utmost confidence in
his ability to play left field for the Ma
| tonais and there is no reason why he
! should not be the most available man for
| the place that McAleer can boast OF.
In one respect Schaefer will shine In the
position, and that is in throwing In
| the few exhibition games he has played
! there he has displayed good judgment
/ and an accurate arm in making throws,
and has had many assists, all or them
coming during crucial part OF the