Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14


thereby giving the printers enough Of a
lead to win the pennant, which they did.
Jack Leonard's work in the box so
Tar this year has been one of the most
noteworthy performances given in
amateur ball. The Aloysius and Navy
Yard tw1rler has been a most consistent
performer in all tho games in which
he has ofiiciated on the mound: If his
work during the remainder of the year
corresponds to what he has been do
ing so far. there 10 little doubt that he
will again go back to fast company.
Scofeld. who has been doing a great
deal Of pitching for the Western High
nine lately, Is fast coming round into
good shape, and there Is every prob
ability that he will be given q chance
In one OF the two remaining games
scheduled for Western in the high
school series. In the game against the
Naval Medical School last Friday SEQ
field pitched the last four innings, and
did good work. allowing but one hit
during the four periods Of play.
The high school series may yet de-
velop q tie-up at the end Of the season.
Techs consistently good showing in the
games which 1t has played since it met
Western shows conclusively that it will
be hard proposition for Central to
get away with, even though that school
does succeed in winning from Western.
While the championship Of the high
schools has been claimed for the O
streeters time and again and not with
out reason. 1t is certain that they have
a mighty hard row to hoe before they
land it. Western will go into the game
next Tuesday realizing that practically
the premiership of the schools depends
on the result of the battle, and Tech, if
Central beats Western, will fight all
the harder to make a tie-up with the
Blue and White. and on all the dope
that can be gathered 1t seems that both
Western and Technical are better than
Central. though dope is a mighty poor
criterion by which to Judge base ball
teams.
The st. Martins club in the Indepen-
dence League has not yet attained its
picked as winners in the circuit during
the early part Of the practice season. and
there was every reason to believe that
they would come across with winning
aggregation. but so far they have failed
to do SO. The team will be considerably
strengthened in few days now, though.
and Is likely to hit it's gait. and when it
does it will be q hard one 10 STOP as
some Of the best ball players in the Dis
trict are enrolled on it's roster.
The league games during the past week
have undoubtedly shown a great deal of
Improvement in the play of the amateurs
been hitting the ball and fielding it in
much, better style than was evident dur
ing the first few days Of competition.
There has also been marked improve
ment on the quality of the pitching Dur
Ing the initial week of amateur ball dur
ing the present season ten and eleven err
rOrs in game were not an uncommon
occurrence. but now it is mighty seldom
that such is the case: The players have
been hitting the ball much better than
during the opening week. while the pitch
ers have also had to do better work I'm
order to keep pace with the improved hit
ting.
A great many Of the errors marked Up
against the players on local amateur
teams are due, in the main. to ting
wretched condition Of the grounds. There
are few amateur league diamonds which
do not have ruts and hills in them. caus-
ing the ball to take such unforeseen
bounds that 1t Is impossible for the men
to follow it, and in the majority Of the
cases In which such happens the scorers
credit the player with an error, although
the right thing to do would be to give the
batter a hit. Even though the PLAYER
dots not get his hands on a ball after
1t has taken a bound that he failed to
judge correctly. he should not be given
an error for the performances.
Davis. who is holding down third
base for the Sewerage Pumping Sta
playing ball in the Amateur leagues. If
the mentioned player could hit the ball
a little better. he would make good in
fast company without a question. He
was given q trial with Roanoke this sea-
son, but failure to get his eye on the
ball in time for the season to open cost
him his job.
There is no doubt that Buck" Becker,
who is the mainstay of the Navy Yard
team in the box. could make good in
any OF the class B leagues-in fact. he
has already demonstrated his ability to
do SO. Buck says though, that there is
not money enough in 1t for him. and
every spring he refuses several offers to
play In the bush leagues
Manhattan at present is one of the
best looking clubs in the Independence
League While the ST. Paul team is GO
ing strong, 1t is not very probable that 1t
will keep up the pace to the end of the
season. The Manhattan nine seems to he
we'll fortified with pitchers and also in
the field and at the bat. Several former
high school stars contribute lots of
strength to the team. while the addition
Of Jimmy Donnelly after the Georgetown
season is over will be a great help Um-
baugh Is said to be one OF the best anna
teur pitchers In Washington, and whether
that Is true or not he certainly is good
enough to hold down the teams in the
league In which he is now pitching. TeW,
the Technical High School tuirIAP a