Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-03
BY j. ED GRILLO.

Of the Washington club. Becker belongs
to Youngstown, and his release viii have
to be acquired from that club hy Wash
inston before the local club will have
legitimate claim to his services. Just now
Becker is with the Nationals by permits
sion of the Youngstown club but the
chances arc that when the owners of the
club In the Ohio town read of his achieve
ment Yesterday they will want to fix
price Becker and sell him.
Last year Becker signed with Youngs-
town and pitched one game there in
which nc let the opposing team down
With single hit But he did not like the
town. jumped ON train and came
home, having made up his mind To quit
the game. When il was decided to give
him trial with the Nationals Manager
McAleer first obtained permission from
the Youngstown club To do so. No
agreement was reached however, as to
the price to be paid Youngstown in the
event OF Becker making good with the
team. While il is not believed that the
Youngstown officials will be cXorhitaut i'll
their demands. vet when ball clubs pay
200 for untried pitcher there might
be an argument found to suostantatc the
asking of a big price for the local south
paw. Manager McA1eer has set himself
In communication with the Youngstown
deal whereby the Washington club will
secure Becker at once
There are decidedly few instances on
record where a young pitcher the
Casion of his first appearance in fast
company has given so brilliant a pitching
exhibition did Becker Yesterday. His
game would have done credit to any
pitcher in the country. and for a young
ster making his debut it was a really re-
markahle achievement Unlike the aver
age young fellow who tries to break into
fast company, there was nothing
suggestive of nervousness about Becker
He went into the game confident that he
would give a good account of himself
and he handled himself as if he had been
in that company for years. With splen-
did control. good fast ball and a de-
ceptive curve, he worked perfectly with
Charley Street and with a bit better
luck would have come out of the fray
with shut-oUt to his credit and but
single hit. Bodies three ba gger. charged
against him. The other hit made off
him was scratch little fly which was
allowed to drop safe in short left. He
gave but a single pass. Iii, but one hats
man and worked smoothly from start to
finish. incidentally. he gave evidence of
knowing what to do with the ball when
it came to him and he displayed some
ability IS fielder. Be ker is but TWEEN
ty-one, Is sure to fill out more as he
natures, and has all the earmarks of be-
ing a great pitcher.
gives him great advantage over most
all left-handers and is his principal as
set Before yesterdays game Becker
had pitched in ut three four anna
teur games this season. When he join
ed the Nationals couple of weeks ago
he was far from. being in condition, and
McAleer. realizing this fact. gave him
chance TO get himself ready. which. judg-
ed from his showing Yesterday hi. did
ConscientiouSly
The fact that Becker had for a battery
partner one Of the best catchers in the
league also made difference in his work
Street handled the youngSter Splendidly
The remarkable part of Becker's pitch
ing was that there were hut few balls
hit hard off OF him. Most of the chances
were easy Srounders to the infelders
Umpire Connolly assumed considerable
responsibility when he sent the eighteen
players on that soggy field and ordered
the second game finished after the show
or had put the field in a condition unfit
for base ball There is no doubt at all
that the antipathy for double headers
which exists among ball players and UNI
pires was responsible for the continuation
of that second game. To have called ii
at the end of the fourth would have
meant the playing OF two games today
and neither the players or the umpires
were anxious for this. That is why the
game was played. That the field was
unfit was proven by the way the players
shipped and fell about. Patrons of base
ball pay their money to witness an ar
tistic contest which is made impossible
when the players are compelled to play
field which is ankle deep in mud and
water. The public should always be con-
sidered first. Ii may be hardship to
play two games in one afternoon but il
would be wise to protect the public
against such exhibitions as the later in
nings of the second game made so by
reason of the unfit condition of the
grounds
Ed Walsh was lucky TO knock down
Cfessler's hard drive in the ninth with the
bases full The ball was hit like a shot
hut Walsh managed TO get his hands
down in time to block IL. II rolled out 10
the first base line. but the going was SC
heavy that Gessler could not beat the
throw to first and the game was over.
Had the ball gone through as il would
undoubtedly have done had the grounds
been dry. the score would a least have
been tied in this inning.
Carl Cashion. The young giant secured
from Greenville. is 10 make his debut this
afternoon against the White Sox. Cash
ion is a big fellow. with terrific speed. and
he also has some reputation as hitter.
Joe Hovlik VINO appeared i'm both
games yesterday. has changed his style
Of delivery considerably since he a
member of the local team. He used TO
have a short jerky motion. while row he
did not pitch poorly YESTERDAY. though he
was little shy on fielding
10 was the first time this year that the
Nationals have Won FIVE games in a row,
and il would have been six had IL not
rained Groom deserved to win his game.
hut the support given him ON that muddy
FIELD played havoc with the one-rGn lead
nc had The team has been playing
splendid ball since its return home. and
with good pitching such as il has had
lately IL is sure To continue its win
ming streak.
II makes difference whether Ed
Walsh has pitched the day before not,
hut whenever tho SoX are in danger he
Is hustled into the game to save it, In
this respect Walsh has few equals. lie
can 20 in and stop a batting rally with
for II M Yesterday because il was rather
dark during the closing innings of the
game. and it Was hard TO see his speed
and spit ball.
Becker < performance a surprise 10
his teammates In his practice work
outs Becker displayed no curves. hut a
good. fast ball which has "A break To it,
and he created the impression among the
players that he did got possess a curve.
This fact was commented upon by the
players several times. Becker however
seems to have been under cover i'm prac-
f.A int. sI.sx