Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-16
BY J. ED GRILLO.

Buck Becker, the star left-handed
pitcher of the local amateur leagues, will
join the Nationals shortly. 1t is not a,
all unlikely that lie will leave here Mon
day for Chicago to become a member OF
McAleers pitching staff.
Becker, who has had some professional
experience, is not quite twenty-one years
old, but he is six feet tall and weighs
about $50 pounds. While pitching FOL
Navy Yard In one Of the local amateur
leagues few weeks ago Becker shut out
team without a hit, but 1t Is his profes
slOnal record which makes him look as II
he had a chance to make good in fas
company. When but eighteen years ole
Becker pitched for Reading. in the Tri
State League and won nine games out OF
seventeen. But being a mere boy he die
not like the idea of being away from
home and secured his release. Last fall
when the Nationals secured Meyer from
Youngstown, Becker was signed by thai
club, and the only game he pitched was
Shut-out, in which he allowed the op
posing team but single hit.
In the opinion of many good Judges
Becker has the making of a good pitcher
and as it is to be the policy Of Manager
McAleer to give every youngster available
a trial. Becker will very shortly wear 6
Washington uniform.
He is to have a conference with Presi
dent Noyes Monday, at which time ar
engagements will be made to have him joir
the team at once.
Becker feels that he stands a goo6
chance to make good with the Nationals
and he Is anxious to be given the Op-
pOrtunity.
Jim McAleer is not we'll fortified with
pitchers. but it would seem that wher
his team has a four-run lead he
would go to extremes to hold the advan-
tage. In yesterdays game at Chicago
the Nationals scored four runs in the
third inning. which is plenty to win al
ordinary ball game. Hughes, who has
not shown ability 10 go the route Of late
however was left in the game ever
after the White Sox started to pound
him, with the result that Washington was
beaten. . to ). A change Of pitchers
might not have caused any difference II
the outcome, yet it would seem that the
one chance of changing the pitcher un
der such conditions would have beer
taken.
In many OF their games this year thu
Nationals have scored enough runs tt
assure victory, but have been beaten be-
GAUGE their pitchers have failed to hold
the opposition. In but decidedly few in
stances has any effort been made t6
! stem the tide by changing pitchers, and
only once this year has Walter johnson
been called upon to finish q game Wher
it was apparent that the pitcher working
was losing his effectiveness. With al
| the pitchers going poorly such course
| might not change results. but most OF
McAleers pitchers seem able to go q
part of the route in splendid style, and
| it would be at least worth while trying
! to switch twirlers whenever danger
threatened and take a chance on having
| the newcomer stop the fusillade of base
hits. When a team is going as poorly
as are the locals most anything that Is
| tried may help, and, if necessary, il
might be policy to use two pitchers to q
game in which the Nationals have gained
| a commanding lead
1T is policy frequently to leave young
pitcher on the rubber even while he il
being pounded for the sake of the ex.
tperience he gets in these games, but that
does not hold good in Hughes case, who
has been pitching in fast company fol-
ten years or more.
Herman Shaefer's hitting is nothing
short of marvellous. Germany has
been responsible for a majority OF the
runs the Nationals have scored In the
games they have played to date
Every day he is driving in runs with
his bat, and his average places him
among the leading batsmen of the
league. 1t is the first year since
Schaefer came into the American
League that he has been hitting over
the 400 mark, and he has kept up q
marvellous pace all season. There have