The Washington herald., 1911-02-20
By WILLIAM PEET.

Although Manager McAleer has signed
up seven outfielders this season, two of
the old men are sure to start in their old
positions They are Milan, in center, and
Gessler, in right The former ranks next
to Ty Cobb and Iris Speaker, and is re-
garded as one of the most valuable play
ers in the American League. Doc Cess
Ter had an off years last season, in hit
ting, but McAleer figures he will come
back this summer.
Il felt sorry for Gessler last season."
said McAleer yesterday. He came to me
a dozen times and said: I don't know
what is the matter with mel just
simply can't get hitting. When 1 do
make connections the ball sails on bee
line into some fielder's paws "
Manager McAleer realizes that Gessler
had a bad year in 1870 and figures that
he will be there this season with his
old-time wallop, and Doc sure could
ciout the pill in the old Boston days.
OF the other outfelders who will try
TO land are Jack Lelivelt, a veteran of
two seasons; Ralston, who was pur
chased from Akron last August and
came here TO try his luck for a few
weeks; Charley Conway, drafted from
Youngstown. ana Corbin, from the same
league, together with Swain, who was
signed at the recommendation of Cliff
Biankenship and who played with Van |
couver in the Northwestern League.
Jack Lelivelt is a natural hitter, and |
fairly sure on fly balls, but he is far |
Grom speedy on the bases, and very often |
slow in recovering the ball on safe hits |
If Swain, Ralston, Conway, and Corbin |
do not show symptoms of major league |
ability, Lelivelt can be depended uponf
TO fill the bill acceptably, or else Wild |
Conroy can be showed into the left gar
den, as he gave a good account of him
self there last year.
During a tanning bee yesterday, Milans
name was brought up, and had that
young athlete been hanging around his
ears must have burned because of the
complimentary things said about him.
In comparing Milan with Cobb and
Speaker, il is evident to all fans that the
former does not begin to get as many
safe hits in a season as either Of the last
mentioned but if statistics were available
il would probably be seen that Milan is
able to get on the bases just about as
often as either Cobb or Speaker, either
by walking, beating out infield hits, Op-
posing teams errors or getting hit by a
pitched ball.
Many consider Milan lucky in getting
on hut then most old-timers will tell
You that they would rather have a lucky
ball player around than almost anybody
else.
Milan's value to the club lies in his
great fielding and his ability to get on
the bags, for you know you've got to
get men on the bases before you can
score runs. and runs are what is needed
TO win ball games.
Hans Wagner is out for revenge.
Every other season for the last five
years the Carnegie Dutchman has been
holdout and has done everything in
his power to dodge the spring train
ing trip. Wagner announced a few days
ago that he would be on the job at Hot
Springs good and early. Hans intends
to make the knockers out in PittSburg
look like a bunch of pikers by having
great year. II is said that Wagner will
be forced to serve on a jury right at
the time he leaves for the South, but
the German says there is nothing to it
He is going South this spring, and is
going to be in great shape when the bell
rings.
Unless Fred Lake finds a few leavings I
worth having in the spring discard pack
the Browns have now reached the stand e
pat" stage. The opening lineup can I
even l." forecast with something like T
probability. although an eleventh-hOur =
trade may occur If it does. it is prob
able that George Stone will figure in l
it. Here's how the regular lineup now
appears for the first game with the +
Cards: L
Catcher-"Nig~ Clarke. +
Iitcher-Joe Lake or Jack Powell.
First baSeman-Newnam.
Second baseman-TruesdaIe or Olsen. a
hortstOp-Wallace. p
Third baSeman-Austin. t
Outffelders-Murray Laporte, and Stone.
Yes; Willie Keeler Is going to the t,
minors Rot because he has to in order '
10 earn a living. but just to please his
old side kick, Joe Kelley. Here is some
thing in addition to the volumes of stories
which have been printed about the grand
est little fellow in baseball. That goes
off the field, too.
After being q baseball star IN the bip
leagues for seventeen years, Wee Willie
keeler has at last passed to the minors,
the New York National League club
him to the Toronto club of
the Eastern League.
Keeler was one of the greatest batters
the game ever had. For the first thfr-
teen Of his seventeen years in the big @
league, or from the year 1894 to 1906, IN t
elusive, the little outfelder batted over
the 800 mark His best year was in 1897, 4
when he batted .432 at Baltimore r
Last season he was with the New York =
Giants, acting as coach and adviser, and
went to the bat but ten times during the
year. he made three hits in his at N
tempts- thus giving him an average of 800 a
sven for his last season with the big II
fellows. In 1907. 1908, and 1903 Wee Willie II
Tell of, hitting .2s4, .2ss, and .264. re-
Spectively. ir
During his career in the big leagues lcf
heeler played with four different clubs. pl
He began with the famous old Baltimore c,
Orioles in 1894 and hit .S64 his first sea- W
son. Those were the palmy days of the
Baltimore team, when McGraw, Jennings, v,
Kelley, Brodie, Robinson, and Doyle were p
starting on the diamond along With W.
Keller. -
Willie played with the Orioles until the kre
season of 1899, when he went to Brook
yn, where he performed for four seasons :.
N two Of these seasons, 1893 and 1900, y
won the National League pen ~
lant. lst
In 19oS when the American League in :.
laued New York, Keeler was Induced TO :
cave the National body and become a
member Of the younger organization He IN
played seven years with the Highlanders, IN
hitting above 200 in four of them. After vi
he season of 1903 Keeler was compelled 81
o give his place in the outfield TO men,l o.