Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-23
hf))ERIINENI @1nENT(
Happenings

this year will be the most successful in
Walter Johnson's career. One pitcher
cannot do all the work. but there are
reasons for believing that the entire staff
will be better fortified. Hughes. it he
will be of any service at all. will do
much to add strength, and then Walker
should show Improvement. for 1t VIII be
his second season in fast company. ana
surely McAleer can be relied upon to get
one or more good pitchers out of the
others he will have to try out.
There is no doubt that Cleveland and
Chicago have been materially strength
ened. but not to such an extent mat
either of these teams is going to make
runaway race of it. And while this pair
have been streng thened, you can't make
any one but John I. Taylor believe that
Boston looks dangerous as last sea-
son, while the New York team is in the
hands Of a manager who must still snow
that he has the ability TO handle ma
jor league team.
Washington may not hold better posi-.
ion in the race next OCTOBER than IL uio
last. but there never was time When
local team seemed to have better prospects
than the present aggregation. While the
so-called experts are figuring on dark
horses to upset calculations in the coming
American League race. 1t would be Wen
for them to give this Washington team
trifie more consideration.
Aleer. Jim Mcclure of the Maps does not
propose to spend much Of his time on the
coaching lines the coming season.
|. The veteran Jim thinks that he can be
of more service TO his team by directing
things from the bench, and he is hopeful
of developing good pair of coachers
Mcguire explains that good coachers, in
his opinion, are not those who make the
most noise. but players who know the
game and can detect an opening when it
presents itself.
1t is claimed that Bender and Ccombs
Of the Athletics are the two best coachers
in the league for the reason that they
never overlook anything. The catchers
have to be very careful about displaying
their signs whenever either of these pitch
ers are on the lines, and 1t is said OF
them that no base runner is ever caught
| mapping on a trick when they are looking
out for him.
In most instances the manager can do
! more with his players on the bench than
when he is on the coaching lines.
After printing lot of transformation
regarding the makeup and prospects of
the Washington team, writer on the ST.
Louis Post Dispatch displays his abso-
lutte ignorance of local base ball condi-
tiors by making the insinuation that local
, patrons of the game are not loyal. Here
is what he says:
Just what this mixture of veterans and
youngsters will accomplish remains to be
seen. Hustling qualities have usually
been unknown in Washington teams.
There's reason for that in the fact that
the Taftvile fans are not the best in the
world TO play TO. One-half the crowds
support the visiting teams
II there ever was city where the fans
| have proved themselves loyal and give
| ball players of the home team every en-
enlargement it is right here in Wash
| ington. Notwithstanding that almost
any other city would have quit the game
had it had no more encoura cement than
have the fans of this city, ball players
are loud in their praise Of their treatment
here. If there is one city which roots
for its team. it is Washington, in which
respect it stands out in strong contrast
to ST. Louis, where nothing but a winner
received support