Evening star., 1911-08-14
BY ]. ED GRuIO.

BY the time August rolls around the
Veterans Of the game show their best form.
and 1t is because of their splendid show
ing during the close of the season that
many a club has retained it's old play
ers. only to find them badly slowed up
and out of form during the early stages
Of the next season. The result is a poor
start and low standing by the time the
season is half over and these veterans
begin to play up to the standard. Several
Of the managers Washington has had
have been fooled in this way. In the fall
Of 1908 the Nationals made a great squirt
and. in fact. were playing the best ball
Of any team in the league. So good was
their work that Joe Cantillon, then man
ager Of the team, announced at the close
of the season that he felt justified in
standing pat. Every fan agreed with his
stand, for II the team could start in as
it finished it was sure to be a contender.
But what happened? The next spring the
team seemed weaker than it ever had
before, and the result was q most disas-
trous season. McAleer has benefited by
these lessons, and he does not propose
to be fooled. Realizing that a successful
team must get an early start, he does
not propose to throw away q chance to
have successful aggregation by waiting
on a lot Of old fellows to round into form
next season.
Lack OF condition and failure to thaw
out before August put the Nationals out Of
the running this year. Their work
however, has been phenomenal during
the last month. Could they start as they
seem destined to finish there would prob
ably be no question of their being at the
head OF the second division next year,
but McAleer knows that with his present
1f~xo xto< T. hA
will strive to have a lot of youngsters
filling majority of the positions next
spring.
No batter in either major league, unless
it be Hans Wagner. has been more con-
sistent in the present campaign than
Joe Jackson OF Cleveland. and IL he can
keep up the clip he will stand a grand
chance Of beating Ty Cobb out of the
honor Of leading the American League
In this respect. There might not have
been chance for Jackson but for Cobb
illness, which undoubtedly affected his
playing. Cobb has fallen back consider
ably of late. while Jackson has kept up
the fight for the lead will eventually mar
row itself down between this pair and
1t will be close struggle.
Opinions expressed early in the season
that Jackson was flash in the pan have
been shattered. He has done just as
well in this league almost as he did in
the minors. He Is undoubtedly a great
batter and he threatens to break all
records by leading the league his first
year In fast company.
But talking about batters where is there
another one like Hans Wagner? The vet
eran who has led his league more often
than any player in the history of the
game Is again out in front by a COM
Portable margin, with little danger of be-
ing passed. Last year Hans fell down in
his hitting and. while well up. was beaten
out by several But lack of condition was
given as the cause. This year the big
German got busy early In the spring and
his hitting is better than it has been in
years.
Unlike most ball players, Willie Keeler
goes into retirement well supplied with
this worlds goods. The little fellow, who,
in his day, was beyond question the
most scientific batsman that ever. lived,