Evening star., 1911-08-23
BY J. ED GRILLo.

With eleven purchased players on Its
list and a long list of drafts to be SUBJ
mitted. some of which should prove
fruitful, the Washington club will lie
better fortified with material next spring
than it ever has since its advent in the
American League.
All departments of the team have had
additions made to them, barring the
catchers. McAleer evidently feels Sc
cure with Street. Ainsmith and Henry.
and for this reason has made no effort
to secure any young backstops. But he
has an abundance of out and infie,d ma
terial, and with any ordinary break of
luck he should be able to strengthen his
team considerably with this talent.
There is room for two fast outfielders
and need of two more good irrfielders.
II McAleer can find these men out of
the bunch he has purchased and will try
to draft, he will be on a fair way to
finish much higher in the race next sea-
son.
If reports are to be believed, the Ma
tonals are sure to have a better outfield
than ever before. McAleer has five or
six recruits on his list. including Walker.
who has been playing regularly ever
since he Joined the team. AS a fielder
Walker is surely a great improvement
over Lelivelt and in time he may learn
to hit. Moeller is stamped o. X, and
unless the judgment of every base ball
is sure to make good. Then there is
Long, who is Paying remarkable ball
according to the scores from Gadsden
and several other outfelder recruits
Out Of this squad McAleer should be
able to find a couple of outfielders to
help out Milan. who will be an improve
ment over Gessler and Lelivelt.
There will be no restrictions placed on
Bill Cunningham this winter, so far as
ball or any sort of sport which furnishes
exercise. Last winter Cunny wanted TO
play basket ball, but McAleer cautioned
him not to take any chances of being hurt
at that game. The result was that Bill
sat around home all winter swapping
yarns with his town folks. and when re-
porting time came he looked more l. Ike the
fat boy in sideshow than an athlete.
1t took weeks of hard work to get him
self anywhere near playing condition, but
the strenuous work put him out Of form,
which he seems to have recovered only
recently. But II Bill wants to play basket
.ball, spolo or foot ball this winter there
will be no interference from the club.
Anything that will keep his weight down
will be recommended, in fact.
One Of the principal reasons for the
success the American League has at
ta1neQ IS the IdCt tndt the cignl cluDS
always work in unison. No move is ever
made that the league is not consulted.
Ban Johnson's wishes are never ignored.
The Washington club does not differ in
this respect from any Of the others in the
league and yet because it follows the un-
written law to consult the head of the
league in all matters of Importance. the
impression has been created that the
league has a financial interest in the local
club
There is no club in the league inde-
pendent Of it. The club owner who goes
along on his own hook in matters in
which the league has an interest finds
himself 'Hn bad to use slang express
sion. This system Of consulting the head
Of the league so that the interest of the
entire organization can always be pro-
tected has made the American League.
AS its president Johnson insists on being
familiar with the affairs of every one Of
his clubs and not one of them ever en-
ters into any thing important that he is
not first consulted.
There are decidedly few instances on
record where a man who has managed a
hall team has ever quit that pursuit OF
his own accord. AS a rule a manager
stays a manager until his days OF use
fuIness are over, but Jim McAieer is one
of the few who have tired of the work
Nc AIeer wants to give up his managerial
berth to become a club owner. He is am
h;tiouS IN look after the business end of