The Washington times., 1911-06-25

The best Washington baseball story
of the year!
This was the almost unanimous Opin-
ion of the fandom of this city in regard
10 the candid and serious discussion Of
the Washington baseball club which
appeared in yesterdays Times. and in
which the assertion was made that the
present outfit will not do, and a change
in tactics is demanded.
Hardly had the noon edition left the
press before the article was the talk
of those who patronize the games at
Natiohal Park, and today's mail brought
an endless array of letters. expressing
appreciation of the stand taken by this
paper on the matter of insisting upua
changes in the team.
SO numerous were the letters Jhat ii
was decided to start tomorrow and
print all reasonable suggestions for the
betterment of the Nationals, so if you
have any original ideas let them come.
Sample of the Letters.
The following is sample Of the let
tiers this mornings mail brought:
To the Editor Of THE TIMES:
Nothing that has been printed in The
Times sporting pages in q long time has
given me as much satisfaction. as Mr..
Kirbys criticism of the Washington
baseball team in Saturdays paper. If
this work is kept up for awhile and
couple of the other Washington papers
Join in, changes will be noted in the
team that is now the joke of major
league baseball, The only fault 1 have
to find with the criticism is that it
doesn't go far enough.
Look over the scores and stories of
the last dozen or so games lost, and
see who lost them. Mcbride is the re-
sponsiblc player. His errors have lost
more games this season than those of
any other two players on the team.
Why, then. continue 10 call him one of
. the best fielding ShOrtStOpS in the
league? Knight Outshines him: so does
Wagner; while Ownie Bush makes Mac
look like class ID player. Mcbride has
nothing much on Olson; about the only
ShOrtstOp in the league who isn't his
superior as a fast, aggressive fielder
and sure thrower is poor old Bobby
Wallace. Schaefer saves Mac many an
error, too-dont overlook that Germany
Is playing first base in fashion that is
marvellous for a man with so little hair
on his head, and with so short an eX-
perienCe in the position. Eiberfeld is
about as good a third haEenan as a
good team needs, bar his tendency to
get hurt-and the age that is getting
on him.
Wild Conroy "All In"
Conroy will not do. even as sub.
He can not field. throw, hit, or run.
Wild has been "a good Odd wagon, but
he's done broke down
Otey-what's become of him? Sherry
what encouragement is there for a
young pitcher to try, with such an
aggre egation behind him? That brings
US down to Walker, who can pitch
ball when he wants to-and when he
C1ltC kinds fnOllShnpSSI
and "smartness" with which he is af-
flicted-and JOhnon, who will win
VerY few games this season.
The reason why he will not win is
TO be found in the attitude of the
other players. Last year Johnson
was, perhaps. the most popular mem
ber of the team. This year he dOeSn t
seem to have a friend on it. John
sons stand last spring, whereby he
landed a contract very much better
than any other player on the team.
and a few indiScreet remarks by the
Idaho lad-probably made merely in
fun, but taken seriously-have put
him in bad.
Will Not Support Him.
His teammates, notably Mcbride.
Street, and Schaefer, simply will
not support him. AS far as win
ming games is concerned, he might
as well as possesses no more class than
Groom. ne can 90 II ali nlIilStll.
Cunningham would field better and hit
better with a better hitting and better
fielding team. LeliVelt has no think
works-a deficiency that can't be sup
piled Gessler once in while pulls off a
fielding stunt that is swell: the rest of
the time he is distinctly mediocre. Milan
is class, but he can't play his field and
Gessler's, too.
Rap for McAleer.
As for Manager McAleer, did any,
one hear of any particularly brilliant
stunt he ever pulled off as a manager,
except the one whereby he is supposed
TO have secured a three years contract
at a nice, fat salary? So far as my
recollection runs, Mr.. McAleer has al
WAYS been identified with losers or
hopeless second division teams. He
certainly lacks ambition. initiative. and
general huStle-all Of these being neces-
Sary qualities if a good baseball team
is to be built up.
Let's stop making excuses; every pos
sibIe excuse has been worn threadbare.
Let's stop talking about the scarcity
of good material; every other manager
in both leagues finds plenty of players.
Let's also remember the Scrappy days
of Joe Cantillon, who took the Wash
iEgton team out of last place, handed 1t
over TO McAleer out Of last place-back
into which only the grace of Provi-
dence and the natural rottenness of
St Louis keeps ii from falling Maybe
a little more -serappiness in the present
management wouldn't do any harm:
z. S. H.