Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-16

ster. In fact, he looks more likely than
any of the youngsters picked up this
! spring There is, of course. not much
chance of his winning regular place on
the team, but he may be carried for util-
ity purposes.
| All doubt as to Cunningham eventually
rounding into form has been diSpelled.
For the first time since he reported here
the Nationals second baseman showed in
| his old form yesterday morning. He has
taken off pounds, and he is again agile and
fast on his feet. He is not yet right, but the
| work he has been doing is showing re-
suits. and by the time the season opens
Cunningham should be ready to deliver the
goods. Cunny is hitting the ball hard. but
not getting it safe in the practice games,
! furnishing an occasion for one of the out
flelders to make a sensational catch i'll
| almost every game.
| For the first time this spring Manager
MCAleer sent two of his pitchers the six
inning route yesterday. Gray and Otey
pitched the entire game. and neither
seemed any the worse for his experience,
though it appeared that both let down con-
| Sidera5ly in the final inning. With good
support both pitchers would have shown
| to much better advantage. AS ii was they
did fairly good work, and proved that
they are rounding into good form.
Saturday the first game will be played
with Atlanta. Manager McAleer proposes
to put his strongest team in the field
| against the local team, which will have
more class than anything the locals have
| met this spring.
| Wild Conroy will be of more help to
| the Nationals this season than he has
ever been. The veteran is in superb con-
| dition and he is fielding brilliantly wher-
| ever he is played. He has played short.
third and second this spring and filled the
bill to perfection on all occasions: 1t is
not at all unlikely that Conroy will open
| the season in left field, for he is a better
| fielder than Schaefer and has been show
| ing good form with the stick. At any
rate, Conroy is going to be of much serV-
| ice to the team, for he will fill any in
field position when the occasion arises.
| Hitting is always going to be light on
the Atlanta grounds A yellow bank in
center field, which furnishes the back
ground for the batters. makes it very
| hard to see the ball at the plate. This
is particularly true of the left-handed hit
tiers. and as result none of them is hit
ting as hard as he should. Milan Is
| having considerable trouble seeing the
ball. and Gessler. too. is complaining.
What is more. the infield here is very
soft and the fielders have a hard time
judging bounds of the ball. This is re-
! sponsible for many Of the errors which
| Mcbride is making.
| There is hardly a chance now for Som
| erlot to start the season at first base. II
! he stays away another ten days or two
weeks he will hardly have time to get
| himself in playing condition, and 1t seems
certain that either Henry or Lelivelt will
fill the place. This pair is trying to Guido
each other for McAleer's benefit. The
manager has notified them that 1T is the
one that makes the best showing in these
games who will be given the opportunity
to play first base in the opening game.
Not a day has been missed since the
Nationals went into camp here. This Is
most remarkable for this season of the
year. and yet better results would be OBJ
tanned If the weather were somewhat
warmer. 1t is rather chilly here. and
the players are not getting the sweating
| they should. 1t will most likely warm
up considerably during the closing days
of the teams stay here, and the PLAYERS
| need it. This was the trouble at Nor
| folk last season, to which the teams poor
start in the race was attributed: Ihere
was always a chilly wind blowing. and
| the men never got properly warmed up.
There is no danger of lack Of form if the
| weather eventually warns up. but pres
| ent conditions are not thought the best
to put ball team in good shape
| Ainsmith and Street are throwing to
| bases in their midseason form now. The
! former does not know what a sore arm
| is, and while Gabby's whip was trifie
| stiff for several days, he has worked this
! all out, and 1t is treat to see them whip
| the ball to second. There is no doubt
that McAleer has the greatest pair Of
throwing catchers in the league in this
duo.
To Bunting belongs the credit for yes
! terday's victory over the veterans. 1t was
his three-base hit in the sixth inning
| which drove in the two runs which gave
the Colts the lead. Up to this time the
Vets had an advantage having scored
two runs to the one which the Colts had
dragged home. The Vets first run came
when McBride's single in the second in
ming was forced by Henry, who in turn
scored on Streets screeching triple. They
scored again In the fourth on Lelivelt's
error. he failing to have his foot on the
bag when Conway threw to him. and
singles by Mcbride and Henry. The first
run for the Colts came in the fifth. Raj
ston's error gave Bunting life; then
came hits by Ainsmith and Gray. The
winning runs came in the final round.
and GessIer got a scratch single to GEN.
ter. Swain forced Gesser and Conroy
scored. Conway walked and Bunting
scored both him and Gessler on a ripping
triple to left center. The Vets made a
game effort to pull out in their half. but
came one short. Miller opened with a
hit but in trying to stretch it into a
double was thrown out. Cunningham fol-
lowed with hit and took third when
Schaefer booted the ball Corbin was no