Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-16

never considered. At present the local
newspapers devote columns to the anna
teur leagues every day. and as soon as
any fellow does something. as soon as
any player seems TO he little above the
class and shows what appears to be
enough ability for him to play the pro-
fessional game, 1t is heralded far and
wide through the medium Of the local
press. and managers of professional
| league clubs get the players name. and
they are sports enough to take the chance
of him making good and give him
chance There are many instances in
which it has come to light that local play
ers have been given chance to make
good with professional clubs in this man.
ner, and players themselves should be
duly appreciative of the fact. There would
! be small chance Of the local papers pay
ing a hundred dollars a week for the
news of the amateur circuits were it not
for the fact that it is governed in the
manner that ii is.
In the issue of the Virginia League bat
ting averages during the past week it is
noticed that both Harry Zannelli and
Mick kelliher, two former Washington
amateurs, are hitting well over the three
hundred mark and stand near the head
of the league in almost every department.
Both men are being touted highly by
Virginia League critics, 1t being claimed
by many that kelliher. especially, is of
big league caliber.
Monk Walters stated yesterday that he
had no intention of going to Savannah to
play with that club. Walters was Of
fered a job by the officials of that team
but he very wisely showed no disposition
to leave the position which he now holds
to accept a very uncertain base ball job
at the short end of the season at a hun
dred dollars per month. Walters has a
pretty good position at the Commerce and
Labor Department and has prospects OF
securing a much better one shortly, and
it would not be wise move on his part
to give up such prospects for a position
which he might not be able to hold and
which would last but a month longer.
While whole lot has been said and
written of the amateur ball players who
went away this spring and are spending
their first season in fast company. 1t is
seldom that Buscher, the star finger of
the Cornell Company team last season. is
ever mentioned. The big amateur twirl-
er. who practically won the Capital City
League pennant for the Cornell Company
last year went to Wilmington. in the
| Tri-State League, and there were many
who freely predicted that he would not
be able to make good. The fact regard
| ing him at present Is that he is doing
mighty good work for the Wilmington
| team in the box, and is the leading Twill
| er of that club.
| Buscher has undoubtedly done a lot
| better work this season than was eX
pected, Is he does not pu up very good
appearance in the box, his motion leav-
ing one to believe that he could not pitch
good ball in Sunday school league. Such
Is not true, though. in BuSchers case,
as. while his motion may not be as
| graceful some of the other fingers,
generally he manages to keep the oppos-
ing batters from hitting the ball. and
that is all that is necessary for a man
| to be able to pitch anywhere
| notwithstanding the fact that the Pet
| worth team has been leading the Subur-
ban League during the greater part of
the season, it's hold on first place is not
at all secure at present. and is not likely
to be as long as the Silver Spring team
keeps the pace at which 1t Is going. The
Silver Spring nine is but one game be-
hind the leaders now, having come from
fourth place in the last two weeks, and,
as Manager Cummings has secured
fast bunch Of boys to represent this club,
he is certain to be in the running for
the flag in his circuit until the end Of the
season. The supporters of the Silver
Spring team do not hesitate at all in
declaring that their club is going to fin
ish the race in the lead.
The two leagues which are putting up
the best race among the amateur circuits
now are the Commercial and the Subur-
ban. In each league there are three teams
which are having 1t out nip and tuck for
first place. first one and then the other
being in the lead. In both circuits all
three teams are within one game of first
place In the Commercial League Will
| lard. Walford and Andrews are the three
clubs which are putting up great fight
for the leadership. and in the Suburban
1t is the rejuvenated Parkview team. Pet
worth and Silver Spring
| Dave Nenable, who a few years ago
made a big reputation for himself on the
| local amateur lots. is doing good work
| with the indicator in the District League.
Venable took Shermans place after the
first few weeks. and since he took up
| the work there have been few kicks reg
| istered against his decisions.
! Every Departmental League fan is hop
| ing that matters will take such a turn
as to cause Commerce and Labor and
| Post Office to meet again to decide the
| championship in that circuit Another
| game between the two leaders would
| prove an attractive proposition from the
| standpoint of those who attend the games
| on the White Lot.
| 1t is probable that there will never
| be another Bankers League. From pres
| ent indications this year has sounded the
death knell of the money-ha ndlers' cir
| cult. II is difficult to arrange amateurs
| so that teams can be built up that will
! be championship possibilities against the
veteran organization which the American
Security and TrIEt Company has got
together in the past couple OF years. and
| it is difficult to imagine the other teams
| playing without a chance of coming out
| on top.
! OF course. it might be that the league
! will be reorganiZed without the American
! Security team. but such is not likely to
! be the case when ii is considered that
! that club has been the prime mover in
the organization since it first started.