The Washington times., 1911-04-24
SOUTHPAW OTEY TO
START THE SERIES
AGAINST ATHLETICS
"Steamboat Bill" Chosen to
Twirl First Game In
Slowtown.
YOUNG PITCHER
IN GOOD SHAPE
"He Looks AS Good AS Any Pitcher
In the Business" Explains
McAleer.
BY "SENATOR."

NEW YORK, April A.-"Steamboat
Bill Otey, the Virginia League hurler,
who did so well on the hill in Wash
ington against the Yanks, has been
selected by Jimmy McAleer to twirl the
opening game tomorrow against Connie
Macks White elephants, and the big
southpaw is as happy as a boy with a
new rocking horse at the honor ac-
corded him.
'Hooray," shouted Otey when in
formed that he was to pitch, 1.-THE
Crazy Cat is going in against the
worlds champions. Wen see a few
things when / get down to work. ]
feel that I'm going to have a good sea-
son and l may as well start in against
the champions as against any other
team"
Manager McAleer seems to have con-
siderable confidence in the ability of
the long-legged southpaw. He says
that Otey needs plenty of work If he
would overcome his tendency to mount
up into the skies like lark.
Otey in Good Shape.
'Otey is in good condition." said Nc
Aleer today, and l think he's good
enough to tie a knot in the elephants s
trunk l have watched the boy warm
ing up day after day, and he looks-as
good as any pitcher in the business. 1
don't believe in saving youngsters for
teams supposed to be easy. II a young
pitcher has anything he can show It
Is just as well against the champions
as against the taiIender. Come to think
of it, in this case the Athletics are
both at the same time champions and
tailenders.
If Otey continues to make good,
he'll take his turn in the box against
all comers. Two southpaws are not
too many when you think of all those
teams with four and five left-hand hit
ters in their lineup"
If Otey makes good the Nationals will
have dependable pitching staff.
or course, Walter johnson will be
the main strength of the club on the
hill. But Tom Hughes should be
consistent performer during the warm
weather. Then, there are Groom, Dolly
Gray. Dixie Walker. and Bill Otey.
rms makes four right-handers and two
toned working STAFF of slab artists
Jimmy McAleer says little, but he is
slowly building up the team. He is
looking ahead, and in a couple of years
more the Nationals will be up there at
the close of the season fighting tooth
and nail for the gonfalon.
McAleer means to make his Washing
ton career successful, and the only way
&c do that is to make the team a
winner.
The final day of the Nationals stav
in the big town dawned clear and cool
a little too cool for baseball However
Jimmy McAleer was overjoyed to catch
a glimpse of the sun once more, and he
voted the day excellent for the national
pastime.
Manager McAleer's Hopes.
''If we can only play these games now
while we are going right we'll hold our
own for some time at the top of the pro-
cession," said McAleer today. We've
lost out on four days already. 1t hurts
us more than the other fellows, because
we're in better condition. Still, the sea-
son is long. and we may do better than
expected. We are working hard enough
to land the flag anyway"
The Nationals leave for Philadelphia at
9 o'clock tonight, and tomorrow oOen a
four-game series with the Champions.
Every lad on the team is confident Of
bagging three out of four in Philadel-
phia, but Manager McAleer will be con-
tent with an even break.
Friday night the Nationals make the
long jump to Boston, opening another
series of four games Saturday. If the
weather jinX allows the team to play
every day. every lad on it will thank
him fervently, for they are confident of
victory.