Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-05

The more one sees Of Alva Williams
work behind the plate, the less occasion
Is there to regret the Street DEAL Will
ltams Is undoubtedly a finished catcher,
and he handles any sort Of a pitcher well.
Griffith Is in such position now that he
cannot make mistake in selecting his
catcher, for nay one Of the three fill the
bill to perfection.
The calling Of balk on Cicotte in the
seventh inning, after he had walked
Schaefer. with two out, seemed to be his
undoing. After that he was hit terrif-
ically hard. Umpire Connolly also had to
call several balls on Akers. who was
charged with not adhering strictly to
the pitching rules in the matter Of raising
his foot from the rubber in the act Of
delivery, though this did not make the
slightest difference in his effectiveness.
When the game was over Akers went to
Connolly and asked him to instruct him
just how he must use his feet in pitch
ing, request with which the umpire
complied.
There is no such thing as quitting about
the Nationals. They seem to do their
best work. in fact when they have a
lead to ovecome. and this fact more
than anything else makes the team look
impressive. The good showing made to
fidence, and nothing helps SO much as
that once it is instilled into a team.
While, Of course, no boast Is intended,
1t is fact that there Is a possibility for
the Nationals to reach first place this
week while battling with Chicago. The
White Sox are just two games ahead of
the Nationals this morning. and they
have a game to play today, while the
Nationals play one Monday in Philadel-
phia. Another setback for the Sox and
would put Grifiith's team within whisper
ing distance Of the lead. OF course. no
one expects US to stay there. but 1t
would be q novel experience to reach the
goal the first months of the season.
Trying to play a field to thwart Kid
Fosters hitting is a dangerous under
taking and iris Speaker probably learned
this to his sorrow yesterday. Foster
gives indications that he is strictly a
right-field hitter. for he usually tries to
poke the ball into that territory. but that
does not mean that he cannot pull 1t
toward left. When he came to bat in the
first inning. Yesterday, Speaker moved
drove the sphere into left center for
three-base hit.
While Dan Moeller may not size UP
with the hard-hitting outfielders in this
league, he Is, nevertheless. proving his
value to the team by his great speed.
throwing and fielding prolivities. Yester-
day he got two infield hits. The first
time up he laid the ball down the third
base line and beat it easily, and the next
time he faced the pitcher he beat slow
grounder to Engel to first.
Cashion's reputation for witness is the
most serious handicap he has to carry.
Opposing players know that he has poor
control and the result is that every man
who faces him waits him out. Balls that
would ordinarily be offered at are allowed
to go by, and the result Is that where
control is good. would get away with the
same kind OF pitching, Cashion can't.
Griffith Is not the man to give up hope.
He still believes that Cashion has the
making Of great pitcher and he will
keep him at 1t.
Cashion struck out three rnen in the
first inning and had another forced at
second. Gardner. however. struck at
wild pitch on the third strike and reached
for strike-out, nevertheless.
Counting Austin Howard. the young in
fielder just secured from Atlanta. Griffith
his pay roll. not counting the veteran
Jack Ryan, who does not figure as a
player since he is not apt to break into
the game. This number will be reduced
and, at least one of the pitchers is to be
sent elsewhere for development.
The next opportunity that presents
itself to try out another young pitcher.
II that condition is not forced on Grif-
fifth, will give local patrons Of the game
a chance to look Joe Engel over. The
former st. Mary's College pitcher Is de-
veloping rapidly and Griffith is anxious
to have q look at him in a regular bali
game. Like Cashion. EngelH control is
trihe doubtful.
"Dixie" walker il slated to work
against the Athletics on Monday in
Philadelphia. Dixie contends that hS
losing streak has been broken and that
from this on he will be figuring in some
victories On what the champions have
shown lately 1t would not be at all sur
prising II Dixie brought home the bacon
Monday.
Even before he had been playing reg
nlarly at third base Larry Gardner was
touted as q coming star In that position.
but in the games he has played against
the Nationals this spring he has not shown
to good advantage Foster. for instance,
has done much superior work in the
position, though it 10 new to him. but
it must be conceded that Gardner Is q
good hitter and = fast man on the
bases.
-Four Of the SIX hits Boston made