Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-21
fifth Has No Line on Young Pitchers on Account Of Sore Arm
YOUNG PITCHERS DISABLED BY
WRONG TRAINING METHODS
Veterans of Nationals Staff in Grand Shape,
While the "Kiddies" Have
Sore Arms.

I amusement out of base ball than he
From the time that he comes on the
| field until he leaves it ne is the life OF
the squad. and he furnishes most of the
amusement during the evening at Crit
fifth Hall. One of his best stunts is a
mock trial, at which he presides. which
| gives him an opportunity to have a lot
| of fun at the expense OF some of his
| teammates.
| Before the Nationals leave here Crit
fifth will make every effort to come to
some sort of understanding with Eppa
Rixey, the Virginia University twirler.
| There is no question about R1Xey being a
splendid prospect. He has the size. deliv-
| cry and control necessary to make him a
l great pitcher within the next two years,
and he is only in his teens. 1t would be
| too bad if he should slip through the
| National managers fingers. Even
| though he would have to be signed at
| rather fancy figure considering that he
is inexperienced, he would be cheap
| man, nevertheless, for It would cost
nothing to sign him, and the club could
well afford to carry him along until he
| developed. There is no doubt as to
Rixey eventually becoming professional.
He finishes at school this summer and he
| is sure to be gobbled up by some club
! just soon he does. Douglas, the
| shortstop, is another player who should
| be secured, If not for immediate delivery
at least within year or so. for he is
! splendid ball player right now, with but
/ little experience.
| Just how much pitching has to do with
making a ball team a winner was shown
| in the game which Johnson and Cashion
| pitched for the Colts yesterday. The vet
Grams never had look-in, because they
pitching of that kind. But these games
will be continued during the remainder
of the stay here, for with the two star
twirlers on the Colts side it gives the
4 Dec cr1r hntt ir,Sr npt
which they are sure to derive some bene-
fit by the time the season opens.
There is no longer any occasion for the
infielders to aim their throws to first
base. If they anywhere within reach
Jack Flynn. gets them, though frequently
he has to use one hand to do it, Flynn is
tall and rangy and has a remarkable
reach. He is also very fast in covering
ground, and ball which gets through
between him and Cunningham has to be
hit right on the trade mark 1t seems to
be as good as settled that Flynn will start
the season at first base, but Griffith is not
apt to dispose of Spencer until he is thor
Oughly convinced that Flynn can hold
down the job. and that is best proved i'll
the real championship games. where he
will be asked to face nothing but good
pitchers and have fast base runners to
contend with.
The more one sees of Eddie Foster the
more he reminds one of ElberfeId. He
actually stands at the plate exactly like
the Kid. while his every movement is
much like that of the former National.
But Foster is much faster on his feet
than was the Kid. because he has many
years the better of Elberfeld. Foster is
q hard man to pitch to- he crOucheS at
the bat, and even when he stands up
straight he hardly comes up to Cashion's
hip.
If Bill Cunningham does not make good
this year there will be no excuses to
offer, because he is i'm the finest posi-
Bile condition and doing everything that
could be expected of ball player at this
season of the year. He Is so much faster
than he V,-aS last year and looks so much
better at the plate that no one in the
camp doubts. his. ability to stay at sec
ond all season. But the place where this
must be done is during the regular sea-
son, which gives the only correct line |
on ball player.
These practice games, while they are
for blood, all right, do not bring out the
real stuff for the reason that the players
realize that they do not count. Further
more, there is no way OF dividing the two
teams playing a regular game In the
American League, for Griffith is hardly
that we'll supplied with ball players.
The fear that was expressed right after
the Street-knight deal that it might be
difficult to find catcher who could hold
Walter Johnson is being rapidly explod-
ed. Every one of Griffith's catchers han
dies Johnson's delivery with ease, and, in
fact. they prefer to catch him to some of
the other pitchers.
why, Johnson can make US all great
catchers,'' remarked one of them the
other day. He wins most Of his games
and has few men on the bases, SO that all
you have to do is stand back there and
catch the ball, and he is always true. A
pitcher of Johnson's ability naturally
helps a catcher's reputation, for when he
is winning the catcher will naturally get
some credit for it, though he be not in
any way entitled to it, L don't think that
Griffith will have any trouble finding one
of us to catch Walter-in fact, we will
fight for the chance