Evening star., 1912-07-12
BY j. ED GRILLo.

The remarkable improvement which the
Washington team has shown this season
over all its former efforts in pennant
races should be most encouraging to
those clubs who are down in the race
and are working for the future.
What has been accomplished here can
be done elsewhere, though Il must be
admitted that there is not another in
stance recorded in base ball history
where so great a number of players Sc
cured from minor league clubs have made
good on the same team. From a team
which was figured to have its hands full
to keep from being forced into last place
1t has suddenly been changed to one
which has a fighting chance for the PEN
nant. and is now fairly well lodged in
second place. This has been accomplish
ed in a single year, and a nucleus estab-
lished which with an addition or two
may make the team one of the strongest
in the circuit. Most encoura ging, how
ever. is the fact that the players who
have put Washington on the base ball
map are to large extent youngsters
who are not yet seeing their best days
players who are sure to last in fast
company for many years to come, SO
that it should not be a hard task to keep
winner here by adding such material
from time to time as may be necessary.
The experience of the Washington club
demonstrates that the only way a winner
can be built up is by experimenting with
young players. There is little or no
chance for the club which relies on cast
offS from others TO make winner. There
are occasions when a good team can be
helped by picking up player or two who
has failed elsewhere, but the foundation
for a winner must come from young
blood.
The day when good seasoned ball play
ers can be purchased from rival clubs has
long since passed. Nowadays a winning
team means a fortune to the club which
possesses it, and for this reason good ball
players are invaluable.
There wasn't even a losers end to con-
sole Jim Flynn for his battering and de-
feat at the hands Of Jack johnson. Flynn
no doubt had hopes of winning. He was
all confidence before the battle, and the
worst he could figure was "a losers end,
which would help keep the wolf from the
door. But when he stepped into the ring
and saw the almost empty arena 1t must
nave dawned OH him that his only chance
to get anything was TO win. This ne
failed to do, and when II came to setting
up all there was for Flynn was l. second
hand automobile which had belonged to
Curley, and this was not worth enough
to pay his training expenses
Luck seems to have abandoned the
Giants for a time at least. Several OF Nc
Graws best players are out of condition
as the result of injuries, and games are
being lost at a rate that is alarming to
the followers of the team. But glance
at the standing of the teams In the old
league will show that there is no iInlne-
date danger of the Giants losing the
lead. They are still so far ahead that
i; would take a slump of weeks duration
to affect their standing to any great
extent 1t is of course. for the best in
terests of the game to have McGraws
team stumble bit The Giants were
making a runaway race of it and to have
them slip back few games and thus
give Chicago and Pittsburgh look-in
will do much to revive interest in the
pennant race OF the National League.
Give Griffith another hard-hitting out
fielder and there would be little doubt as
to the Nationals position at the end of
the race 4 gardener who could. hit
around the 800 mark would make WON
derful difference in the strength of the
team St,anks is going to be a great bali
player some day. Considering the fact
that this is his first year in fast COM
pany his work has been marvellous and Is
constantly improving. and yet the team
would be better fortified extensively If
there was hitter of more prowess in
left field.