Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
ONE GOOD PITCHER
WOULD MAKE TEAM
Should Cashion Come Up to
Expectations There Would
Be Chance for Nationals.
CONTROL USUALLY COMES
AFTER SOME EXPERIENCE
Few Great Pitchers Had Com
mand of Ball at Outset.
Johnson an Exception.
BY j. ED GRILLO.

gregationS OF the American
League. it is essential for the
Nationals success that the pitch
ing be OF the highest order. If
the teams offensive strength is
not improved its chances can
nevertheless be increased by add
ing To its defensive qualifications.
and the most substantial wav of
Going that is to add another high
grade pitcher to the present staff.
The bulk of the burden last
year fell ON the shoulders of John
son and Groom. who performed
brilliantly. and were thus largely
responsible for the excellent
showing the team made. With
out any changes being made in
the lineup Griffith would I'M
doubtcdly be able to have a CON
tender in the next race. but he
must strengthen his fences il he
expects to have any chance of land
ing on top. Yet the addition of
single pitcher to the present
staff or the development of one
OF the youngsters might be suffi-
cient to turn the trick.
Let big Carl Cashion locate the
plate, for instance, and the Ma
tionals' chances will look brighter,
even though no other change is
made Three high-grade pitchers
ON team which hustles, is fast
and plays intelligently are apt to
make a lot OF trouble, even though
Ii is not made up OF lot OF fence
busters
fashion naturally looks like the best
u,,e. All that younSster needed last sea-
"A was control, ana even without that
..,.Inca ZION he won eleven out of seven
zen games, which is anything but
Jur record. There Is no tei1ng how
5uu a pltcner Casnion may be, and il is
,. II all unlikely that he viii show in
- BEST form the coming season y year
,Xie. fence may make whole lot OF
.4iictence in him. and as his only fault
.,ptars 10 be lack of control 1t is con-
--!oeo that this can be acquired, and
-Iten comes To pitcher Owe night
The game has few great pitchers who
,,Ioke INTO the big league with control.
I'd Wa sn. Bill Donovan and even Ma
tncwson were a wild lot when they start
81 on their major league careers. But
ftirsll fol and
cventua ly We're numbered among those
pitchers who are noted for having com
Iiand of the ball.
Walter Johnson was one of the few
great pitchers who came into promi
nencc in possession of control He was
able to get the ball over the very first
DAY he pitched for the Nationals. and it
i on rare occasions that he is wild.
Control seems To have been natural to
Walter, just like his tremendous speed.
The night he reported here to Joe can
tilon in 1897. Cantillon put this question
TO the youngSter.
Johnson, asked Joe. how is YOUR
control?''
Walter studied a while. then answered
in that characteristic drawl: II don't
know. | never had to use any where |
was. And that was likely very true for.
with his speed those bush league batters
did not venture Very near the plate, or
stand close enough To make it necessary
for Johnson TO get the bail over.
y
is a trifie wild, just long as he can
steady down and get the bal. over when
he has 10. But pitcher of his speed is
not reished by the average batter If the
ball shoots by close 10 him occasion
ally. II CaShion acquires control bv next
season he. Is sure to be n sensational per-
former. and. with one more good pitcher
Griffith's OUTFIT will have better chance
than il had last season.
There have been no Developments in the,
Frank chance case during the past week
New } ork folk seem to take ii for grant
cd that the former Cub manager will in
due time come to terms with Owner Far
rell and take charge OF the Highlanders
but IN the meantime all sorts of stories
arc coming out OF the west which tend
10 make il appear that Chance is by no
means certain that he will take the lob
and III he does it will be at "A fabulous
salary.
There is doubt that with Chance IN
New York the American League would
be greatly benefited. for the chances are
that IL would revive interest on part
of the circuit where il had been on the
wane for some years. But. of course
Farrell cannot be expected 10 give away
his ball club for the sake of Securing the
services OF even 50 capable man as
Chance. Chance undoubtedly is entitled
to "A big salary. but there must be a
limit To his demands. ard no one should
realize this more than Chance himself If
he has confidence in ms ability he can
we'll afford to accept far salary and
then figure on the future to fulfil the
dreams he is quoted having as TO the
amount of pay he should receive.
But the chances are that many OF these
interviews and stories which are coming
from the coast are downright fakes and
that Chance VII prove them to be such
before long by meeting Owner Farrell
and signing his contract.
So far as locating a training place for
the Nationals nothing has been done
since Griffith returned from Charlottes-
vile, where he failed to make arrange
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