Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-18

The going of Street comes as a genuine
surprise to Washington base ball patrons,
and yet IL will be remembered that Crit
nth has said on several occasions when
denying that he had deal on for Henry
or Ainsmith that II he made any changes
in his catching staff it would be neither
Of the youngsters who would leave the
team.
Street has been a great favorite here
ever since he Joined the team. The fact
that he was Splendid catcher and
thrower, together with his ability to work
necessarily without ever showing any
signs of firing, appealed to the fans and
Street became their idol. One season he
led tho league in the number of games
caught. and again he distinguished him.
self by being the first man to catch
base ball thrown from the top OF Wash
ington Monument. Street, in fact, was
favorite all over the circuit, and his ac-
QUESTION by the New York club will be
hailed with delight by patrons of the
game there.
Griffith laid the lines for this deal while
made final until this morning. when VOL
verton wired after a conference with
Owner Farrell that everything was all
right Griffith was as pleased as boy
with pair of red-topped boots when he
got word that the deal had gone through.
He figures that 1t will make his ball team
Ever since he let out Elberfeld and
Conroy he has felt that he was taking
long chance. because he did not haves
. another seasoned inf1elder to fall back
on. He is satisfied with Mcbride and
feels that Flynn is sure to make good at
first, but he has his doubts about the
other two positions and has been particu-
larly anxious to get another good, hard
hitting infielder to help out. With knight
in line he feels much relieved. for he
figures that he is capable Of filling one of
the two places and that he ought to get
one good man out Of the bunch of young
inheldcrs he will try out.
Had Griffith considered public opinion
he might have hesitated about making
the deal. but Griff is working for one end
a winning bail tcam-and with this in
view he Is following an outlined policy.
His plan calls for speed. and this as much
as anything else caused him to git rid of
Street, who AS every one knows. was not
fast runner.
What is the use OF combining a teams
speed to one Department. said Grin. II
want catchers who can run and expect
my pitchers to get move on. l have
no doubt that Street Is a great catcher.
but I think that I have benefited the
team by the trade / have made for l do
not hesitate to say that consider knight
a great ball player. And he will do better
here than in New York. His arm could
not stand those cold breeZes on the hill
top grounds. and ii will be strong here
where VIC have hot summers.
las for the catcher who comes with
. Knight ] am not yet at liberty to give
his name, for the reason that the New
York club will have to secure him from
another club In this league. The deal IL
as good as closed. but We don't want to
count our chickens before they are
hatched. He is a youngster. but showed
mp splcndidly last season. and with him,
together with Henry and Ainsmith we
will be we'll supplied with catchers.
If / had retained Street I would not
have worked him as much as Henry and
Ainsmith, unless they both fell down."
volunteered the Nationals boss. There
is but one way to develop a catcher. and
that is to work him. and that is what
intend to do with Henry and Ainsmith
Now. understand. ! am not making
any claims for my team. but l cannot
help but feel that 1 am better fortified
now than we have ever been. Let
Schaefer hit as well as he did last year
and he. Moeiler and Milan Will make a
great outfield. Schaefer. with his speed.
ought 20 be as good a fielder as Gessler.
Then give me Flynn, hard hitter. and
knight. another long driver, on the infield
and We will have a team which Is going
to get runs. There We will have three
fast men to lead OF, and then couple Of
cleanup hitters to follow up. I dare
say that our combination as it looks on
paper begins to resemble a real ball team.
j am not fearful about our pitchers.
think they will hold their own.
There will be few old faces in the Ma
* vvh
opening day. Street, Gessler. Lelivelt, Eli
berfeid and Conroy. who made UP most
of the team many occasions, have
dropped out. At no time since Washing
ton has been i'm the American League has
any manager resorted to such drastic
measures in An effort to build UP a win
ner. He has torn out all but a slight
nucleus and tried to build up with new
faces The move is popular. even though
9 may not bring inmediate success There