Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-01
YOUNG PITCHERS
HAVE DONE WELL
Continued from First Pase)

squad. halls from New Jersey. where he
played semi-professional ball. and though
he was successful against some good
teams. has had no experience with
leaguers. and 1t is impossible to tell what
he can do with the sluggers Of the Amer
lean League. Manager Grimth has Sc
lecfed most Of the new ones wholly from
their appearance on the field and not es-
pecially from past performances
Bentley is another example Of this
method. coming from Sandy spring.
were he played only amateur ball and.
although he looks good. there Is nothing
on which to determine his ability. Still
other cases are those Of Schwartz and
Mumford. The former was taken out Of
professional bah In Brooklyn. from
where he came well recommended by de-
pendable authority. while the local boy
worked in one Of the amateur leagues Of
Washington, pitching for the Government
Asylum team.
Williams is the one entire stranger that
came out Of organized hail. He played
with the Helena team Of the Northwest
ern League and won good majority Of
his games. so that experience gives him a
little prestige over his young teammates
The peculiar feature of this method OF
selecting his material is that Manager
Griffith generally hits the ones that turn
out we'll. Walter johnson was picked
up from a town that was never heard OF
DeIOre ne JOlneQ the W8Salu8taues ana
now he has turned out to be the premier
slab artist in the country.
Joe Boehlfng was taken OF the sand lots
Of Richmond and comes across with a
record Of eleven straight against the best
teams in the league his first year in fast
company. Last, but not least, Joe Engel,
the WASHINGTON lad. Although Joe has
broken no worlds records. he had q COED
average last year for a starter and will
undoubtedly do better this year with some
experience to make him settle down and
one or two fair breaks. There would not
be much chance of Joe going to the mir
nors II he were offered for sale.
There are two big ADVANTAGES in Crit
fith's system besides any personal ones
he may keep to himself. In the first
place, pitcher who has gone along in
one Of the stronger minor leagues and
made a good enough record to draw at
tention. must be drafted. and then there
Is a lot of competition among the differ
ent managers to secure his services. The
second advantage, and not by any means
less important. is that In securing play
ers from the minor leagues. large prices
gotten many a one for little or nothing.
Yet another feature not to be overlooked
Is that when player comes from or
ganized ball with a big reputation. very
often he thinks he is a lot better than
he really is. and will not realize that he
has to work to keep up the same as the
other players On the other hand. the
average man taken from the sand lots
Is willing to do anything he is told, ts
easy to handle In all ways and does not
think he knows as much as the veterans
| who are in charge. On the whole.
considering the success he has had, II
would not be bad idea for some Of the
other managers to follow the system
used by the manager Of the Nationals.
Altrock Is Not Tall.
Nick Altrock is the only member of
the squad that Is under six feet in
height, and Joe Engel is the iightest of
| them all. tipping the scales at Ill
pounds in his birthday suit. 1t would
be hard to find a better appearing bunch
| of athletes in the same camp at one time
in any place.
Two of the youngsters, Bentley and
Harper. are southpaws, while all the rest
| are right-handers.
In talking over the events at the camp
| last year Nick told of good one that
the college boys in the first game Of the
season. The score was 4 to 3 in the
| last half of the ninth, and the collegians
| were at the bat. Joe Boehling was in
the box and two men were down with
man on second and third. Just as Joe
| wound up to pitch to the last batter
Schaefer, who was playing shortstop
called over to Nick on first and said
| mick, if it comes my way I am going
| to hook 1t to you" Nick got his message
all right, and, sure enough, on the next
pitched ball the batter drove a hot one
on the ground straight at Schaefer. Ger.
many picked it up in good style and
took his time to make the throw. The
ball started as though it were going into
the bleachers half way between the home
plate and first base, when suddenly II
| took a sudden twist and curved right
| into Nick's mitt In the meantime. the
coacher on first base thought the throw
| was wild, and, jumping In the air.
yelled for his teammate to go all the
| way around the bases. After the play
| was over Nick looked around at him
and smiled, but the lad couldn't see the
Joke and walked off the field.
| Tomorrow is rest day for the boys, and
| 1t will not come unwelcomed, as they will
have to get down to real work Monday.