Evening star., 1914-11-11
OutfieIder, Formerly With Ma
tionaIs, to Be Given Trial
by Athletics in Spring.
HOLDS EXCELLENT RECORD
WITH TRENTON TRI-STATE
Reduction in Number of Players for
Each Team Would Prove Bene-
fetal. 1t Is Thought,
BY ]. ED GRILLO.


the training season with the Nationals
last spring, is one OF Connie Mack's
outfield recruits Lee was with the
Trenton club OF the Tri-State League
last season and he was by far the best
outfielder in that circuit. According
TO the official avera geS, he took part in
eighty-two games and batted .3e9. He
scored fifty-one runs. MADE lis base
hits, stole twenty-seyen bases, and
had seventeen sacrifice hits
This is quite n good record. though ii
was the opinion OF scouts whom Grif-
fifth sent to look at Lee at Trenton last
summer that he was still too green to
warrant a trial in fast company. Lee
showed himself fairly competent re-
cruit during his stay with the Nation
ais last spring, but he was too mex
perienced TO carry and Griffith gave
him his unconditional release. Mack
drafted him this fall
Clubs which are in need of playing
talent should be materially benefited
if the National League adopts the
American League plan and cuts down
the number of players that q club may
carry. Heretofore the limit was thirty
players up to May Is. after which il
had to lie cut to twenty-five. This
gave clubs u chance to carry lot of
surplus material. Under the proposed
changes clubs which are in need OF
players are sure to pick up some valu
able material when the time comes for
its rivals to cut down to the limit.
The dilatory tactics which the Mack
men employed in their games at home
last season had much to do with their
unpopularity and undoubtedly affected
the attendance. There was not a nine
inning game played by the Mackmen in
less than two hours. and numerous
complaints were registered as result.
Ban johnson took the matter up, but
was unable to bring about any i'm
provement. Now William Weart of the
Evening Telegram sounds the follow
ing warning on these long-drawn- out
5ames:
While Connie Mack is studying out
his problems this winter, here is one to
which he should give considerable at
tention-namely, How to make his
players get through with nine-in-
ming game In reasonable time.
One of the sources of dissatisfaction
which the fans had with the Athletics,
even when. they were on winning
streaks. was the slowness of the play
ers- There were various reasons sug-
gested for this condition of affairs.
PITCHERS were blamed. Catchers were
blamed. 1t was charged that the pitch
erS threw to first base too many times
70 catch runners. 1t was charged that
the catchers wasted time in giving their
signals. Other ideas were advanced
once Ban johnson took up the mat
ter and he invited suggestions from
the fans Ban declared that he was
going to get games played in shorter
time and that the umpires must re-
port to him every time nine-inning
contest went over two hours. One or
der issued was that the u1npires and
players should not retrieve fouls hit
near the stands Boys aud policemen
were to throw these back.
. President johnson frequently tried
during the past season to set the
players of the Athletics and other
clubs to speed up the play To some
extent lie succeeded. but the improve
.ncnt was only noticeable at times.
with a pitcher like Bender on the
mound the Athletics games usually
when q young twirler or Plank was
on the rubber it was ut times very
tiresomc to see the way that gaines
dra gged.
. One of the reforms at Shibe Park
uC xt scasou should be i'll quicker action
Icy the players
George Eurus, the brilliant outfelder
of.the Giauts. sndv be given trial at
third hasc-bx Mcersw. The youngster
appears to be so versatile that this
, hange is not out of the question. He
is making the trip with the All-star
Nationals and is- playing third base
most of the time, show ing SO well that
some of the players have written Nc
Graw of Burns proWess in the position,
and he is thinking seriously of giving
him trial there in the spring.
Hedges of the st. Louis Browns is
said to have deal on for Chief Bender
Of the Athletics. The Browns are will
ing to consider a trade for some play
ers,i Mack is willing to turn over the
Indian. But 1t is not likely that Mack
can use any of the Browns. unless it
be some of the Rickey crack pitchers,
and they are not apt to be under coll
sideration.