Evening star., 1914-04-08
HOFFECKER IS ONE
OF BEST PITCHERS
Few College HurIers Have
Shown Better Form-HoIds
Lehigh Easily.
GEORGETOWN is DEFEATED
AGAIN. LOSING BY | To6
Holy Cross Takes Its First Game of
the Year From the
Hilltoppers.
BY n. C. BYRD.

The work of Frank Hoffccker the
| Maryland Agricultural College pitcher.
against Lehigh Yesterday stamps him as
one of the best college hurlers in the cast.
i There was never a time that he did not
hold the game well in hand, and even
when Lehigh threatened in the third, with
| men on second and third and none out. he
| tghtened up and caused the best hitters
| on that team to cut big holes in the air
| in their efforts to connect with a splitter,
a good curve and a fast one that was
really fast. Lehigh is reputed to have
one of the strongest hitting teams among
the colleges. and yet it was absolutely
incapable of accomplishing anything
against Hoffecker.
This is Hoffeckcrs last year at NJ 4.
C., as he graduates i'll June. and if he
continues tho way he has started it is
likely that he will establish Il record for
| wins for a college pitcher. He worked
in his first game last Saturday against
Hopkins. winning to ;. and yesterday
came right back with little rest and
pitched even better against Lehigh.
Hoffcc<er will probably pitch pro
fessional ball this year. though it has
not been decided where he will 90.
The Baltimore International Leagu
club and two or three class b teams
have offered him contracts, but there is
not much chance that he Will sign with
either.
Twombley, who plays center field for
Lehigh. has a brother who holds down
left field for the Baltimore club. That
brother was at NJ. y. c. yesterday. and
after the game remarked: That fellow
is there, and don't you forget it lie
referred to Hoffecker
Georgetown lost another game yes
terday. being defeated by Holy Cross
had the same thing to contend with
that it has met before this season. the
opposing team piling up a big lead in
the first inning or two. The work of
the Holy Cross nine was much su-
perior to that of Georgetown with the
bat and in the pitching, which two fac
tors were sufficient to give it the de-
cisive victory. All the more creditable
was the performance of Holy Cross
when it is considered that it was the
first time Sthe Massachusetts nine has
played. When q. team can get out in
its first contest and beat club which
has played several times it is deserv-
ing of a great deal more credit than if
it We're not under that disadvantage.
All three of the local college mines
seem to be in for good trimmings today.
1t is not probable that Catholic Uni
versity and Gallaudet will do anything
other than lose by big margin. while
Georgetown is likely to meet a decisive
club. The fact that Walter Johnson and
Ainsmith will be the battery for Catholic
University may mean that the Brook
landers will make good showing against
the Nationals. It would not be surpris-
ing to see the Nationals fail to score
while johnson is in the box. With him
going right against his teammates it
will not take very good fielding the
part of the men back of him to keep
the game tight. Gallaudet. unless Rass-
mussen proves to be veritable wonder
in the box. is not apt to accomplish
much.
Kelly of Business High is proving him
self the most capable twirler in the
school ranks this spring. By the way he
is going at present he should prove to
be the most clever performer in the
school series. He has been winning his
games with ease. and has been making
fine record. He has pitched alright
ball at all times. and yesterday capped
the climax by banking the Georgetown
Preps, allowing them only three hits.
Central High won practice game yes
terday from the Hartford Athletic Club.
one of the greatest college htters that
ever played ball in Washington, featured
with two clean home runs.
The I.ehigh nine, after the contest at
the Maryland Athletic College yesterday
left Immediately for Cha rlottesville where
it will play the University of Virginia
today.
The victory that NJ. A. G. won over I.e-
high yesterday was. with one exception,
the first time the college has ever defeat
ed team representing one of the larger
universities And that victory was GER
tanly earned and decisive. Ready. the
former Dartmouth pitcher was in the box
for Lehigh and his offerings were hit
very hard And with the decisive cloutng
and the brilliant work of Hoffecker on
the mound the Farmers did BOT have
much trouble getting away with the long
end of the score.
Montgomery, who is performing a first
base for NJ. A. c.. is going to make a
mighty good ball PLAYER. He used to hold
down the job at shortstop for Technical
High, but is showing better than the av-
erage form al first. and is improving with
every days practice.