The Washington times., 1922-04-25

O'Rourke is unfortunate to an ex.
treme In having an uncertain throw
ing arm. II he could nave tossed
true to the mark with speed he
would now be playing shortstop for
the Griffmen. His hitting was good
enough in the concluding weeks to
have made him a regular. Ho had a
knack of pounding out his nits when
most needed, q saving grace In many
an ordinary player.
His bad wing bothered C'Rourke
all last year. though he was not in,
clined to whine about 1t. lie is not
of the whining type. He Is, on the
other hand. one Of the best fighting
ball players ever in a major league
uniform. His spirit. whether In vic.
tory or defeat, cannot be bettered.
Gliff likes to talk Of how
IBlaclxie thrust his slender form In
between Babe Roth sn' second
~ base, only to be knocked flying
half way into the outfield. He
likes to tell Of BlaCkie's gaTieness
in staying In the game when suf-
fering from severe spike wounds.
He can't say enough OF BlaCkie's
athletic virtues.
as 81 was greatly disappointed when
O'Rourke failed to throw for US last
year" says President Griffith. Il
phad picked him myself and I felt
he would just fill the bill. He did
IN everything but throwing"
''Frank O'Rourke, lame arm and
all, 10 worth two ordinary players 10
almost any ball club. Just to have
3him on the bench is a tonic. He
never knows when It's quitting time.
He believes in sticking to the end,
and there is no dust on his brains.
He is thinking all the time and he
knows baseball from every angle.
He's worth his salary to Hughey
Duffy, even II he sits on the bench
all summer.
IT had to send him to Boston last
winter. but II Boston asks for
waivers on him, I'll grab him just
TO have him on the bench. He might
be able to put some Of his fighting
spirit In some OF the others who have
mot been showing any too much this
spring"
This lack Of winning spirit at.
tracted some attention in New York
last week. It led Frederick @. Lieb.
president of the Baseball Writer'S
Association. to write a piece in Mis-
column in the Evening Telegram:
We can't say that we think
much Of the spirit Of the Washing
ton team. This club started the
sea son regarded as real prospect,
yet half dozen defeats seem to
have knocked the starch right out
OF them.
When Peck was at the bat in the
ninth all OF the Washington bench
hands we're outside Of their dugout
ready to sprint off the field the mo-
ment Roger was retired. They didn't
Seem to think much Of Rogers abil-
ity to come through.
"The team with a fighting, win
ming spirit would have been tossin z
,bats around and shouting words of
encouragement to Peck. AS a matter
{of fact. Peck did get on. The Wash
1ngton subs then sat down to await
happenings on Brewer. He ground
sed out, when they were able to start
ttheir belated dash.
Had the score been Is TO 2. or
ssomsthing like that, we should not
thave blamed the players, but the
tscore was 1 to 0. Clark Griffith and
sClyde Milan should put a more ag.
tRressive, optimistic spirit into their
,forces
Fred Lieb. Of the New York Eve
ininG Telegram, Is known as ono of
!the most conservative baseball
Iwriters in the country. A less care
iful writer might have torn the hides
!off the Washington players for their
fapparent lack OF the fighting spirit
{during the series ending Sunday. He
3merely chided them.
Few major league teams get any
twhsre when their minds are on the
ssvsning's bridge game. q theatrical
performance to be visited or some