The Washington times., 1906-07-10

There is a limit 10 all things. ana the
limit oS bad baseball was reached by
the Washington team yesterday after
noon in the eighth inning Of the game
with Detroit. which Washington iosl
by TO 4.
Beyond she shadow of doubt II WIS
the worst exhibition Of the many bdd
ones the Washington club has put up
this wear and emphasized il most
startling manner the need OF a shake-up
in the handling of the team.
With two out. the home team stil one
run 10 the good, and with man on
first and third. Lindsay popped hy
that clearly belonged 20 Heydon' bul
StahI also went after II. They coliided
violently. Heydon was almost knocked
out. Stabl got his hands on the ball bu1
dropped IL. and Mcintyre scored with
the ueing tally.
Something Wrong.
This break settles itself into one of
two propositions. Stahl either told Hey
don that he would take it and thus. as
manager, had the right Of way. and
HevdoD ignored the orders of his chief,
or Stabl did not yell that he intended
tTAluE
i'm his duty as a manager and field cap
tain combined. In either case there was
something fundamentally wrong ana
there was no excuse for the complication
that threw away game and made the
Nationals look like tailenders In the
Playground League.
Coming as II did after the almost cN-
actly parallel case OF last Saturday. It
was more than the fans could bear.
and they cannot be blamed for givins
the home team the hoot in the manner
IN which they did. II was backlot
baseball through and through and H.
lustraIed most glaringly the absolute
lack Of anything approaching team
work among the Nationals. Enough is
enough, but too much Is a plenty. and
when a bull on Saturday which was ba,.
enough 10 make the team ridiculous for
a season is followed by another on Mon
day of almost precisely the same kind
and with the same disa strous effect o.
the score. then they pass from the
realms Of untuward Incidents natural
20 fast and exciting sport 10 the do
main OF sheer incompetencv and lack
Of leadership.
Not Major League Ball
Washington is a major league city,
and the best paying proposition in
either league for @ losing team. but
the team now representing il on the
field is becoming a joke among those
who know what major league ball IS
and the finer points which distinguish
#, OF should distinguish it. from that
furnished by the minor organizations.
The Individual nelding on the part Of
several OF the men at times is very
good, but beyond these occasional star
plays the quality Of baseball fin the
way Of illustrating the highest develop
ment Of the national game is not one
hit better than that to be seen i'm the
Class , leagues, and there are teams
IN tie Glass c minors who use more
real baseball tactics than Washington.
OF the American League.
The season is nearly half over now.
and Washington is not improving. while
every other team IN the American
League is improving in team work and
other fine points. They are beginning
TO strike their stride Teams with new
Uen on them are acquiring that ma
chine-like movement I'm handling plays
which comes from a constant study Of
each man by his fellows on the field.
but instead Of the local club display
ing evidences Of a higher develop
ment from practice and playing to-
gether f. is positively going backward
and IS not as good now as It was IN
the month Of May