Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-03
BOSTON AND
ITS TALE OF WOE
How the Team Has Been Handi-
capped and What is Being
Done for Relief.
BY ]. C. MORSE.

BOSTON. June 2-Everything worked
badly for the locals this year. Things went
bad last season. They went worse this
Last season the locals lost six games be-
fore they won one. This season the club
succeeded in landing a double header on
the local holiday, April 10, but few thought
those victories would be the last the club
would gain on the home ground until May
25 and that nineteen defeats would be
chalked down in succession and that every
club in the American league would have a
hand in those defeats before the tide turn
ed. Yet SO it panned out Washington
opened gloriously last season and afterward
went down the ladder. The same thing
happened again this season. Doubtless the
loss of poor Joe Cassidy had lots to do
In handicapping the Washingtons this year.
and then MIL who took his place, was
hurt and had to get out of the game
Washington too had a deal of the same
kind of luck that Boston had In a fair
way to land the game and then go to the
bad. Surely Washington played great ball
ia the first series In this city and club
must have something in 1t to make so
good record as did this team of Jake
StahIs. Funny how the game will so.
There is no telling anything about It. Ihere
is no telling where the lightning Will strike
The way it struck here made a lot Of pocket
books look deuced queer. 1t Is an open
secret that betting goes on here and 1t goes
on big. AS well stop the games as stop
the betting In this city. Only you DO not
see any money change hands. All Is done
by signs and signals and the money changes
hands after 1t is all over and the plain
clothes men move out of the way. Puts
burg too is a big betting city. put Boston
has that burg skinned miles, and this was
shown in the series for the worlds cham
pionship in 1908 when the Boston betting
men bet the other chaps TO standstHI
and that with Pittsburg a winner In three
out of the first four games ana the next
two games to be played In PlttSDurS- Bos-
ton won the series, 1t will be remembered,
and got the money
Well in the games this year Boston was
backed again and again until all confidence
was lost and even then many would double,
hoping that the locals would fnaiiy WIN d
game. Well when the cluD ola win ABOUT
everybody had been badly drained. l know
of one man who confessed to losses of
SO 900 during that strenuous time, and to
show thes other side another man said he
made enough in the first week OF the de-
feats to keep him going during the whole
summer This chap said after the start
Gown hill was made that he intended to
back the other side until Boston did land
game and when that point was reached
he could easily stand the racket.
Will ever such a record of defeats be seen
again? It scarcely seems so. NO city wouid
have stood the gan as did Boston. The
crowds kept coming day after day, the
gatherings numbering fully 4,500 day and
the club easily outdrew some that wee
doing far better work In the held. me
answer Is not difficult The people here
are educated up 10 base ball. They like
the game Immensely and they patronfze
the sport under any and all circumstances
They stand by the club well at that, but
Toston has always had splendid reputa-
tfon for fairness as any ball player VIII
attest who has played here. In no city is
a visiting player more enthusiastically
treated after he has made good play or
made great hit.
OF course excuses have been many Tor
the showing OF the club. The best answer
is that there has been a slump pure ana
simple. The pitchers have not been In form
at ali Accidents have been many ferris
had a had leg. and has ii now. owing 10
his failure to look out for II. During the
practice season he should have laid on, but
he did not This ought to be a lesson 10
Manager Collins TO compel player to iay
off ii he has anything the matter with him,
ss had Ferris, and take no chances OF
nan being way OFF, as has been that player
over since the opening of the championship
campaign Boston had a trainer, 1t Is true
but what Is the use Of having such man II
hf. Is not TO be given the charge of the
PLAYERS and II his word Is not to be law In
all matters that concern them? Any other
course is simply iudicrous. Then Manager
Collins himself got a bad knee and was
actually incapacitated from playing, but he