Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-15

even to enjoy the warm-up. 1t soon found
out that the members of both teams were
full of ginger and things, and let off a little
steam giving the impartial glad hand to
every clever stunt pulled off in the practice
period. But everybody was glad when,
after the megaphonically inclined young
man announced Hughes and Hayden. Ben
DER and Schreck the batteries, the prac-
tcing Nationals were gonged off the field,
the teams lined up, Athletics at the bat,
and President Ban Johnson of the Ameri
can League, who was standing next to
President Moves of the Washington club
SHE'D the orange into the lot.
Rousing Reception for Every One.
After that there was heaps of noise
Every man of the home aggregation got
rousng reception es he filed his place in
the batting list. 1t wasn't any Chautauqua
affair, this glad hand. Fourteen thousand
people can make heap of noise when they
settle down TO it, ana yesterday afternoon
their cut-up day. There wasn't any
chill in the air for anybody.
And throughout the game whenever there
was a chance to turn loose yelp, the
crowd was there with the goods. Schalfy
got line line of homemade thunder, Lave
Cross came in for nice parcel of the
same and everybody on the firing line had
sample. There were no favorites played
on the opening day. Besides. there was
too much good humor on tap
SILK wiggled the indicator during The
performance and was Johnny on the spot
from the 1ump. He had half dozen mighty
close decisions to handle, but 1t didn't worry
him TO speak of. He's the same consistent
performer as of yore, and his familiar
Strike one" and Ball tuh!" were
enough 10 bring tears to the eyes
Altogether II was a great day and the
faithful hit the home trail impressed with
the idea that in the Nationals Washington
has 6. sure-enough ball team a bunch of
horsehide experts who will give n good ac
har rir
OF the hoodoo. and be credit to This little
burg on the Potomac. This is the Way the
game looked from the tower:
Well Played and Exciting.
Notwithstanding the two errors Of the
Nationals and one for the Athletics the
game was well played and of the most ex-
citing sort. All three misplays were on
easy chances, and probably occurred through
oVer-anMety to make quick plays. The In
dian, Bender. clearly outpitched Tom
Hughes, bat the Carlisle boy was certainly
basklng in the smiles of the goddess of luck.
On several occasions the local batters ham
mered the ball for keeps but unfortunately
directly at players or so that the opposing
helders could reach it. Little Nil on two
occasions drove out the ball on line but
The hits resulted In great stops by Brouth-
ers and Murphy, and each time he was the
hrst man up, and good start counts double
in base bat Anderson and Cross were also
sufferers in the same way.
Brilliant plays were as numerous as mos
quitoes IN New Jersey in August and the
spectators were kept almost continuously
on their feet cheering like mad the sensa-
uonal work on both sides. In the third
inning Harry Davis had reached first by
forcing Brouthers. when Murphy drove a
fine single into right. He turned second
as the ball was going into right and speeded
for third. Hickman came in on the ball
got IL on bound and. by beautiful throw
10 Cross, cut off Davis by fully six feet.
In the hfth Davis drove a hot bOunder to
ward left, which Lave Cross gathered in
with one hand and threw the batter out
az first and the ex-Quaker repeated this
drive by Hoffman. Mil and Stahl pulled
off n pretty double play on Davis and
Brouthers in the seventh, when the visitors
appeared sure of scoring. Schafiy iielded
most beautifully throughout the game while
Charley Jones pulled down flies in center
field in his most approved style. Manager
Stahl led his side with the stick. getting two
singles, but the hits of Cross and Heydon
were of the timely sort and drove runs over
the plate.
For the visitors Bender made n great one
hand catch of Andersons line hit through
the box that was assuredy ticketed for
safe territory: Brouthers froze on to line
drive from Mil In the third inning and
Murphy killed off two hard drives, getting
the ball back of second and throwing the
batters out at first
Inning Full of Excitement.
The dyed in the-wool rooters had their
Only chance to get In their work IN the
final inning of the game, and then the ex
element was of the whitehead sort The
score stood 4 to /. and Bender was going
so well that the scoring OF run appeared
10 be among the impossibillties. but the
veteran Cross enlivened things by hitting
safely into center. Then Anderson hit
puzziing roller to Monte Cross, and the
clever shortstop made an ingiorious foozie
and both runners were safe.
This situation made the spectators jump
to their feet and as hope rests eternal in
the base bali fanatics breast, they shouted
like mad as they saw a possible victory
looming up. Stahl made a gallant effort to
get the ball into safe territory, but Murphy,
by a dashing effort, got In its way and
quickly shot IL 10 first In time to retire the
batter. This put Cross and Anderson on
third and second, respectively with only
one out and Jones at the bat. The popular
fielder was fooled by Benders quick down.
shoots. and as a result was called out on