The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-09-21
SOX Look Very Much
Like Real Ball Team;
Still Have Chance
Make Stronger Impression Every Time They
Apprehension Not to Be Blamed for Loss.
Patten Gives Other Fellows Confidence.
By THOMAS s. RICE.

After the little seance yesterday in
which the White Sox trimmed Washing
ton here by to 1 and % TO 6, the inn
preston becomes stronger that the said
-Sox are a ball team.
Joe Cantillon still thinks the Sox will
get the American League pennant and
afterward the championship of the
world again. and the showing made by
his favorites yesterday makes that dope
seem reasonable Every move of the
Chicasoans on the field and at the bat
Is that of men who thoroughly under
stand not only how TO handle every
chance coming their way, but how to do
il in the most expeditions and concerted
manner. In this respect the Sox force
themselves upon the mind and memory
OF a spectator FAR more than any other
team in the American League, and il is
probably for that reason they drew a
crowd yesterday which filled all the
stands and the rightheld corner. Win
ming or losing, the Sox are worth seeing.
That Walter Johnson, Washington's
pitching phenom. is not regarded as one
of the ordinary brand of spring onions
who soon lose their strength was shown
by the attitude of the Sox in the FIRST
game yesterday. They were dead
leary' Of the kid. and the entire team
was in state of nervous excitement un-
I'll the game was slowed away. Many
youngsters who make a big hit with the
public are considered Jokes BY ball play
ers, and the judgment of those in the
game for a living is better than that OF
the fans but Johnson is not in that
class He is looked upon ~ the men Oh
the other American League clubs not
only as fixture in fast company, but
one of the leading twirlers of the day.
Johnson'5 strong point has been his
wonderful steadiness for a bush Lacquer
and a sOuthpaw at that. He was wilder
yesterday than in any game re has
pitched since leaving Idaho. yet that
wildress in no way affected the score
. Brien's error was primarily respon-
sibIe FOR his close defeat at the hands
of the team which won the world pen
rant.
That Shipke is a better fielder than
O Brien is true, that he is a poorer
batter is a cinch. Whether Shipke's
superior fielding will save more games
than O'Brien's better batting will win
Is problem to keep any mana ger
awake at night and nervous in day
time II was O'Brien's bad throw Of
bail that Shipke would almost certainly
have handled properly that started the
SoX to victory in the first game, but
O'Brien got two of washlngton's scanty
Swats in that same clash.
L
seem to sharpen Silk OLoughlin's eye
sight yesterday, and he was away 20
the bad IN several instances. lie real
lied he was in a bad way and took
more sass from the champs than he
would ordinarily have done. When he
called Robe back in the sixth inning OF
the second game after Robe had made
h hit, claiming the ball had first hit
Robe. Frank Isbell became so excited
he took, off his cap and waved IL at the
Jump. Hhe resulting disclosure created
no small merriment, for the top of Is
bells head has a billiard bail looking
IN the Esau class when it comes TO
SILK let the sox blow or steam until
they all gathered around to yell IL over
with him, when he made pass to nash
his watch, and Fielder Jones chased
his hencbmen to the bench. Jones is
taking no chances on forfeits this fine
spring weather Neither would you,
gentle reader, IL you had slice Of that
championship coin In sight
Throw out that showing made by
Gehring when he jumped in cold in the
second game to relieve Patten. When
any ball team. good or bad. gets going
on a hitting revival like the Sox were
having, then you couldn't stop EN- with
on ak, and Il is doubtful II any pitcher
in the country could have done any
better than Gehring in that seventh
inning.
The gladsome manner in which The
SOx took a running jump at Case Pat
ten In the second game was also worthy
of remark. The champs seemed to feel
in their bones that with Case opposing
them they were going to have a snap.
That's a bad sign for Patten. When a
pitcher Is In so bad that every team
OF confidence ard willing to take
chances on him, his prospects Of win
ming are decreased about one-third. On
the other hand, II the mere mention
OF the twirler Weans a hard fight, as
when the gentlemanly announcer calls
the name OF Johnson. the other fellows
are handicapped from the jump by a
fear Of what may happen. and can sell
dom show the best they have.
The second game turned out to be a
joke. but It was not the fault Of the
Washington team as a whole. The
blame rested on Patten, who is appar-
Cntiy getting worse every time he ap-
pears. The home folk deserve credit
FOR sticking to the job and going riEht
after Walsh without losing heart be-
cause or the three runs the champs
made in the first inninE. 1t was the
proper spirit. and If they had been
encouraged by fairly decent pitching
by their own man the Nationals would
have won in a walk.
Aitizer's supporters had several
chances to give their favorite a hand
yesterday, for Davy was strictly on
the lob in both games. and took a
chance on anything that came along.
Hc pulled in a coupe OF flies back OF
first that were all 10 the good. GanIey
also relieved a critical situation by a
runninE-in catch -on a low liner. but
was of In his headwork on several balls
hit to his territory.
That johnson has baseball brains and
only lacks experience was proved by the
hustling manner in which he backed up
He showed far more enterprise in this