The Washington herald., 1907-09-20


UiouaLs had a days rest in preparation
f0r the series with the Chicago White
sOx. which opens this afternoon with a
double-header
Although Philadelphia Is a decided ia
v0rite for the American League pennart
tie Sox are far from a beaten team, and
they arrived here late yesterday after
noon hopeful OF getting the majority OF
tie games from the Nationals. Big Frank
Smith viii be in the box in one OF to-
DAVIS games. while Patterson Will prOba-
bly, work the other. For Washington
Walter johnson VIII perform in the open
ing game. with case Patten pitching the
second.
Fielder Jones did not come here with
the team. He stopped oH at Bolivar y.
y, 10 look over his oil wells, but viii be
here to-day. Lee TaDnehilI is out OF it
for the remainder of the season. He
sp-aiued the ligaments IN his left shoulder
in one Of the games at Detroit and has
returned 10 Chicago TO undergo treat
ment al the hands Of spec. .alist
Yes. we are a good ways from being
beaten" said "Jiggs' Donohue when
asked how he considered the SoX chances
Of landing the flag. 1T has been so long
since We have had our regular teams IN
tact that we have gotten used 20 aeci-
dents. but we are stiu in the ring and
viii give them all a tgsSle before We
admit that we are beaten l hear that
AN of the Eastern clubs are figuring that
they viii put Us out of the running, but
I think we viii be able TO hold our own
during the trip through the East
Just why the Cleveland Maps, with their
star aggregation of players, are fourth in
The American League race and not on top
OF the ladder Is briefly explained as fol-
lows: Too much individual play In
speaking Of the Napoleon of baseball the
Cleveland Plain Dealer says: HE first
started as a catcher, but his terrific bat
ting made him more desirable, so he was
shifted TO the outtield where he made
good from the start Lajoie did such good
work in the New England League that he
soon attracted the attention Of Billy
Nash. who managed the Philadelphia Ma
tioraIs. and he signed him 10 play with
that club He made his first appearance IN
the major league August y, 1896, ana has
been with the majors ever since.
In 1901 he signed with Connie Mack,
who managed the Philadelphia Athletics,
That year he was the leading batSmau
of the country. The next year the Su-
preme Court rendered q decision 10 the
effect thar the option clause OF the Phlla-
dclphia Nationals was effective in the
case of LaiOie, Bill Bernhard, and Fra
zer. so Lajoie and Bernhard signed with
Cleveland. As soon as LajOie came here
the local club turned from tail-ender tc
a team that has had q chance for the
pennaut every year since.
when the two major leagues entered
into a. peace pact, in 1893, Lajoie returned
10 Connie Mack and thus escaped tbt
contempt OF court charge which hung
over him when be Joined the Cleveland
club. IL the spring of 1g05 he became
manager Of the Cleveland club.
-LajOie in spite OF The fact that he ::
q marvellous ball player. is a genial, unas
suming man. Although he has been giveI
The extreme Of praise 10y u hero worship
ing public for twelve years, ne is still In
plain. quiet man he always was. In fact
those who were associated with hin
early in his career as a ball player, as
sert that al the athletic honors whicl
have come To him have tempered hi
disposition. rather than caused him u
hold aIoOf from players and fans
"Laj0ie's fielding is characterized by
grace and ease Of movement possessed
by 10 other ball player.
Larry makes the hard ones look eds,
and pulls of seemingly impossible plays a
though the ball We're coming straight &
him. in the St Louis game last Satur
day he stabbed q nasty gr0under bacl
Of second base and got one Of the fieetes
men in the game recently, vet he mad
the play look so easy that it passed al
most unnoticed.
In batting he stands veil back from
the plate. runs up on the bail. and hits
q vicious blow. His reputation as
'slugger' is such that it is well-nigh i'm
possible for him TO get an extra base hit
except on a sharp line drive, because Qp
posing fclders invariably hug the fenc
when he IS al bat. Larry is one Of tn
greatest place hitters' IN the business
and gets most Of his singles by dumpinj
the ball just over the infeld where b
sees an opening.
Although thirty-twO years Of age. b
IS still in the prime Of life, as the we'll
known specialist often remarked, ant
seems good for great many more year
Of usefulness on the diamond He ha
not taken on weight with age, and is nov
in as good physical condition as he eve
was
Cleveland fans. who have long had a.
opportunity OF seeing this great playe
IN action, appreciate the efforts he Ia
made 10 give the Forest City a winuin
ball club, and their only regret is tha
every year misfortune has given the Nap
a setback just when prospects appeare
the brightest. There is a large elemen
Of luck in Keeping q winning combinatio
together after II is once secured, and tha
luck has always been lacking.
AT the present time the Cleveland cIu
is strong, It has the players. It has tn
inside work and has a capable leader
Clarke Griffith, Joe Canullon, Jim Nc
CURE, and many veterans in baseba
have said unsolicited that Napoleon La
joie has done as much as any leade
could do with the local club, accident.
misfortunes, and sick players consid
cred"
That Connie Mack is leaving no ston
unturned in his endeavor to land the pei
nant is shown by a dispatch from Ne
Orleans, which says:
Charley Fritz. the best southpaw !
the Southern League, who was drafted b
the Philadelphia Athletics from Ne
Orleans, has been ordered TO join tha
club at once by Connie Mack. Manage
Frank yesterday received a wire frol
the Philadelphia mogul asking for Frit
Mr.. Frank, by telephone. found Fritz g