The Washington herald., 1908-08-24

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Baseball lovers Of this city have never
before witnessed better. more consistent.
cleaner. or saappier ball by a Washing
-on team than Las been put up by the
Nationals since taeir return on August
j. and if the present pace can be main
tas1ed through the remaining weeks Of
The campaign. this years record VIII be
better than any other made by a local
team since The American League invaded
here
The disastrous slump on the first West
ern trip. wGich planted the Nationals sol
IDLY IN last place. is stu fresh in the
minds Of the followers Of the club but
barring that poor showing The work. on
the whole this season has been infinitely
better tlan in past seasons. and taken
man for man. there is no comparison be-
tween the present Nationals and their
predecessors
But The most encouraging feature OF
The game since the team returned has
been the siuge-ly manner in which The
Nationals have gone about their work.
Shouting encoG-aEeu 10 each other.
and showing a spirit that bodss well
Although the Tigers are supposed 20 be
lie GveliesJ team in tie league they have
had nothing on the locals in The games
already played, aad if the spirited play
continues, there is no good reason why
ire good work Of the Nationals should
not continue indefinitely.
While The twirIing STAFF has been weak
ened by The absence of BIZ Burns. the
pitchers who have been working have
been showing grand form. while the team.
taken collectively, has taken q decided
brace in hitting
The Tigers viU play here today and
viii make -leir final appearance al Na-
tonal PARK -o-raorrow- Charley smith
wiI 5e in The box for the Nationals this
afternoon. while Jennings VIII probably
select George LulIn 20 go 10 - rubber
Providing -Eer are willing % enter the
professional ranks. Dutch Heinrich and
JACK Hurley. r7ro players who have earn
ed t7el- la-r-Is ON local amateur 1fa-
u-ouCs- are likely 20 be found under the
wing ~ Connie Mack before long some
tine ago the foxy Philadelphia manager
EeIEested former PLAYER who is at
present a resident II Washington 10 look
over the local field and report .a-v .p7zva-z
Wno looked promising enough for a --ssr
Llis scout has seen both FFafn-f-r and
hur-ey in action. and has been so favor
ably Impressed that he has recomua--5s5
them 70 the Athletics.
some time ago Mack made an off, -.
u Macdonald, the Georgetown a-sr basa-
man oui the player has decided 10 finish
lis college course and refused 10 sigr
The contest for the hating svp-a--so-
of The year In the National I.eaz-e h.
tween John Henry Wa-1er. or -.F7s-s--
or Honus'' Wagner. as the great short
stop Of the PirrsbErg club is fa-us.-,--
called. and Michael Do1Iin. capref- z-5
right. fielder Of the New ,Yo-,x -.s--
equals n intensity the i,-a-ae- 49, ~
Dellg taken IN the outcome Of Tho hs+-7s
'--al IS pe-ng wased for the champion
ships Of the National and Ar7a-t.s,
leagues mus far Wagner leads the
letl-hanced captain df the Giants bv
aoout fourteen points. the percentages
Beng Wagner, 80, DonIin. 81 The
latter, however, has been batting or,f-a
consistently. and there are r7s7v av-
perts who believe he will land ahead Of
the formidable Pittsburge- at the close
Of the season
wagner has made a wonderful record
since he Joined the Piusburz clrb ?,
1-'-o- In ilat yea- he led the Natfo1sl
LeaSle- ana was also the first batsman
N 1873, 1904 1896 and Lg0-. From me -froe
he played his first professional aDrsge-
menI with the Ste1benviIfe. Ohio clUb 3,
$50 ne was regarded as a Formidable
DatsTnan- The following year he ioined
tae Paterson, y j.. club OF the Arranrf-.
League, and remained there until J7,1v
OF -Nsi. when the Louisville management
aoutbid that OF Pittsburg and secured fba
boy from Carnegie Pa Wagner re-
Dained with the Louisville club until the
close OF the season Of 1923. when he became
member Of the Pirtsburgs along with
other Louisville stars when the NarionaI
League was reduced 10 eight clubs. in
his two years and a half with the ken
tucky team Wagner never failed 10 get
behind the 80 mark in batting. nor mas
he fallen below those figures in his eight
and a half years connection with the
Pittsburg team. On July 3 last Wagner
made his hUudredth hit Of the season
DOnlin being the first 10 score that record
On July 3. and Cobb. Of the Detroit team
Of the American League. the second on
July Is
Mike Donlin's reputation as a batsu7zn
since re Joined the National League as
2 member q the St Louis team in 1See
has been OF high order. While being
somewhat fTaCIiOus and not a5nenahIa to
discipline during his career with the Gin
cirna-i club. and al times while with the
Giants his department and PLAYING abII-
1tE have been vastly improved since Man
ager McGraw placed him as field cc1-
nander Of the Polo Grounds team al the
. beginning Of the present season.
Donlin began mis- professional career as
! pitcher Of the team at Los Angeles
ral-. n 1895 He offlciated in nineteen
games and lost only Two As batsman
he was pre-eminenL leading the CaE-
1ornia League that year with an average
OF Al Three years later he started his
career in major league company with the
We Louis team, and remained with that
ated n for TWO seasons, the first year fin
-,s -C2g with a batting average Of 81 and
second year he batted for ~. In
@0e John AfcGraw signed DOnlin 70 play
-asnth his Baltimore team. Of the Amer
fet3n League. Mixes batting being one OF
ne features Of the season. his average
- hing the splendid mark OF 80. The