The Washington herald., 1908-07-14
81. Loui., 81 wa.hingtOn. \.

- Il
ST. Louis. ~ wAshl lgtOn, 2.
Oh. what fall there was. ny coun-
ltrymeni
After keeping half a game ahead OF
'the hook for four days. tho Nationals
halted yesterday. and with one grab
the prong yanked them back to lthe old
abode ia ths cataoombs, leaving the
lHish1anders to move up into seventh
place.
The 1000 spectators attracted by the
wholesale baseball offering at National
Park saw little to enthuse over, While
The Browns played brilliantly at every
stage and avalled themselves OF all op-
portuntties, the Nationals showed few
flashes OF the form they displayed In the
,siNteen-inning battle with the Sox and
the opening game OF the series with ST.
Louis.
Although charged with only two errors
OF commission. some Of the Nationals
'wous as dead as wet sponge, and In the
race for the punk prize Dave Aitizer won
n romp. IN the fourth inning OF the
second game, when Hoffman had been
caught OF first base and was being run
down. Aitizer hit the runner squarely be-
tween tho shoulders with the ball and
Hoffman walked back TO the bag. But
this was merely forerunner Of the play
he was TO make IN the fifth inning. Stone
led or with a single and when Hartzell
hit clean drive into right Altizer went
back to the bleachers and got death
grip on tho bali Although one Of the
first lessons man receives in baseball Is
10 return a clean hit TO the infeld as
socn as possible, Altizer contented him
self by standing stiu until stone had trot-
ted hah the way TO third. when he let fly
20 Shipke, but Stone had no trouble IN
reaching the station IN safety. while
-Hartzeu sauntered down 20 second. A
moment later both man scored with the
runs necessary 10 win.
Johnson Makes Wrong Play.
The loss Of the first game could also be
charged % an error Of Judgment. as Wal
ter Johnson attempted an almost impossi-
bic play when no tried to throw a runner
out at second on a bunt, instead OF get
ting the man at first. These two runners
later scored. and as the Nationals were
only one behind in this contest, the mis-
play proved as costly as the one AltlzeI
was to make in tho second game
AT tines. In the opening engagement
Walter Johnson pitched good ball. bu
his weakness with men on the bases wa,
responsible for his downfall In N,
fourth inning. with Brown on third. hC
made wild pitch that ellowed a run
and In the seventh made the play to tn,
wrong base. giving both men the oppor
tunity TO score later.
The Browns are considered a hard-hit
ting aggregation, but Johnson let then
down with four scattered hits. and strucl
out eleven, and had no been properly
coached on the bunt on which he mad,
his misplay. he might have come out Z
winner
The Nationals touched Graham up for
seven safe drives, but the sOuthpaw KEEP
his hits widely separated IN all exccp
the sixth inning when tho Nationals pu
a pair OF bingies together and scored
run.
A circus play by George Mcbride wa
the fielding feature Of the first game
while in the second the honors went {,
George stone. In tho sixth inning. witt
man on third. Mcbride came IN on tn
run and, grabbing the ball on the shor
bound shot II home IN time TO flag th
runner. who had started at the crack o
the bat In the third inning Of the sec
ond game, Shipke was robbed Of a tripl
by Stone. who crossed over into lef
center and made q one-hand catch OF
line smash.
Smith Lacks Control.
Charley Smith was on the rubbe
IN the second game. but he ha
as much trouble as man teachin
typewriting at a blind asylum. Will
he was not lift especially hard. Smit
could not control his curves. and CAV
seven bases on balls. Jack Powell start
ed on for St Louis. but lasted only thre
innings, when Howell was sent to IN