Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-18
NATIONALS HAVE HARD
GAMES THIS WEEK

be the strongest combination in the senior
organization there is every probability
that the champions will not have the
easy sailing to the pennant harbor this
year that they experienced last season.
In the American there is absolutely no
forecssting the champion. The Athletics,
New York. Chicago. Detroit, Cleveland
and ST. Louis all show by their form that
they are within the bounds of reasonable
assertion when they claim fighting
chance for the pennant. Briefly stated.
that is what 1t narrows down to in the
American. "a fighting chance" The club
that flies the flag next year will be oblig
ed to fight to the last game.
The keen competition in the two leagues
TO date is seen by the relative standing of
the clubs this morning. In the National
League there is a difference Of .349 points
between the first and last clubs. while
only .1D points separate the four leading
clubs. Between Chicago. leaders. and
Phillies, runners up there is gap of al
points. so slight margin that few
games would change the positions of the
contestants. In the American League the
margin OF separation between the first and
last clubs is 1853. while the difference in
percentage between the leaders and the
fourth club is only .167. New York tops
the procession with average of 1867. but
the Athletics are stepping right the
heels of the Highlanders and are only D.
he easily overcome by the result of this
weeks games. Chicago leads the second
division. while Detroit. last years cham
pions. graces sixth place. Both teams pos
sess the inherent strength to stand higher
in the race, and each will make a bitter
fight to get in the select company of the
first division. Detroit has been coming at
a rapid pace for the last week. and bids
fair to GUST some of'the preceding clubs
from first division honors.
The batting and fielding averages OF
the Nationals. found in another column,
will be interesting reading to the local
fans. as they cover every game to date.
and are close enough to the real figures
to be official.
BY defeating Harvard and Princeton
last week Amherst earned a forward
place in the fight for the so-called college
base ball champonship-which, by the
way. appears to be in more muddled
condition than usual. In spite of the de-
feat by Amherst, however. the Princeton
they defeated both Cornell and Harvard
last week and have lost only one game
in the last thirteen played. record they
may we'll be proud of. Following Prince
ton ton, the ranking should be- as judged
sylvania. Amherst. Williams. Cornell
Holy Cross. Brown. Annapolis. West
Point. Columbia. Harvard and Dartmouth.
Princeton with Heyniger In the box. is
wellnigh invincible. and if the big pitcher
holds his form to the end of the season
the claim of the Tigers to the champion
ship will not be questioned. The other
players on the team are giving him ex-
cellent support in the field and batting
in timely way. The Tigers have won
fourteen games and lost four. one of the
defeats being at the hands of the Jer-
sey City Eastern League team. Amherst
has won nine games and lost Ave. Of
these the team beat Harvard and Prince
ton. but lost to Pennsylvania and VIII
liams. Mcclure and Brisk are both pitch
ing good ball. Yale met an unexpected
defeat Thursday. when Dartmouth. which
has a poor record won by a score of 3
to .. The Blue beat Pennsylvania Satur-
day. however. thus squarng accounts
with the Quakers for the defeat earlier in
the season. Yale's chief fault is weakness
at the bat. Yale has won ten games and
lost four. one of the defeats being by the
Giants. Pennsylvania has won thirteen
and lost seven. Cornells defeat by Prince
ton. although by narrow margin, will
count against the Ithacans, who have been
unable to play on three successive Satur-
days on account of rain. Cornell has won
six games and lost seven. Harvard. with
almost the same nine as a year ago,
seems unable to check bad losing
streak In spite of much ragged fielding
might have won several games If the
men had shown any ability to bat. Two
hits in two games. one off Brisk of Am
herst and one of Heynger of Princeton.
tell the story. Harvard has won five
games. lost seven and tied one The
team has been beaten in quick succession
by Holy Cross. Williams. Maine. Am
herst and Princeton. Columbia lost
close game to Pennsylvania and another
to Lafayette last week, and Is out of the
race
Many Of the fans sitting along the right
side of the diamond would like to know
why Manager Cantilon addresses Picker
ing as Dan when he is coaching the
latter while at bat. We have always un-
derstood that his first name Is Ollie
and perhaps Dan is of Cantillon's COIN
age. We know why he calls Charley
Street "Gabby." as the brilliant catcher
seldom opens his mouth during a game
what.
Holders of season tickets who are now
required to pass through a turnstile at
National Park will greatly facilitate their
own entrance. we'll as that of all who
are behind them. by having their coupons
at least all ready to be detached by the
gateman. Although the coupons are
void if detached" there is no disposition
on the part of the management to inter-
pref this rule with undue severity and a
ticket holder who hands out coupon and
at the same time shows his book will be
passed with thanks for his time-saving