The Washington times., 1908-04-28

Well, well, the Union Leaguers are at
II and right smart of our best people
were on hand yesterday to see them
open the local season IN the new circuit
Washington beat Reading to 4.
First crack out of the box. everybody
wants &C know what everybody else
thinks Of our second-set heroes. The
answers viii be tinged with personal
prejudice which viii tend principally to
draw odious comparisons with the ma
jor leaguers VINO cavort at Seventh and
Florida avenue.
This Is inevitable. and the Unions viii
be lucky IL they live IL down long
enough 10 take a new grip on life and
attract patronage ON their merits ana
the Closeness OF their race, should their
race prove exciting
Much Amateurish Work.
1t must be frankly admitted that COM
pared with the work rot only of the
other seven clubs IN the American
League, but with the Washington tail
enders in that organization. The Unions
were decidedly amateurish yesterday.
Their every move indicated newness,
and this was quickly appreciated by the
crowd o. about $3.50 or 1900 persons Who
took chance on an impending thunder
storm and went to the park, at Florida
avenue and Fifteenth street
On the other hand, the Washington
Unions showed game finishing qualities
and kept plugging away undiscouraged
by their rank errors until the eighth
inning, when they made "a genuine
grandstand play and sIugged out five
runs. This put the fans in an excellent
humor. AMI the rawness in details was
forgotten ia the flush of victory
Two Good Pitchers
Washington showed a good pitcher IN
Murray. who pitched for the Navy
Yard last year After Phalen had been
driven from the box in the third in
ming by two passes. an error Al first.
a triple. and a single that Melted four
runs. Murray went 10 the rescue He
was slightly wild until he struck his
stride, nut soon settled down and al
lowed Reading only two hits in the re-
manning six innings.
Reading likewise showed a good pitch
or in Jones, who Was the goods until
the bumps were punched on him in the
eighth inning. a Ia Falkenberg. He mad
speed and control and was there with
the goods with men on bases He will
pitch i'm better luck I'm that company
than he did yesterday. when four
singles a double, and triple were
grouped on him after one was out IN
the eighth
That rally IN the eighth after the team
| had piddled along IN the other innings
utterly unable TO connect with the hdll
al the proper time. was just the KIND
Of work the average ian likes, and, IN
CidenJally, proved that the Nashingtoi
Z ,raF hoo
against such a clever twirler as Jones
Excuses for Fielders.
OF the fielding little can be said. II
Vas far from finished and there was a
general air Of uncertainty and indie
| cision in making difficult or quick plays.
which nothing but years Of seasoning in
professional baseball Of a high class
? will take away. But great allowance
should be made for the nervousness
natural on an opening day and Tor
the difficult nature of the ground. Won
ders have been accomplished at the park.
but 1t is still shy many things. espe-
ciallv sod The smooth places are like
a billiard table. causing the ball 10
bound fercely and 20 travel much faster
than II would at American League Park.
Even old ma jor leaguers are thrown
of when they strike a bare field and
| 70 is not surprising that the Unions
yesterday were put I'm somewhat Of a
| bad light.
Another drawback was the succession
or whirling dust clouds which blew
across the OGLflcld. and occasionally the
iufield. from the unsOddcd area Of the
I lot where much flling-in was recently
done. once II was necessary TO halt
[ the game two Or three minutes TO give