The Washington herald., 1908-06-29

While the record OF nineteen defeats
and only eight victories for the Nationals
since leaving here, one month ago,
IS anything but encouraging 10 the
loyal baseball public Of Washington,
a perusal Of the batting and fielding fig
ures develops the fact that the club has
outhit and outhelded It's opponents in
the twenty-seven games since May 2S.
Seldom since the invasion OF this city
by the American League has Wash
ington team had such a narrowing tale
OF defeat follow in its wake. Washing
ton has often been represented by joke
teams that wero never factors in the
race. and were considered little more
than chopping blocks for the other seven.
bur this season the situation Is different
As has been repeatedly set forth, this
years team is the best Washington has
had since Jimmy Manning built the first
American League Park here. and IL Is
simply impossible to explain how a team
so inherently strong defensively, possess
ing the best pitching stan on the circuit
and leading both the Philadelphia Ath-
Ietics and the Chicago White Sox in bat
ting should be In the ruck. having lost
nearly two-thirds Of its championship
games.
Il appears as though there Is no base
ball need in the land Of The Nationals
To the average baseball fan the cry OF
Hard luck Is so hoary and ume-worn
from persistant usage that II does not
appeal For ten or fifteen years the
baseball lovers Of this city have had it
forced on them 50 often that II is no
longer taken as a good excuse. and they
are demanding results
The accompanying figures take all OF
the force out of the CRY tbGt the Ma
tionals are Outclassed. and as II Is pro-
verbal among baseball men that the
element of luck which enters more or
less in every form Of athletic endeavor
must break even in the long run. there
may be a silver lining 10 the dark cloud
of reverses, and the Nationals may be
able 70 reap some harvest from their
superiority In hitting. fielding, and pitch
ing at National Park during the COM
ing month.
OF the g. games played against
the West. the East could win but
l6, while the other 46 went 10 the leaders
Chicago led In the assault against the
East establishing the remarkable record
Of winning l6 games from the East and
losing but l. The White Sox won as
many games as the four Eastern clubs
put together. The figures show that the
American League race is rapidly develop
ing into a lopsided affair. The Eastern
clubs must all be strengthened to make
the race anything like an even contest.
Detroit Jared poorest against the East
because OF its bad showing against Bos-
ton. ST. Louis hangs on with a grim de-
termination. McAleer apparently has the
best team he has had in many years
Summed up, the West is superior 20
the East. st. Louis and Cleveland also
handed the four invading clubs all they
wanted and more. But the Tigers failed
10 grasp their opportunity. II was not
that the East played good ball
Chicago led in winning, with St. Louis
second. Cleveland third. and Detroit last
Boston was the surprise, doing better
than any Of the Eastern clubs. by win
ming seven and losing nine.
No sufficient reason has yet developed
for altering the opinion that the Chicago
White Sox are at present the most likely
looking candidates IN the struggle for
the bunting.
1t was not until they had hung up the
magnificent record Of seventeen victories
in eighteen games that Comiskey's men
slipped up In their going and fell before
the Detroit and Cleveland clubs last week.
and even then good excuse for the
defeats was 70 be found in the crippled
condition OF the team.
Several Of the crews strongest mem
bers were either unable 10 go on the
field at all or were so badly handicapped
by injuries that they could not put I'D
anything like their best game.
That this condition actually existed and
was not merely the wall OF a hard loser
was shown by the action OF the manage
ment in sending a hurry up call for
Frank Isbell. who left the team last year
10 try his hand as a manager at Wichita,
Kans With Isbell back in line and the
crippled regulars again able TO I'll their
regular positions. the Sox may be ex-
pected to soon regain the stride that car
ried them TO the top OF the ladder
One serious development was the differ
ence that arose between the management
and Pitcher Frank Smith, resulting IN
the return Of that clever moundsnan
20 his home. with the announcement that
he would never consent 10 play with the
Sox again
There is no denying the fact that the
Chicago slab staff would be materially
weakened II Smith should remain firm
in his stand, but CCmiskey and Jones
are generals too wise 10 permit an in
cident Of this sort 10 interfere with the
teams pennant chances. and it will not
be surprising IL steps are taken in the
near future that will induce the Pitts
burg boy 10 rejoln the hurling staff.
The only other team in the American
League 10 attract attention during the
week by work out OF the ordinary was
the St Louis Browns. McAieer's men hit
up a lively clip and managed TO fight
their way right up to the top but il is
hard 10 figure the climb as anything bet
ter than a mere fash or one Of those
temporary winning streaks that come 20
every team in the course Of a season.
The Browns may be playing good ball
now, but the majority Of baseball men
IN close touch with the situation are
inclined TO believe that II is rather the
result Of slump on the part Of other
teams
YnIe's COach to Go Abroad.
New Haven Conn June 9Y-Iobn A