The Washington herald., 1909-01-25
CAPITAL FANS LOYAL
National Club Never Lacked
Real Support.
THRILLING PLAYS RECALLED
Despite the Fact that WashfngtOn's
Baseball Nine Has Trafied Along
at Foot of Line, Leaders Have
Come Here with Dread-Interest-
ing Stories of spectacuIar, Finishes.

While Washington baseball teams have
In past seasons been conspicuous only
10y the regularity with whSh they have
finished in last place and by the mediocre
brand of ball they have put up-though,
happy TO relate. the prospects for win
;ner this coming year are gOlden-yet the
1aithfulness Of the fans Of this city. their
support Of the Nationals when they were
doomed TO occupy q lowly'position in the
standing Of the clubs. has reflected great
credit upon their loyalty and has been
the talk Of the newspapers in those cities
which would desert outright a club
which had habituaIly nothing better 10
offer than q last-plaCe team.
The Nationals have always been a ter
ror to any club which vas fgining for
the lead in the pennant race, and it
seemed that the club always put Up its
best game against the stronger clubs
Games are numerous, too, in which
the home team has, when II was
apparently beaten, come from behind
with a rush and snatched victory where
such a feat was little dreamed Of by
either the club or the fans VINO were
present
Perhaps one Of the most thrilling vic
tories ever won was early in the season
Of 1915, the year In which the born
leader" ). Garland Stahl. led his team
70 the top OF the heap in a squirt which
set the fans Of the city crazy.
Washington had Just returned home al
the head Of the championship list, and,
the team having been welcomed in ele-
giant style. banquet and al. I.000 Of ths
faithful we're on hand to see the game
the largest crowd ever present 10 wit
ness a ball game IN this city
Wolfe was pitching for the home team.
while Henley was on the mound for the
Athletics, who were Jhe opponents OF the
doughty Nationals
But as has always seemed the case IN
this city. the bigger the crowd the
greater the chance for q defeat for the
locals. and though Washington got on
in the lead. the tribe Of Connie Mack
came back in the next inning. scoring
Two runs. and. as Henley was pitching
good hall. il looked as though he was TO
~ --E nan 70 stop the locals IN their
a55 lr- --= pennant
Vtl inning the Nationals
rl r- .- fireworks. and for time
ze- she spectators nearly crazy with de-
Hr
Erslzn.a ersr-5 o inning -a4
aas lr r. e -a H.r-- L-~le q
sr5- l1 .l.. 5-- ta5 speed vas too great
for he little fellow. and his hands were
torn part by the rushing sphere Cassidy
tried TO sacrifice. but Joe laid down a
perfect bUnt and got 10 first so clean that
Henley didn't throw the ball
Nil then moved Up both runners with
2 neat sacrifice. and 1lr- Knoll lined a
fly into right that was too difficult for
SeybOId. and HUelsman crossed the plate
with the tying ran. Not 10 be lost in
the shuttle, Hittredge drove a beautiful
single into left. and Cassidy was soon
speeding for home.
Wolfe drove g spanking double along
the left field foul line. and Knoll had an
easy time Of It coming home The cheer
ing that greeted this batting rally was the
widest ever heard IN his city. the feat
occurring as IL did when the team
seemed 10 have chance Tor the rag, and
with u,e39 pair OF lungs 90 unite IN the
noise making, the scene was an iEspir-
ing one.
Charley Moran, the Georgetown col
leglan, who used 10 csvoru around the
short field for the Washingtons when the
ball park was located out northeast.
pulled a game out Of the fire on one Oc-
casion in a play that showed him 20 be
Z mighty fast man on ais feet.
Chicago was the team that had 10
suffer. and Al Orth was pitching against
Flaherty- The game had gone runleSs
for ten innings. and the eleventh inning
was almost over. two hands being out
and darkness settling over the park. I'm
pire Haskell announced that he would
can the game after the inning was over.
Moran swung al one Of FIaherty's
shoots with all his might, but one Of
those queer bunts developed, the ball
hardly rolling four feet. in front Of the
plate Moran got 10 first while Flaherty
held the ball, and then, to the surprise
OF the fans present. he kept on to second
The pitcher was so ratified al the piece
Of daring on MOran's part that he threw
the ball wild 70 MagOOn, who vas on
seeend for the White Sox. and the sphere
went out into center field, the runner go
ing 70 third The center fielder for Chi
cago got the ball. and instead Of throw
ing TO home threw the ball 10 Callahan
at third, and Moran proceeded to beat 1t
for home, diving out Of the way Of
Slattery, the S0x catcher. and scoring the
winning run.
Moran was carried Of the field to the
clubhouse on the shoulders of score Of
admirers. Il was a daring bit Of base
running, successfully executed