Evening star., 1909-06-05
Neutrality-suspicious.
FAVOR CLEVELAND
Nationals Anxious to Get at
Maps, But Rain Keeps
Them Apart.

ANY one who has the impression 'iia'
ball players are glad when II rams on
account Of good loaf should have been
at the clubhouse of the Nationals TINS
morning when old King Sol broke through
the clouds The players were sitting
around in their shirt sleeyes or working
over their bats and gloves, but when the
sun broke out full and strong they all
gave a shout and rushed to the WINDOWS
and doors as IL a circus parade was go
ing by.
.'It certainly looks good to me-, said
Tom Hughes And me, too Clipped in
Bob Unglaub, while all the others said
Amen"
Two DAYS loaf is about one day too
much for the average ball aver. They
will tell you that they like to lay on TOT
a day, but when II goes over that time
they are afraid of slipping back Inc
Nationals looked very good Wednesday
and gave every indication of being BILE
to give the Cleveands the time of their
lives Then came the rain Thursday
and also yesterday, robbins the locals OF
a chance to climb up the ladder. The
PLAYERS have that confident feeling that
BODIES no good for the visitors.
Todays battle Is carded to start
promptly at o'clock, and with the sun
shining Walter Johnson will be on the
rubber for the Nationals. while Addie
JOSS Will more tHdI iIhcly NC ch LAC ~
ing line for the Maps, Manager Lajoe
has given out Sitton as the pitcher. but
this morning admitted that Joss had
good rest and would probably work.
The In and outfields at American
League Park are almost perfectly drained
and the sun was drying up the ground at
q fast rate by noon. Had the sun refused
Cantillon would have burned up a barrel
of gasoline on the base lines. as he was
determined to play today at any cost.
With every one else. he believes the Ma
want to let the opportunity go by to
gather in a game or two.
What a feast of double headers bar
gain seeking fans all over the country
will have this summer! The weather con-
ditions yesterday added seven postponed
games to the already large list of post
ponements in the National and American
leagues. In every part of the country
where the big leagues play. except in New
England, the weather was unfavorable
for base ball.
Tin the only game played in either league
the Detroit Tigers defeated the Boston
Red Sox and thereby frightened their hold
on the lead in the American League pen
nant race. George Mullin pitched for the
Tigers. and ii was his tenth straight vic
tory of the season. He allowed the Red
Sox nine hits. but shut them out.
AS a topic for rainy day discussion the
fans Yesterday took up the meeting OF
the board of directors of the National
League. in session in Cincinnati. 1t was
pionship games. one by Brooklyn and one
by Cincinnati, both against the Pitts
burg club. President Ebbets decided to
appeal from Acting President John Hey
dler's decision on the Brooklyn-Pitts-
burg game of May 15 The claim was
made by Brooklyn that Umpire Klein al
lowed Miller OF the Pirates to take three
bases on a wild throw into the crowd by
Pitcher Harry Mclntire. Miller scored
and that run won the game. Heydler sus-
tanned the umpire.
We fans almost forget at times that
the water which comes from the clouds
Is necessary to our existence. don't we,
when a base ball game is scheduled which
we very much want to see? 1t has often
been a wonder that some way Of over
coming this rainy-day postponement of
base ball games is not found. You can
laugh all you want. but 1t is safe bet
that in the years to come such thing
as the weather will not interfere with
base ball. Did we ever imagine when
We were kids that there would ever
be such speedy convey ance as an auto
mobile? Or did our Observation-Disclosures
ever dream of telephones. wireless teleg-
raphy. steam engines or the numerous
other things that we look upon today
common necessities?
Thousands of dollars have been lost by
major league base ball teams this year,
owing to rain, and many thousands more
will be lost before the 1909 season is his
tory. President Barney Dreyfuss of the
Pittsburg club has purchased a tarpaulin
which he spreads over the playing field
when showers, come just before the
game but even that will not allow
game to be played when IL rains steadily.
But YOU youngsters keep your eyes open
and as sure as base ball continues to be
the national pastime they will devise some
way 10 overcome rainy weather
Charley Smith. the Washington Ma
tionals' twirler. made his debut way
back in 1902. The Cleveland team was
then in desperate need of pitchers. Bill
Bernhardt. Adde Joss and Geno
Wright were all laid up with injuries
and Earl Moore was sick. The Attn
letics were in Cleveland and Rube
Waddell was scheduled to pitch. Be-
fore the game began Fred Catch, the
amateur catcher, went down to the
Cleveland bench and offered to pro-
Rube.
But We want him today. not next
week. said Owner Somers
I'll have him right here in half
minute. said Catch, as he made a rush
into the grandstand. He returned In
just about the prescribed time with
Charley Smith. Ten minutes later
Smith was wearing a Cleveland uni
form and two hours later he walked
OF the field victor over Rube Wad-
dell by the score of ) TO e.
Charley Hickman won the game for
Cleveland with a home run.