The Washington herald., 1909-06-14
GRIT ALWAYS PAYS
Nine that Never Quits Sure
to Win.
TEAMS PROVE PLUCKY
Riggs Boys Overcome Big Lead Of
Merchants and Mechanics and
Win Hard-fought Contest, while
War Noses Navy Out In Final ses-
sion-Stieker Succeeds in Baseball.

A team that overeomes a lead OF I'VE
runs in two innings and wins out IN the
tenth. after playing an uphill game
throughout, is the kind OF team that
deserves victory. That's what the Riggs
team did in the game with the Merchants
and Mechanics nine, OF the Bankers
League. on the White Lot on Saturday.
These two clubs were both even with a
clean record Of victories won. and both
were confident OF winning. so when the
Merchants got a big lead Of five runs in
the opening session It almost choked all
the ambition In the hearts of the Riggs
rooters. The Riggs team. however. was
made OF sterner stun. and they plugged.
and plugged. until the hole was stopped
up. and then az the proper time they
J plucked victory from defeat. and il tasted
all the better after such hard pull
Another instonce Of the spirit of do
or die" was witnessed in the Navy-War
clash, which was also played on the
White Lot grounds. when the Navy team
took the field with a lead or one run
over War at the ending OF the ninth
inning.
The first two War men were easy-Outs,
and the bat boy for the Sailors was al
ready packing up the bats and the Navy
fans were chuckling over their victory
when-and here comes the rub-a man
got a base on balls. another was safe
on an error-which. by the way, should
have been an easy out-and both men
stole base.
Then comes the timely hitter, about
whom every one had read. and who is
seldom seen when a bingle IS needed. 4
Mr.. Rea by name and with a pretty
! two-base whack over the second station
the little fellow sent the two tallies
! needed 10 win across the counting block.
and, what's more, brought victory 10 his
side.
II was all over so quickly, done so
nicely. that there was hardly q clap
cheer. or a grOan for more than a min
ute. and then players on both teams and
/ spectators broke out into a noisy. excited
thrOng. each setting forth his version OF
the game.
stichtoitiveness is big word. and II
means much TO the amateur athlete; so
much, indeed, that without a DIT OF that
quality in his makeup the athlete will
never succeed
II can be truthfully said. and with pride
in the assertion. that washington ranks
high among tie baseball cities OF the
East, and that the amateur ball seen on
the local diamonds is far IN advance OF
that witnessed IN the majority OF East
ern cities. The fact is, Washington IS
composed of a cosmopolitan population,
the majority OF the men folk being strict
( ly IN the fan class II may be that. with
a losing team in the American League.
Washingtonians have cultivated a longing
for a real ball team. OF II may be some
thing characteristic OF the town ITSELF
but we have real baseball bugs IN Wash
/ iEgton- Look at the local games on the
various sand lots and pay particular al
| tention 10 the size and makeup OF the
crowds in attendance. and then draw your
own conclusions. With eight amateur
! leagues N the city. and all OF them in a
l prosperous condition. we should indeed
/ be satisfied.
/ The league viii cooperate with the citi-
zens Of Bloomingdale and North Ecking-
ton In an all-day celebration on the
Fourth. McDevitt's Field will be used Ior
/ the occasion, and a three-mlle race, two
/ ball games. numerous races for both boys
and girls, and an abundance OF fireworks
| in the evening will serve 10 make II a
glorious attraction. Activities viii begin
/ at 10 a. n. and end when the last match
/ is burned in the evening.
| lie Matt is handling the indicator 10 the
entire satisfaction OF both fans and play
ers. and his decisions are never Ques-
I toned
| Dooley. first baseman for the Bank OF
Washington team, played a star game at
the first corner against the American Ma
tonal Bank recently. He is hitting the
I ball better now than IN the past.
Chick Maddux is hitting the ball at a
tremendous clip for the Parkview team.
which is now leading the pennant race
/ in the Suburban League. In eight
games he has made seventeen hits.
! It seems that old Rainmaker has a
crouch against the local baseballists. as
he certainly has made himself felt OF late,
and has knocked the different league
/ schedules topsy turvey. While the writer
was bemoaning the condition Of the
weather last week some one said: Never
mind; it'H dry up pretty soon and won't