The Washington times., 1909-05-13
COMPLETE REVERSAL
IN NATIONALS WORK
A STRANGE PROBLEM
Less Hits Than Their Opponents
Permanent Value Still Uncertain.
By THOMAS S. RICE.

About the only explanation that can
be offered for WashinSton's sudden
reversal in winning from Chicago yes
terday by to is that Fate became
ashamed Of itself and decided to give
the Nationals the long end Of the deal
just Tor appearances sake. Chicago
made eleven hits and two runs, and
Washington~,t ten hits and six runs.
That is the Rreatest about-face per-
formance of the present baseball sea-
son when It is remembered that IN
N-$fse number of games Washington has
outbatted it's opponents without accu-
mulating a corresponding quantity Of
taliies. 1t vas simply a case yesterday
of the hits coming at the right time,
and Chicago making errors that were
costly. Hitherto IL has been the GUS
tom for the other fellows to make
errors that did no harm and to get
timely taps with men on bases. You
can't figure baseball. no matter how
hard you try.
Come to that Marathon meeting a.
The Times office this afternoon at )
O'Clock. Tom Burke's talks are always
worth hearing
George Brownies feat of making two
singles and double In his first game in
the American League met with the ap-
provai of our very best grouches-
Whether Cantillon let him bat as he
pleased or gave him instructions, he
swatted to please the fans. But, with
out in the least desiring to discredit
such a praiseworthv initiation. we will
have To suspend jnGgment on Brownies
perman ent value to the club until after
he has been against the whole league.
1t is not unusual for a mere youngster
breaking in to play hob with the pitchers
until he is sized UP, anu then begin to
sink to a low plane. Washington fans
have had that truth brought to sheir
minds most forcibly by Altizer and
Milan. When they first Joined Washing
ton they hit so well the public thought
the scorers were Joking. Then came the
off and was sold to Cleveland with
Falkenberf. Milan is hanging on the
ragged edge of return to the minors,
although he is one of the most brilliant
felders in the business. However. as
the high school teachers insist upon
their pupils writing. and copy readers
insist upon cutting out, if Browne plays
out the whole string around the cir
the money spent for him will have been
well invested.
Make loud laughlngs when you read
that Young Corbett has a chance to
come back as a full fiedged lightweight.
1t is cheering sign to see that
Jim Delehanty is smacking the ball
again. Delehanty is a natural slug
ger, and there was no apparent rea-
son why he should not fare well this
season His experience in Japan
hardly had anything TO do with it
He was simply assaulted by Kid
Slump and is just beginning to re-
cover. That he would remain among
the disappOintmencs was not to be
expected, any more than that UngIaub
will continue Indefinitely on the
bench because of his weak polling. If
Delehanty does not come back IL viii
be the biggest surprise of the base
ball season, and we are not getting
ready for that surprise. Both he and
Unglaub Will do better than they
have shown so far, and Delehanty.
judging from recent work, is even
now on the road to recovery.