Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-22
BY J. ED GRILLO.


team played better ball than the present
Not only are his pitchers working well,
Notwithstanding the fact that they are
not getting as much rest as pitchers usu
ally require but the team Is hitting well
and playing intelligent base ball What is
more the spirit displayed by the MEM
bers of the team is of the right sort. They
appear as much interested in their work
as if they were contenders for the pen
nant instead of hanging onto sixth place
by an eyelaSh.
1t is not unusual for l cam TO become
listless once it finds that --dnds no
chance to be we'll UP in the race, but this,
fortunately has not been the case with
the Nationals To the credit of the
players ii must be said that each and
every one of them mas put forth MS
best efforts at all times and that is about
all that can be eXpeced.
The team has delivered right up to Its
strength and with a few good breaks. II
is yet possible for it to finish at the top
of the second division, for Cleveland,
Chicago and S. Louis have no license Ia
finish in front of, Washington this year.
Bob Groom resents the charges that he
gives more attention to base runners
than to batSmen. and that this hablt is
responsible for his wildness.
Suggestions to put blinkers on me TO
stop me from shying at the bases when
l am pitching are not in. order. SAID ne.
Il have pitched as l do now ever since l
have been in the game, and l don't think
l could change my style. l am not look
ing at the bases when l turn my mead,
as is generally supposed. l do that 10
get everything l have on the ball, and II
has nothing to do with my witness.
ITO hear some of the remarks that are
made one would suppose that l was not
trying my best. But l am, and 1T hurts
me more to get beaten than 1T does any
of the fans. My trouble has ever oeen
my inability to get the ball where l
want it. On days that have control l
do not have any trouble, and the fact
that l am supposed to be watching the
bases does not bother me. But When my
control is poor | am naturally not enec-
tive, and that is where the trouble ne ;,;
If | can correct my control. NOBODY Will
find trouble with the way / pitch.
There have been times in recent years
when the Nationals have not looked very
impressive, but there has never been
period when a local team went through
it's games in so listleSs a fashion as Gid
the Cleveland team in the series here.
There seems to be no concerted action
prevalent at any time on the team. Its
members 90 through the motions. and
that is about all. If Jim McGuire hopes
to make a winner out of the Maps he Will
have lot of rebuilding to do. There is
only nucleus for a ball team In MS
charge now, and it is remarkable that
the team is high up in the race 1t
looks more like tail-end outfit than any
team that has appeared here this season.
Doc Reisling deserves lot OF credit
for the splendid game he pitched yester-
day, principally because he had but a
single days rest since his last appearance
on the slab. and there are decidedly few
pitchers who can come back with SO
little rest Though the score was one
sided at the finish Doc did not have an
easy game to pitch, for the reason that
the visitors had men on the bases every
inning excepting two. and this FORCED
Doc to go at top speed right to the nm
isl. Reisling's stronghold is the judg-
ment he uses in working batsman.
Doc never grooves the ball unless he
has TO- and he works his splitter in with
his fast one very cleverly. To watch
preston that it will only be matter OF
time when the opposing batters will an
nihilate him, but they don't. and he
gets away with most of his games.
The impression got out that Walter
Johnson would pitch yesterday. but when
McAleer was asked about 1t, he said:
Il do not propose to work Johnson out
of turn unless it is absolutely necessary.
If we were fighting for a pennant 1t
would be different. but l don't propose
to work him too much and take chance
running him. The time may come when
We will need Johnson more than we do
undcr existing conditions, and l want
him ready then. Johnson will pitch
Saturday, and never with less than three
days rest during the remainder of the
season unless should find ourselves
in crippled condition and we're forced
to work him..
Much depend on the outcome of the
series with the White Sox To beat them
would mean that the Nationals will leave
expected. make clean sweep which, of
course. is not proba BILE. would put the
locals in fifth place. figuring. of course.
that the Maps will do no better against
the Athletics than they did here.
Aside from its pitchers there Is not
much to tho Chicago outfit Ii is a weak
hitting team. but its pitchers usually
make il possible for it to win If it scores
a run ar two. If the twirlcrs under Nc
Aeer show as good form against Chi
caco as they did against Cleveland there
should be no trouble. On the Nationals
recent trip to Chicago they won three
straight shut outs from the SoX and lost
the final game in thirteen innings. to l,
when it should have been 1-to-0 vic
tory for the Nationals.
In no game that Bob Unglaub has
PLAYED this year has he looked as much
like himself as yesterday. Not only did
he hit hard, but he played splendid