The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-06

The Nationals have only one pinch hit
ter, and he is George Mcbride, easily
the best fielding shortstop In the Ameri-
can League.
It was McBride's single yesterday
which gave the Nationals two runs, and
which should have won the game against
the Athietics@HIt is safe to say that Nc
Bride has seored more runs and has
been responsible for more local victories
than any other member OF the team this
season, yet he IS not a 900 hitter by any
means.
Last season Joe Cantillon on several
occasions sent another player in to bat
for Mcbride. McAleer does not do things
that way On the few occasions when
AcAleer has substituted batters for his
regular players. the change was brought
about by a shift in pitchers or by re-
quest of one of the men themselves, who
was IN the midst of bad batting slump.
Mcbride will probably never finish
season in the 300 class, but he is just as
valuable 10 the Nationals as Il he was
singing the ball at a $50 clip. George
comes acress with hits when they are
needed, which is more than can be said
Of others on the club.
We were beaten yesterday by our IA
vorite score, to 2 although Walter
Johnson only allowed six hits. and the
box score shows now black marks in the
error column.
The Athletics were mighty lucky 70 get
away with that game, and luck usually
hovers over the team near the top.
D IL. q
grounder In the seventh. Had Walter
made a clean pickup and thrown the
bah 10 Street Hartsell would have been
caught by ST xfeet The same is true
of Plans grounder 10 Schaefer in the
eighth In both cases the runners were
retired az first, but men from third scored
and the momentary juggling by both
Schaefer and Johnson came az critical
stages; those were the only ground balls
they failed to handle in a clean-cut man
ner. Does not luck figure here? You
bet il does, and the Athletics can shake
hands with themselves on winning yes
terday's game.
Take a look at the other side. when
the Nationals had men on bases. Did
the Athletics boot the ball around? Not
on your life.
Mcbride was on third in the fourth
inning when Schaefer hit sizzler at
Collins. who dashed 10 the left and
speared the ball with one hand, making
one Of the most sensational stops ever
soon on the home grounds. Had Collins
juggled the ball, another local run would |
have scored.
Street was on second in the fifth when
Milan smashed a liner 10 right field.
Murphy came in like a race horse and
caught the ball at his shoe tops. Had
it gone by him, Street would have
crossed the plate.
These are samples Of how baseball luck
breaks for the first division teams.
washington heIders juggie a ball at a
critical time and the opposing team
wins. When the Nationals have a chance
TO score enough runs to win. somebody
comes across with a phenomenal catch
or stop.
Many Of the fans have their hammers
out because the home team IS losing ball
games consistently, losing sight Of the
fact that the club under McAleer Is put
game. One-run defeats have been COM
ing thick and fast. and it certainly is
discouraging, but remember that this
cannot last much longer. Things will
break better before long, and the club
VIII be winning more games The team
Is a better balanced one than under the
leadership of Cantillon. and will show a
lot of winning baseball before the final
curtain of 1910 Is rung down.
Be a booster and don't knock
RULE
There is no telling what the Western
clubs will do when they come East. The
series they have played between them
selves have been the most contradictory
things of the year. The ST. Louis Browns.
unless they have improved wonderfully,
have no license 10 beat any clue in the
league, yet they managed to win four out
of six from the Tigers, and have not done
badly against the other outlanders. This
either means that the Tigers have gone
back something awful or that the Browns
have taken some tremendous doses of
ginger. Then, too. the Tigers are noto-
riously strong travellers, BY the time they
reach New York the chances are that
they will be hiking along at their real
speed again. Cleveland does not loom
up as formidably as when the Maps were
here last, but from all accounts the
Browns and White Sox are stronger.
Wen have TO walt until they have played
a few games in the East TO get real
line on them.
Hal Chase goes along pelting the life
out of the ball and is now hitting over
the 300 mark for the Yankees. The cap
tain of the New York team got five hits
In the double-header Monday IN eight
times at the bat The first sacker has
also been hitting the ball in the pinches
or starting batting rally.
The greater the star. the quicker the
fall. seems to be a cardinal principle in
baseball. The good, average player goes
along year after year. sticking to the
same cid pace and holding on TO his Job
by steady, grinding work. The star, how
ever, lives up 70 his name He shines
and flashes out almost in a breath.
There are many who could be named
TO illustrate the example Nealon, the
Pirate first baseman Of three or four
years ago, was one. On the Coast he
Olooneo up IN a Gay almost, and the
crowds went wild over his sensational
playing. Then Pittsburg grabbed him
up at the highest price ever paid for a
minor Lacquer. and he rose to his height
and fell back into mediocrity in the
short space of six months The Pirates
could not get rid of him quickly enough.
layoe c4nnk clandsxd MoLa