The Washington herald., 1911-05-21
By WILLIAM PEET.

The Nationals will be home next Sat
| urday afternoon for a lcng stay at the
Florida avenue ball yard.
Home after the worst exhibition on the
road since the days of Joe Cantillon.
Then the fans here can judge for them
selves Just what is the matter.
McAleer was quoted by The Washing
ton Herald's Cleveland representative last
week as follows: "Outside of the fact
that his club was playing a miserable
fielding game, hitting poorly. and the
pitchers off their feed, everything was all
right"
That about sums it up. But take a
look at the records since the boys left
home and then weep Even break at
Chicago, pretty fair. Four straight de-
feats in ST. Louis, Blooie. Blooie! Then
three more trimmings at the hands Of
the Maps, with one game left to play. and
series Of four in Detroit this week.
Two victories against nine defeats on
the road during the present Western
whirl. Wouldn't It make you mad enough
to bite a chunk cut Of the front door
rug?
The foregoing quotation from Manager
Jim just about tells the story. The Ma
! tionals are not playing good baseball.
When they hit harder than the other
fellows rank fielding puts them on the
toboggan. When the club plays air
tight ball, some pitcher bobs up and al
lows three hits. And there you are.
Walter Johnsons illness has. Of course.
put a bad crimp in the Nationals
chances. but at that the other twirlers
teams, which they do not seem able to
do, and unless reversals of form crop
UP soon. a rattle Of tin cans is in order.
1t has been rumored that Manager Jim
Is after several new players. He can
not get them too quickly to suit the
local fans. Anything would be better
than this constant string Of defeats.
After to-day's game in Cleveland the
scene shifts to Detroit Monday or FRI
day will be an off day on account Of the
Sunday game In Cleveland.
1t has been stated that Walter johnson
will be able to work in Detroit. Nc
Aleer says he will start the big fellow
Just as soon as Johnson himself de-
clares he is able to go ina wise move
The Nationals open up for a long stay
at home next Saturday with the Boston
Red Sox as their opponents.
Eddie Ainsmith's injury yesterday
comes at an unfortunate time, as Gabby
Street has not as yet put in an appear
ance and the bulk Of the work must Of
necessity fall upon the shoulders Of
young Henry. Street has had a good lay
off and should be on the job almost any
day, as his split thumb must be nearly
healed up by this time.
A certain high school-teacher in New
ton, Mass, has been clever enough to
introduce batting averages and other
sporting statistics with success in his
work. OF course. the principles Of arith-
metic can be inculcated just as well by
using examples cleaned from the SPORT
ing pages as by sending the boys in
theory to the corner grocer's to buy 3-S
gallons Of molasses at 61z cents a gal
lon. More power to John B. Hebbard,
head OF the arithmetic department of the
Newton Technical High School. who has
succeeded in developing an interest in
mathematics among backward boys. He
has class Of boys who have spent from
seven to nine years in the grammar
school without getting ahead. The new
scheme of stimulating interest has
proved of great assistance.
Ewald Snyder. the former marine play
er of local amateur circles. who was
tried out by Bridgeport. Of the Connec-
ticut League. early this season, has
drifted to the Fall River club. Of the
New England League. and Ii hitting the
ball hard according to the latest reports.
Has Connie Mack drawn prize lemon
In Pitcher Lefty" Russell, who did great
things for the Baltimore Orioles. Of the
Eastern League, last year7 Russell made
his appearance in Washington when the