The Washington herald., 1911-06-03
Nv WILLIAM PEET.

ball, an OF day for the Detroit prtcnefs'
or iust what was naturally due the
Nationals, but in the pink glow OF a
beautiful twilight yesterday some 5000
fans trooped homeward wondering why
the Washington baseball club was next
to last place in the league standing.
Hughey Jennings champion Detroit
Tigers were put to sleep In the second
game of the series, IA to Z, and local
batting averages went soaring. every
man on the club grabbed one or more
safe hits, with the exception OF George
Mcbride All told, the home folks wal
loped the bail sixteen times for total
of thirty-ore bases-and Bill Cunning
ham got a home run over the center
field fence.
Cunningham's mighty swat will go
down in history The ball sailed high in
the air and cleared the top by at least
six feet Ty Cobb, standing close to the
fence, doffed his cap as he looked sky
ward and whistled "Good-by, little ball.
good-by."
Our Oldest inhabitants, Groundkeeper
ODay and Jim Saffell, the latter In
in charge of the press box, declare that
nobody has ever put the ball in the exact
spot where Cunningham lifted it yes
terday Harry Davis, of the Athletics;
Charley Hickman, and Dan Brouthers are
all credited with circuit swipes TO the
unseen side of the fence, but these
were made before the extra five-foot
height was added to the center sec
ton.
Three Home Run Drives.
"Cunny'' was not the only member of
the club to connect for a homer. Tom
Hughes hit one off Covington in the
fifth and the ball went shrieking over
the left field stands In the eighth. Doc
Gessler pounded one of Mitchelrs shoots
to the clubhouse, tho spheroid bounded
onto the porch, and the NJ. D. ambled
around the bases behind three OF his
comrades.
Tom Hughes was McAleer's pitching
selection, and while the veteran was
touched up freely and was the victim
of some wretched support. he did
pretty good job of it and was never in
distress, as the men behind him simply
slaughtered Detroit's pitchers.
Ty Cobb and Milan furnished the field
ing features. The former came through
with a wonderful catch of Ainsmith in
the seventh. mailing the ball scarcely
an inch off the ground. at the same time
losing mis- balance and turning half
somersault, but holding tight to the pre-
cious spheroid.
Our old friend Doc Gessler gave
sample of his former hitting prowess.
He came to the bat five times, cracked
out four hits, including home run, a
triple. and a pair of singles-and then
they try to tell us that Gessler has lost
his usefulness as a big league player
The Tigers boxmen, with the eXcep-
tion of Tex Covington, were literally mas
sacred. Edgar Willett only lasted two
rounds. Ralph Works had six men face
him in the third, and these six choked
him for two three-baggers and home
run. Covington was then called in and
did a whole lot better When the eighth
opened Jennings decided that as the game
was hopeIessly lost he would give young
southpaw named Mitchell a trial. 1t was
Mr.. Mitchells first appearance in the big
show. Outside of the fact that two sim
giles. a base on balls, and a home run was
made off his delivery, he did very well.
Tigers Draw First Blood.
The Tigers opened the game by pulling
down two runs after Jones and Bush had
been disposed of. Cobb singled. Craw-
ford followed suit, then came wild
throw by Hughes to catch Cobb mapping
at third and a miscue by Cunningham.
Ty and Sam crossing the plate.
The Nationals got these taIlies back In
the other half of the chapter when Milan
and Conroy both led off with hits. On
Lelivelt's out, O'Leary to Delehanty,
Milan sneaked home and Conroy made
good a minute later on Gessler's safe
drive to right.
The Tigers were blanked in their half
of the second, but the Nationals counted
one, and should have had two Cunning
ham singled to center. Henry sacrificed
him up peg, and Eddie Ainsmith clubbed
the ball to the corner Of the field for a
three-bagger, Cunningham scoring. On
Hughes high fly to Davy Jones, Ainsmitt
crossed the plate, but was declared ou,
for leaving third before the ball was
caught.
his was enough for Pitcher Willett
as Works was on the mound when the
Nationals third opened. Milan greeted
Works by smashing a triple to the club
house. Conroy walked. Lelivelt was
safe on Moriarity's tumble, Milan coming
home on the play. Gessler tripled to deer
right, sending in Conroy and Lelivelt
Mcbride walked, and then came Bill
Cunningham's terrific drive over the
center field fence. Gessler and Mcbride
completing the circuit in front of Cunny
Out came Mr.. Works. and Covingtor
took up the burden. Tom Hughes raked
the new pitcher for a safety, but the side
was retired before any more damage re.
suited.
The Tigers got a run in the fourth
when Crawford dumped a two-baggel
into left, took third on Ainsmith's poor
throw to Cunningham to catch Sam nap.
ping, and scored on Delehanty's out
Cunningham to Henry
In the Tigers fifth the crowd nearly
had nervous prostration when two rum
came in, two were on the bases. and San
Crawford up with only one out. Hughe.
relieved the situation by causing tht
mighty Sam to strike out and followed
this up by sending Jim Delehanty bacl
to the bench by the shortest route II
the other half OF this round the onl,
event worthy of note was Tom Hughes
mighty swipe. when he sent the ball ovel
the left field pavilion, the first time sucl
thing has happened.
Cobb Up, with Bases Full.
Another tickiish situation faced tn,
Nationals in Detroit's sixth. whel
Hughes displayed a wild streak. Tw,
were gone, the bases filled, when Ton
forced in q run by passing Bush. T,
Cobb was next up. and everybody trem
bled. but Ty gave Mcbride an eas,
roller, and Jones was forced at secon,
for the third out.
Southpaw Mitchell was In the box wher
the Nationals eighth started. Milan ans
Conroy singled, and Leliveit walked. I'LL
ing the corners. Then came Doc Gessler'
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