Evening star., 1911-08-29
Special Dispatch to The Star.


CLEVELAND. Ohio, August 29.-'rf we
only had the present season to play over
again." sighed a member of the Washing
ton Nationals Tuesday morning. land II
we could play at the same clip that we
have maintained since July % we would
be in tie pennant race right up to the
roots of cur hair
Never did a ball player give utterance
to more truthful words. Since July %
the Nationals have taken part in thirty
two shows and they have finished on the
long end Of the score twenty times.
That's a .S25 clip, and that sort of a per-
centage would make tie Nationals rum
ners-up to the Athletics instead of the
Detroit Tigers.
same article of ball all season IL We had
had our team strength intact" chimed in
another Washington player. Charley
Street was the general who was expected
TO pilot us TO any number of victories, and
he was out of the running for half the
season. Then, too. Walter johnson, our
star pitcher, was not himself for a long
time, The illness he contracted early in
the season sapped his strength and he
could not do himself justice: With john
son in condition and Street in shape to
fandle his offerings we would have woa
any number of games that went to the
OtneT teams Dy narrow margins.
The Nationals dizzy clip since July %
has been one Of the sensations of the
present base hall campaign. Not only
have McAleer's boys won twenty of their
last thirty-two games. but they gave the
other teams a hard fight in practically
every one of the dozen shows in which
they finished en- the short end of the
count.
In a little over a month tie Nationals
have gained scventy-six points in per-
Prior their great winning
streak they were rated at .341. with thirty
victories and fifty-eight defeats At the
present time they own All mark, with
nifty victories and seventy defeats.
to improve their average before the cur
tain Is lowered on the American League
stage in October. Tley have long
string of games at home. and inasmuch
as they play a splendid article of ball on
their home lot. Manager McAleer is con-
fident that they will climb close to the
.l60 mark before taps are sounded
Manager McAleer does not take very
kindly to the shabby way in which the
Maps Lave been treating the Nationals this
season, and plans to put stop to the
locals rapidly increasing number OF vic
tories over the boys from Washington
by sending the peerless finger. Walter
Johnson against them today. The Maps
have walfoped the Nationals in eleven OF
seventeen shows, something unheard OF
IN TIC past i've CI SIN years III Inc <AIhSAA-
can League. Manager Stovall has a
hunch they will win three Of the remain
ing FIVE games still to be played with
Washington. but McAleer takes issue
just about tie up the count on the years
play. He figures that Johnson and
Hughes will win four games and will put
Il u3 to Groom to win the fifth. Johnson
Is in the best condition he has been IN
oil season. He has won seven games IN
q row and figures on rounding out the
season with out another defeat. His
teammates insist that the speed king has
regained his old strength and look for
him To make a cleanup in most os his
games from now en-.
Had the Maps played the same article
Of ball against the Washington club In 1908
that they have this year Trey would have
won the pennant in a walk. That sea-
son they were defeated for the grand old
gonfulcn by the Detroit Tigers by only one
half game. and they could trace their
loss OF the nag and slice of the worlds
series melon direct to the door OF the
Nationals
Although the diamond at Somers Park
was not protected by the . immense tal, ar
chances are favorable for a san>, today
II was decided Sunday night that mas
much as the Maps and Nationals were
not scheduled for Monday 1t would do no
mond. Then old j. p. started to work
overtime. However, the drainage at the
ball yard is par excellence and game
will surely be staged. Opposed to Wal
ter Jol nson on the mound will be south,
nav Willie Mitchell. Manager Stovall
evidently believes that one good turn de-
serves another. He figures that South
paw Mitchell can accomplish Tuesday
what Southpaw Gregg did Sunday-name-
~. defeat the Nationals
The rain of yesterday brings to mind
the fact that the Cleveland club has
staged -Sood many of its matinees be-
tween showers this season. They are the
real 1s-karat raindrop dodgers of the
American League. The Maps have not
been SO fortunate in the matter of wealth
er since they have been in the American
League. Take last week. for instance.
IL started to vim Thursday. the first
day for which Nap-Athletfc matinee
was scheduled. continued to rain Friday
and let up sufficiently for a game Satur-
day. E,actly 16.S11 people paid to see
the show. More money was taken In
at the box offices that ons day than the
club ofsicials figured upon for the en-
tire series. What's more. they have their
only postponed game with the Athletics
and this will be staged on one of the
choice Sunday dates later in the season.
II Is planned to have the Maps and
Mackmcn make a special trip here from
Philadelphia Sunday. September 81. That
will mean a crowd of 12V1 to 13OOL
Rain again threatened all Sunday morn
ing. but the clouds cleared away long
enough for the Maps and Nationals to
play. II rained again Monday. an OF
day. So IL has been practically all sea-
son The Maps have been getting the
lucky breaks on the weather and they
will pay to the second largest attend
ance for season In the history of local
base ball. Indications arc that they will
come close - their 1905 record. They
will sUrpass even that season in the
matter OF receipts. as the present mod
ern bsIl plant gets the money" so to
speak while the old plant did not bring
in nearly so good an average revenue.
Manager McAleer Of the Nationals says
THAI Larry Lajoie will be En- his all-star
team this fall. the club that will play
the American League pennant-winners to
prime them for the worlds series with
the victorious team in the National
League. Jim says that no all-star team
10 complete without the big Frenchman
enrolled thereon. McAleer marvele1 al
Larry's work around the initial sack Sun
day. The big Frenchman played mar.
veious fielding game, and hit the ball In
his usual good style
Hes a marvel" said MoAleer. BAL
players come and go. but this fellow La.
joie seems to go on forever. He is grac;
personihed in fielding and a better hitter
never landed on a ball. Yes IL we hav,
an all-star team this fall Charley Somer.
win have to let Larry play hrst ever
ries for the championship OF Ohio Nc
all-star nine Is complete without Larry
L. h,x. rhn 10 nlo tncw I'D