The Washington herald., 1912-04-22
BOSTON HOODOO
. STARES NATIONALS
In THE FACE AGAIN
Red Sox Always Hard Team
for Washington to Beat
on Home Park.
BOB GROOM Or HUGHES

Boston has been an awful hoodoo town
for the Nationals during the past three
years. and II Grin Is able to break even
on the four-game series which starts to-
day he will have achieved something
OF which he may wen boast.
Bob Groom or Tom Hughes wiz be In
the box for washington. neither OF whom
has ever been very effective against the
Beaneaters. Even Walter johnson usually
nnds Boston a hard nut to crack, much
harder than the Athletics. but as the To-
cal club Is now constituted the Red sox
pitchers viii not find the Nationals so
easy to set down, and possibly the lucky
breaks will fan in the direction Of the
Washington bench.
Dixie Walker is about the only twIrler
on the local club who has given Boston
any trouble. Dolly Gray two years ago
could beat them once In q while, and, al
together. the four-game series in the
land OF Goldfish viii show the mettie Of
which our boys are made.
Grin took his entire squad with him 10
Boston last night. with the exception Of
outnelder Shanks and the two young
pitchers, Boehllng and Musser. The
players who did not accompany Grin TO
Baltimore yesterday left Union Station
on the ColonialN express. and were Joined
by the manager himself and the bunch
which defeated the Orioles IN an exhibi-
ton game yesterday in Baltimore.
The Washington party viii roll into
Boston at o'clock this morning Just In
time for breakfast at the copley Square
Hotel.
The following from the pen OF Jimmy
Isaminger. Of the Philadelphia North
American. rings true:
Connie Mack's champions Of the
world are not IN first place. but. they
are going much better than year ago.
when they were almost left at the post
in the pennant battle.
They appear TO be in much better con-
dition than at the same time last year.
There Is no chance OF thei- losing at
the start OF the season, like they did in
1al1! The players this year won't permit
themselves 10 get overconfdent as be-
fore. They realize that games are ac-
tuaIiy won on the ball field.
Everything is encouraging in the
Mack/camp. The players are IN shape
the pitchers are In prime condition and
everything points to another SUCCESSFUL
season.
"A famous eartoonist on New York
paper forEOl nim1eiL ana dlu AAIIy
Wolverton. the Highlanders' new.
manager, a great wrong. In a brutal
cartoon be pictured wolverton as a fall
ure although only four championship
games have been played
las this cartoon IL widely circulated,
II may do wolverton great injury. par
ticulariy to the big element OF the New
York ignorant who find cartoons easier
to grasp than reading matter.
''At the time the cartoon was printed
the Highlanders had lost four straight
games. This induced the cartoonist 10
make II appear that wolverton was q
failure. only the championship season
wasn't week old.
''Of course nobody knowing the ele-
ments OF baseball would Judge a season
by the happenings Of a week. AS q
matter OF fact. Connie Mack last year
lost five out Of the FIRST six games play
ed. yet he won the pennant.
"A loss Of four straight games at the
start Of the season IL never 70 be re-
gzrded seriously. A real baseball critic
knows that he cannot get q good line
on q team until June.
'Tt Is too bad that this clever cartoon
ist. simply for the sake OF a picture,
should attempt to destroy the usefulness
Of an able baseball man Ike wolvertun.
Be fair, New Yorkers, and give VOL
verton a chance!"