Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-09-21
BY j. ED GRILLO.
Special Dispatch to The star.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
CHICAGO. September 2l.-When Crit
fifth starts in the campaign of 1918 it will
in all probability be with the same tt am
with which he is finishing the present
season. II may happen. of course. that
one of the several players he has drafted
will be able TO replace one of the pres
ent combination but 1t seems assured
that none of the purchased players Who
have been given more or less OF a trial
with the team during the past month
SO will make good. 1t is. of course.
reasonable To assume that in most in
stances the players who are sold have
shown more in the minors than those
who are drafted. and on this basis there
j. not a chance for any of the Young
Stcrs who are to he tried out in the
spring TO make good
But this state of affairs nee1 not cause
any concern to the followers and ad-
nfirerS of the team. II Griffith has 10
start the next race with the same team
which is finishing the present one he
will nevertheless have to be considered
Il penDant contender.
The fact should not BE- overlooked that
the team which is now in second pace
and stands fair chance to finish there
was not intact until about June j. Pro
Vious To that time the Nationals percent
age was far below the SO Per cent mark.
and there did not seem to be a chance
for them to finish much higher than they
did the previous years. But a wonderful
change came over the aggregation with
the purchasing of Chick Gandil. From
the very day that he reported the team
became a consistent winner. There Is
no way to figure that his coming was
not responsible for the change. and if
this is conceded ii leaves room for
speculation as TO what might have hap
I,1 10 n,
the Nationals
Barring accidents. Gandil will be on the
job from the tap of the bell next season
and this should make a wonderful differ
enCe in the teams showing If tie good
record made 10y it since he became
member of it can be at;I ibuted TO him.
Furthermore, it is reasonable to suppose
that the several young players no are
seeing their first year as regulars in the
American League will show Improvement
next season. Foster Shanks and Moeller.
not to speak of the pitchers. should be of
more value to the team next year than
they have been this season, SO that
with Gandil in the lineup there is a
chance fer a good start. which, had the
team enjoyed il this year, would most
likely have landed 1t on top. Griffith
Is in a position where. if he fails to
strengthen his forces by the acquisition
of some phenomenal youngsters. he will.
nevertheless. have a team which will
have to be figured as having chance for
the flag next season.
Every once in a while even q good ball
team will present one of those sloppy,
listless exhibitions which make one Won
der how it ever gained a respectable po-
siton in the race.
GUn's team had such day yesterday.
There was no more life on the field than
there would be at funeral and all in
All the Nationals presented one of their
very worst exhibitions. Even Capt. Me-
u * lIN- EHH n
plcyers IN the game. seemed to have an
off day and went through tho nine in
hlnSS without "a murnlur. Griffith, of
course, was not on the field OF i'm uni
form. lie is still under suspension, prob
ably because Ban Johnson has forgotten
all about him. lis absence may have
had detrimental effect on his players.
hut a continuance of the spirit which
the men dis played Yesterday Is not
going tn help their chances to finish
ahead OF the Athletics in the race.
IL takes a long while to develop even
Il young pitcher of ability to that
stage where he can be relied upon to
Eneel. has. perhaps. more skill than any
other pitcher of his limited experience,
but 1t is going TO be some time before
he will be able 10 help his team win
again yesterday. but stumbled into an
ether of those disastrous innings which
ended his work for the day. Engel goes
well enough for five or six innings, but
from that time out opposing teams
seem TO solve his delivery and he is
then hit timely. That. of course. is to
he expected from mere schoolboy. who
must be more or less nervous when
facing major league batters.
Moran. the outfielder secured a few
weeks ago from Chattanooga. is not
apt to be given much of trial this
fall. He complains that he has
grown stale as result of q hard
campaign in the hot southern tow and
hat he is not capable Of doing hiriself
justice at this time He has EXPLAINED
this u Manager Griffith. who believes
Il will be best to figure on trying
Moran out next spring. when he will
have an even chance with the other
candidates for the outfieid positions.
Connolly the outfielder secured by
draft from Montreal. may join the team
carly next week. while it is on it's ex-
lihition tour To Rochester and Toronto
Griffith is making an effort to have
Connolly report to him then. as to
got a look at him in action before tn
season closes.
When Griffith learned yesterday
morning that Cicotte would pitch for
The SoN he decided not 10 use Johnson.
figuring that Cicottc would be the
easiest of all the Chicago pitchers. and
that Fngel would be able give him
u game so that he could hold Johnson
for either I.ange or Walsh. thus in
creasing the Nationals chances for
victory He erred in his calculations.
however. for IL is not likely that any
one Of Callahan's other pitchers will Go
more effective work than did CicOtte.
lie pitched a brilliant game OF ball and
got the breaks. as the fact that the
team behind him made four double
plays will attest.
Today LANCE is slated to work, and
Johnson will be pitted against him.
Walter will have had five days rest
and he ought to be able to put some
thing on the ball.
E.nsel should have gotten out of the first
inning without being scored on notwith-
standing the fact that he walked the first
two men who faced him. Lords lone
fly 10 right followed and Rath went from
second to third after IL was caught
Then Mattick stole. Collins. however
hit right at Foster and he should have
had an easy play at the plate. but he
funfbled the hall and Rath scored easily
Gandil then did not handle Borton's
grounier we'll and he reached first in
safety while Mattick scored.
Those two runs virtually beat Engel
for his team failed to show anythins
In an offensive way against Cicotte. ant
just to make the game a cinch Enge
was pounded i'm the sixth. Mattick walk
eel in this inning, but was thrown ou
at third by Moeller. when he tried to e.
for two bases on Lords single. Collin!
also hit safely and RoTton scored Lore