Evening star., 1912-07-05
BY J. ED .GRILLo.

D u. ELL i01kxA4fOs
Washington has o chance to win the
American League pennant Of 1912 The
teams present position in the race is
such that II there should be q repetition
of the winning streak such as was en-
countered during the last western trip
Griffith's team may be at the top Of the
heap before the western invasion is COM
pleted. 49,
That its present position is largely due
to the fact that it has made a clean
sweep of the present series with New
York Is not to be. denied. but it. should
not be overlooked that Boston owes its
advantage In the race because tfhas won
ten out Of eleven games from the High
landers. There il no way to figure the
Nationals out of the running. Griffith has
contender which has already proven it
self a great surprise and may accomplish
more than even its most loyal supporters
have hoped for. This is the first time in
the history OF the Washington club that
a team representing this city has to be
reckoned with, to say the least, when the
pennant Is under consideration. Griffiths S
team is by no means out of the race. 1t
Is In a position at the present time where
it can by winning streak reach the lead
ers before II starts on its next trip. To
date there have been but two teams in
the race which have proven troublesome
to the locals, Boston and Philadelphia,
and the chances are that II Boston can
win a majority of the Games it is now
playing in Philadelphia, Mack's team
will receive SO severe setback that it
will virtually be out of the running. Only
a crrVo eovfy nf4c %Io Avn
tionals from second place. Should they
win today and the champions lose, Wash
ingtOn would be in second place, seven
games behind the leaders Much. of
course. will depend on the showing of the
eastern teams against the western when
that invasion starts next week. On what
the Nationals showed on their last trip
the team stands q splendid chance to win
large majority OF the games from its
western rivals. and II Boston should
slump. which Is not unlikely. for the
Hubbites have been going along with few
reverses this season, the series with the
west may be the means Of giving Crit
f1th's team the lead. Grifiith's team has
chance. better chance, In fact, than
at least FIVE Of its rivals.
Nor has the future ever looked
brighter. II the Nationals do not land
in first place it looks like cinch that
they will occupy first division berth.
Such position would be a wonderful
achievement when the fact is taken in
to consideration that Grifiith's team
Is made up almost entirely of young
sters who are sure to improve. 1t
season than 1t is this, even without a
single improvement being made in
the lineup, and there is always a
chance for new material being added
There are few veterans on the local
team. Few players who have seen
their best days and are on the down
grade. but many who are just reach
ing the zenith Of their Careers There
Is no getting away from the fact
that Washington now possesses the
nucleus for a championship team. 1t
may fall short in the present cant
paign. but 1t Is sure to be even a great
er factor in the next.
Philadelphia is the only team in the
race which has won a majority of the
games from the Nationals. Griff's team
has an advantage over Boston. but has
shown poorly against the champions
principally because the breaks have
been with Macks team in nearly every
game that 1t has played against the
locals. SO far as the other teams are
concerned the Nationals have shown
they outclass them. But few games
remain to be played with Boston and
Philadelphia A majority of the games
with these teams have been played, and
II the locals can continue to keep up
the pace 1t has set against the others
the finish will find the Nationals at
the top or mighty near 1T.
Nothing but huke can result in a
victory for the New York team during
the present series. which winds up in
New York tomorrow. The team which
wolverton is forced to put in the field
is not even OF good minor league cali
Der. and there Is no way 10 figure IL
aHyfN oh tocS he 1C
Two one-sided games were won from the