Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-04
BY J. ED GRILLo.

Second place is not yet assured. but the
Nationals have decided advantage over
the Athletics as a result of their victory
yesterday and the overwhelming defeat
of the former champions.
AS matters now stand, if the Nationals
can win one of the remaining two games
they cannot be beaten even il the Ath-
letics win both remaining games from
Boston. This would make it a tie, but
should Grifith's team lose both and the
Athletics win both, of course, the Athle
tics would finish second.
But the chances are that Boston will
win at least one more game from the
Athletics, while there is a good chance
Of the Nationals repeating their perform
ance of yesterday, either today or tomor-
row, for it is understood that Johnson
will be worked right back tomorrow if
the occasion demands it.
Griffith will collect several wagers if
his team finishes second. He bet Stuffy
McInnis 500 early in the spring that
Washington would beat out the Athletics,
and there are several other wagers re-
corded with other players around the cir
cult. 1t is but natural that Griffith's
players should make every effort to win
this money for their boss. so that it
seems assured that the team will hustle
its utmost in the remaining two games
Just how valuable a man Frank Baker
would be in worlds series was demon
strated again yesterday, when he hit for
a home run with two on off Joe Wood.
1t was his hitting which won for the
Athletics last year. But for him the
Giants would have won the series, and
~
as dangerous as Baker. SO it may be in
ferred that the Giants chances are de-
cidedly brighter this year than they were
last. Though Wood won his game hands
down yesterday there was nothing partic
ular impressive about his pitching. and
had he been hooked up with pitcher of
class he would probably have gone down
to defeat. 1t cannot be said that Wood
loafed, for the time the Athletics made
their three runs he did not have lead.
and consequently was not taking any
chances. On the other hand, it must not
be overlooked that the Athletics are
better hitting team than the Giants, who
cannot boast of Baker, either
The fact that one team may appear
to have an advantage in hitting when
the averages are compared does not
cut much of a figure ! ma short series.
1t has ben frequently demonstrated that
the very players who are not figured
on to do much stick work are those who
come through with the timely hits,
George Robe, weak hitter, won the
championship for the Sox from the Cubs
in 1906 and Claude Rossman, from whom
little was expected in the big series.
proved proved himself a star every year
that he was with the Tigers.
These batting averages are based on
a. whole seasons playing, and it does not
always follow that the fellow who is
hitting $40 during a season will keep
up this clip during a seven-ean1e series.
SO that the figures in this instance are
really not of much value.
1t is q noticeable and encouraging fact
that Howard lShanks, the brilliant young
left fielder of the Nationals, Is showing
marked improvement in his hitting of
late. During the past month or six
weeks Shanks has been hitting SO much
better than he did earlier in the Season
that there is every reason to believe that
he will not be found lacking with the
stick next season. Shanks weakness
with the bat was source of much an
noyance to Manager Griffith during the
present campaign. yet he was SO brilliant
fielder that it was figured best to keep
him in the game. But Sharks has i'm
proved marvelously in this respect of
late, and 1t is a fofegone conclusion that
the player who beats him out of his place
will have to be a star of the first water.
One thing which has always been in
Shanks' favor. even when he was not hit
ting, was the fact that he has a perfect