Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-25
BY J. ED GR11Lo.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BOSTON, April 2o.-Winning two games
| from Boston in q row has attracted more
attention to the Nationals than anything
the team has accomplished in years. They
have the pennant bee buzzing in this Sec
| ton. and after leading the race by a good
margin the games scheduled with Wash
ington were looked upon as a blessing
But Grifflth's team has outplayed the Red
Sox in both games. At no time in either
contest have the latter looked to be in the
same class with the team from Washing
ton. It must perhaps be conceded that
McAleer's team is far from being at its
best. Its pitchers do not look impressive
and on the whole the team is not going
good, but there is no way to reflect on
the work of the Nationals. Griffith s
team has played the kind of ball which
makes contenders. 1t has hustled every
inch of the way and in the matter OF
playing inside ball has absolutely out
shone its opponents. With good ball
playing always comes good luck, and this
has not been absent in the games the
team has played here. Today the Ma
tionals are on even terms with Boston, a
team which is picked to be either the
pennant winner or the runner-up in the
present race. A month from now there
will be vastly different situation, but
so far no team has outplayed the Ma
tionals.
The final game of the series will be
played today. If Griffith's men put up
the same kind of ball that they have been
playing nothing but third victory is to
be expected Having won two games. it
is perhaps needless to say that the play
ers are full of confidence, and if defeat
comes to them it will not be for lack of
this essential.
Griffith Is q believer in what in the par
lance of the street are known as lunches,
and for this reason he may not work
Dixie Walker today. but instead give Tom
Hughes chance Walker has not won a
game this spring. He has not been lucky,
and when a pitcher is not getting the
breaks Griffith does not believe in work
OBrien, the best pitchers on his staff,
Jake Stahl may use. one of his young
sters today
George Mcbride has been reinstated
and Will be in the game today.
That Umpire Westervelt greatly exag-
gerated McBrides conduct in his report
to President johnson is evidenced by the
fact that in addition to the suspension
Mcbride is fined $2J. A similar fine is in
will pay their fines, but Mcbride does sc
under pf otest and proposes to show that
he did not use vile language toward IVES
tervelt. He will be able to have four OF
five players to testify to this. Wester-
Welt undoubtedly exaggerated the Incl
dent of last Saturdays game. and if that
is true he may find himself in serious
trouble.
Though Walter Johnson won his game
yesterday, he was far from being at his
best. After he had gone several innings
he told Manager Griffith that he did no,
have much in the way of speed, SO that
he might prepare himself, and Dixie Wal
ker was kept constantly warmed up as a
precautionary measure. Just why 1t Is
that there are days on which pitchers are
not themselves has never been explained
Walter had four days rest yet that snap
which he usually has on his fast ball was
missing. He won easily enough, however
because his team managed to get him five
runs.
1t was a great day for Eddie Foster
Not only did he play a sterling game at
three hits and incidentally stole second
three times. In this little fellow the
Washington club has undoubtedly picked
up one of the finds of the season. He is
ment in his case need not be looked for.
Ever since the season opened he seems
to have become better with every game
and 1t is questionable, indeed, If there
will be third baseman in the league
more capable to his team than Foster will
prove to the Nationals.
Milan, Flynn and Knight failed to break
into the base hit column, but there were
others who We're very active with the
stick. so that their temporary slump
did not prove disastrous. About the time
that those players who We're prominent
in the scoring of runs yesterday take a
lay-off the trio which failed yesterday
manner long winning streak is assured
That first inning yesterday virtually put
Boston out of the running A two-rLn
lead which was not earned, with the
prospect OF facing Walter johnson, did
not have an invigorating effect on the
Red SOx, and they went through the re-
mainder of the game in a manner which
would indicate that they felt downcast
and discouraged.
None of the Boston pitchers appears to
be in the form they will have to be in
to keep their team up in the race Wood,
CicOtte and O'Brien all seemed to lack
condition. and unless the one Stahl trots
out today ha< more than they had our
team Is sure to come home with a clean
record OF wins to it's credit.
Little Ray Morgan proved himself
a valuable substitute for George Nc
Bride In the two games played here. Yes
terday he nst only fielded his position
well, but he came along with two clean
I cut hits, one of which virtually cinched
| the game for the Nationals. Morgan. of