The Washington times., 1912-06-13
BASEBALL WAVE
CARRIES CAPITAL
ON ITS BRINK
Unprecedented Success of
Nationals Has Whole
City Enthusiastic.
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page)
IL ever seeking a chance to rush to
second, from which he can score on an
ordinary single, 80 speedy Is he on his
feet.
Almost Always Lands.
Working the hit-and-run with Foster.
Moeller is almost certain to land at/the
midway in safety, for the midget in
fielder can pull his hits to right field
as well as any player now in the
American League. The very fact that
Moeller Is on the paths gives Foster
confidence in the success of this play,
and he has electrified the fans every
where by pushing the ball sometimes
! over the second baseman's head and
sometimes lining 1t to right field along
the line.
Seldom does Moeller content himself
with taking a single cushion on this
! play. He is ever looking for chance
to streak II to third, and he succeeds
more often than he fails. AS slider
Moeller Is in class by himself. lie has
the falla%ay y,dor down to Ps1de perfection o,n and
throw as gracefully as the marvellous
Ty Cobb himself.
When it comes to covering ground in
hustle for the honors he has held SO
long. Playing in right field, his natural
position, the Rochester rambler is right
at home. He is one of the best judges
pecially good on low hit balls to either
side of him. Several of his catches in
st. louis, Chicago, and Detroit had
chimes ringing with them so dramatic
were they.
Becoming Famous.
Working with his soul mate, Moeller
the little third baseman, Foster, is rap
idly making a name for himself. At the
bat he is a dangerous opponent for he
can hit to any field, and always hits the
ball hard and on the nose. Though
small of stature, he lands on the pill
with all the force Of giant, and
though his legs are short, he can push
them over the ground at tremendous
rate.
Foster never played third base until
this season, but he Is rapidly forging
into the front rank of redlight corner
stars. He is better on hard chances
than on easy ones, and most of his wild
throws this year have come on balls
coming to him so that he had plenty of
time to make his throw to first. Rush
him at all on a hard chance, and he Is
certain to make lightning stop and an
amazing heave, getting his man. He is
today playing the best game in the in
field of all the Nationals.
Chick" Gandil has proved the maxi
Ing Of the Nationals infield. Jack
Flynn's slowness doomed him to an
early exit from the big league. Jack
knight is not fast enough to hold down
that initial corner on a pennant-winner,
though making a capable substitute. Her.
man schaefer is too brief in stature
and too weak on Aow-thrown balls to
hold his own. Gandil is perfection in
everything in which these players are
weak.
Plugged a Weak Spot. .
Nearly six feet taIl,' rangy as a colt,
fast on his feet and a natural first
baseman. Qandil has plugged the one
weak spot in the Nationals infield, and
today is forcing such stars az Hal Chase
and "Stuffy" McInnis for the premier
honors at that corner. He shifts his
feet with deadly sureness and this IL
the prime necessity in firetsacker In
the big show.
Perhaps not even Chase 10 quicker at
iuttlnS a ball on a runner than Is Gar
dill. Clarl: Griffith admits that he never
has seen faster worker in this respect
than his new first basemal. He is Ol5
Kid Speed himself when 1t comes t..
tagging runner at the bag and this
itself Is likely to win many a tight game
for the Nationals this season
Gandil plays fully as deep a field az
Chase, relying on his speed to reacl
the bag. and he covers just as mucf
ground with equal accuracy Taking
hard throws Is his speciality. He car
use BlONeu Win dS
ness as Mcbride does at second base
spearing the ball with one hand wheE,
ever compelled to by necessity. High
or low, close to the runner or across
his path, no throw seems to bother this
great first baseman. He fills the bill ir
every way. shape and manner.
Not a Slugger.
AS hitter Gandil is not of the slug.
ging type. Rather does he meet the
ball, frequently showing 1t to right field
just out of reach of the infielders and
not far enough for the gardeners to gel
1t. But 1t is poor business for opponents
to play him for a right-field hitter. NJ
sooner does the opposing outfield switch
on him than he pulls the ball into
left or sends 1t scorching through the
box, over second and out into center.
If the Nationals hold their lofty place
in the American League race 1t will
not be through the stellar work o.
Walter Johnson alone, but it will
be through the work of the team
as a whole, and the three lads who arr
doing the most of the grandstand per.
formhnces right now. pounding the bal
on the nose, running the bases with
Joyful abandon, and making startling
catches and stops with all the surenesi
and skill of veterans are Moeller, Kx
Foster, and "ChiCk" Gandil, the agilI
and alert young firstsacker, who cos
the Nationals Just $4,000 before he coult
infn rlya ,