Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-04
GAMES
BRING LEADERS
CLOSER IN RACE
Continued from First Page.)

mains to be proved. for while he has had
a whole lot of chances in these games.
the youngster has been lucky in that
every bal hit to him has come up on a
nice bound and been easy to handle. He
Is lamentably weak hitter. however.
and II Is doubtful If q major league club
can AFFORD to play him regu' arly unless
the rest OF the infie!d is made up OF real
slugsers.
Notwithstanding the fact that Morgan
Is not hitting, there is little or no chance
Of his being benched. Griffith is going to
give the youngster every chance to prove
his worth. and he believes that 1t would
be a mistake to set him on the bench
and play either Schaefer or Roach. The
fact that Morgan proved earlier in the
season that he was a natural hitter has
fixed 1t for him to stay in the game now
that he is hitting but little. for 1t seems
to be the general impression that his
slump is only temporary and that in due
time he will recover his batting stride.
There was a switch in umpires today.
OLaughlin taking Connolly's place here.
while Hart remained to assist him.
But for Moriarty's blind stab of Will
liams' liner in the first, at least two more
runs would have been scored in this in
ming and that would have proved suffi-
cient to win the game. II there had not
been a man on first at the time. Moriarty
would have been playing on the bag. and
him to make the catch. Az It was. he
barely could reach the ball. but It stuck
in his glove.
Foster and Milan were easily the star
fielders of the day. Foster was a stone
wall. and he was frequently apple uded for
his brilliant stops and throws. The little
fellows sore arm seems to have mended
and he was throwing across the infield in
his old form today. Every one OF his four
hard flies to pull down. but he got them
both after covering acres Of ground. Spec
tators at the ball game like to see play
err take chances, and when Williams
seventh inning. and caught Moriarty's
foul fly he was given q real ovation. II
looked as IL the big catcher was taking
long chances. running at full speed into
the concrete wall, but he did not inJure
himself and held on to the ball.
Griffith was anything but pleased after
today's game. He has nursed Vaughn
along purposely to Pitch him in the final
game here, and the left-hander's per-
Torrance proved that he figured correctly
when he came to this decision. But
Vaughn lost his game. and just at a time
when there was a chance to gain on
Boston, and it Is this, which made Griffith
feel blue Inc TACT that his team is not
hitting as II should does not worry HIM
much for he contends that all players
have their batting slumps, and he pre-.
diets that 1t is only q question Of time
when the batters VII be In their stride
again. But he had hoped to have superior
pitching land him game or two while
his batters are OF. but N this he erred.
for an even break was the best he could
get here.
Were 1t not for Cobb, Jennings would
have a hard time winning games with
his present outfit. Cobb is q ball team I'm
himself. He does nearly all the hitting,
and In close game he is the most dam
gerous player, because he takes such des-
perate chances on the bases. In every
game that the Nationals have played
here Cobb has been the one opposing
player who has been troublesome The
rest of the team does not amount TO
much. for the reason that 1t does not APP
pear to be intensely interested. With
Cobb 1t IS different. He Is working for a
new contract. for his present one expires
with the present season and he viii de-
mAnd q big Increase, hence wants to have
big average to back up his plea for
money.
Bashang. the young outfielder that the
Tigers have picked ,up. will hardly do. for
the reason that he Is lanfentably weak
with the stick. johnson struck him out
twice Friday, and Vaughn duplicated that
performance today. He is fast on his feet
and good fielder, however.