Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-21

of them are veterans-wilI be able to car
| ry the load.
Umpires should enforce discipline on
the ball field, but there are more ways
than one of doing this, which may ex-
plain that some officials no more comPe-
tent in judging plays. than their col
leagues can .go through season
bic with the ball players. The CLASH De-
tween Umpires Westervelt and OLaugh-
lin and the Washington PLAYERS was apso-
lutely uncalled for. and when httie as
erection is used such scenes as were enact
ed after the seventh inning yesterday
need not be presented.
The trouble started when the Athletics
delayed for fully ten minutes getting
pitcher on the rubber to take Coomos
place. With the umpires. apparently
sanctioning the intended delay This
riled Griffith and his players, for
they were naturally anxious to have
Morgan finish the game before ne was
thoroughly warmed. up. When Morgan
| walked Walker and Moeller hit safely 1T
looked like a good chance to at least tie
the score, as there was no one out anu
but two runs needed to put the locals
on even terms with their rivals. To help
along the discomfort of Morgan, who ap-
peared wild, several of the washington
players began to throw the bats around In
| front of the bench. Without word OF
| warning, O'Loughln ordered Ray Nor
| house. Griffith wanted an explanation. and
he. too, was ushered below. Then Cash
ion took a hand, and he went down. This
ended OIOughlins part, but Westervelt,
probably thinking it the proper thing to
display his authority, ordered Bob Groom,
the most noffensive man on the team,
from the coaching lines, and when Tom
Hughes and Capt. Mcbride wanted to
know what all the fuss was about. they,
too, were banished. At the end of the
nil mi Walker thinking that he had
not been fairly dealt with in the decision
rendered by Westervelt, threw the ball
into the grandstand. which was enough
to warrant his being chased.
All in all, it was not the sort of thing
that people pay their way into ball parks
to see. Ball games in which players do
not assert their rights won't draw flies.
There Is, of course a limit to how far
the players should go in their protests,
but it Is also np to the umpires to use
little common sense in handling the play
ers, who are bound to be under strain,
and be careful not to consistently. walk
around with q chip on their shoulders.
With anything like the usual support
that pitchers have been getting from the
Nationals this season the Athletics would
have left another game here YESTERDAY.
All their six runs can be directly at
tributed to fielding errors. 1t seemed i'm
possible for any of the locals to make
misplay which did not figure In the
scoring. The team certainly had an OF
day. With anything like good fielding
behind Walker he would have won his
game, for all things considered he gave
very creditable exhibition and proved
beyond doubt that he is going to have
successful season.
Coombs was far from being at his best.
He had little or no speed. but protected
himself by resorting to his curve ball.
Nearly everything he offered was curve,
! IT., 1~1I 81,
local batsmen in check. though he was
in danger on numerous occasions. There
were just two innings in the nine In which
the Nationals did not reach the bases.
but only three in which they scored.
The chances are that the game would
have been won in the seventh but for
Moeller overrunning second base. He
was first and Walker on second when
Foster hit to Collins. whose throw to
Barry was wide. Barry knocked the ball
down. but Moeller had so far Overrun the
bag because he figured himself out that
he had not time to get back to the bag
and was finally put out at third. But
for this play the bases would have been
full and none out, and under such cir
cumstances there is no telling what
might have happened with Morgan pitch
ing.
Alva Williams. considering the fact
that it was his first turn behind the bat
since the season opened, gave very
good account of himself. HIS throwing
to second was perfect and he handled
Walkers delivery well. In the eighth
inning he picked up Bakers little roller
some feet in front Of the plate and shot
it to second in time to nail the speedy
Collins there. and when, moment later,
Baker attempted to steal he threw him
out by yards. Williams performance
yesterday demonstrates that Grff1th. is
we'll fortified behind the bat
The Nationals play an exhibition game
at Baltimore today. The players who
are to engage in this game-and there
are to be only eleven Of them-will leave
here at II o'clock this morning, while
the remainder of the team leaves here
at 3:35 for Boston, picking up those who
play in Baltimore at that city an hour
later. Four games will be played at the
Hub. and Friday a four-gaEe series will
be opened here with New York.
Jack Barry. who because of his bril-
liant work since he became the regular
slfortstop of the Athletics is considered
the best fielding player in that position
in either major league. is of the opinion
that the Athletics will win the flag again
this year. and he adds to this prediction
that the Nationals will finish higher than
they ever have before.
I'VE are not playing our game yet and
won't for couple of weeks said he.
But when We get to going We Will never
be headed in my opinion. Washington
lhas<imprOved whole lot. principally be-
cause, the team has a lot Of ginger, and
look for it to finish higher in the race
than 1t ever has before
An even break in the first six games
played when the fact is taken into con-
| sideratiOn that all three games were lost
| to the worlds champion Athletics is. to
say the least, an encouraging showing.
| All teams have their off days In the field
| terday. With even ordinary fielding the
| second straight would undoubtedly have
been won from the Athletics but 1t
should not be overlooked that there are
| six other teams in the league which do
not compare in strength with the Ath-
letics. and the Nationals have a whole
| lot of games ito play with them.
The series which opens in Boston Mon
| day will probably prove one of the hard
| est of the year, for the Hub team it going
at fast clip and has an excellent team.
| If the Nationals can beark even there
| they will exceed all expectations.
! Moeller played a splendid game in left.
/ He had four chances and some of them
| were difficult, yet he handled them all
| well. The former Rochester player APP
pears to be corking good fielder.
| though the position is comparatively new
Ito him.
There is a consistent Improvement in