The Washington herald., 1912-08-05


tyre from reaching second, and
this made the situation two out
and man on first.
Shanks figured just right. The one run
which was scored could not win for the
White Sox, and IT would have taken
double or triple to have scored Mcintyre
from first Had Shanks thrown home
and missed getting Callahan. Mcintyre
would have gone to second, where he
could have been scored with a single or
an error.
1t was a brainy piece OF baseball play
ing, and Shanks deserves something more
than a pat on the back.
Germany Schaefer's suspension was
raised last night. and the Teuton was
out on the lines this afternoon with Nick
Altrock. As both are former Chicago
favorites. their little comedy sketch made
great hit
To-day's victory gives the Nationals
seven out of nine on the present West
ern trip; not so bad, all things consid-
cred Boston won from the Maps this
afternoon. and no ground was gained;
but the feeling prevails among the Ma
tionals that Boston will slide before
clare himself out of the pennant race.
The second game of the White Sox
series tomorrow will see either Bob
Groom or Jay Carl Cashion in the box
for the Nationals, while Doc White will
likely adorn the slab for the immaculate
hosed tribe.
The writer had long talk with Connie
Mack. of the Athletics. in Detroit Tues
day. and the crafty pilot of the two-time
worlds champions said: Il will not give
up hope of landing the honors for the
third time until the last ray has disap-
peared.
"All depends upon this present West
ern trip. Every one of my boys. con-
tinued Mack. has undoubtedly done his
best to bring a third straight pennant to
Philadelphia, and / can say without fear
that It will not be their fault If they fail
The general run of the American
League clubs is twice as strong as they
were last year, and while this alone has
not kept my team from being further up
in the race at the present time, 1t Is one
OF the reasons
There isn't one trick my players know
they haven't tried TO do when things
broke against them. and l cannot blame
one thing in particular for stopping US
just when We seemed to be started.
Mack has evidently forgotten the old
Detroit Club, the first year this team won
the worlds campionship under HuGhey
Jennings. The Tigers did not have as
good a pitching stan as have the Athlet-
les to-day, and to make up for lack OF
pitching simply batted their way to VIC
tory. Evidently the Athletics are Of diff
ferent clay.
Il have noticed that We have lost eighty
per cent of our close-decision battles that
we would formerly have captured with
ease, and while l am not squealer in
any sense of the word, I can say that
the breaks have been more than against
us"
Yes; at least a dozen games have
slipped through our fingers" continued
Connie with a wry smile. that should
have been added to our won column, but
It always happened that some player
came to time with an ugly misplay that
sent the game in the other direction"
Connie views the situation philosophic-
ally. He says that his pitchers have
not come up to scratch, and when the
writer interposed with: Your ball CLUB
with so many 300 hitters enrolled should
not need air-tight pitching to win," re-
piled: Young man. you are wrong there;
every club must have the pitching to
win: I don't care il each member of the
team is a 300 swatter.''
II the Nationals do cop the bunting
the club will be the most popular worlds
championship contender in the history
of the big games. There are several rea-
sons for this.
First. the Nationals have always fin
ished so close to the bottom that the
people want to see the under dog win,
now that a chance is offered.
Second. Washington fans have loyalty
supported loser year after year, and
for the sake of the District fans out
siders would like to see the Nationals
grab of first honors.
Third. Griff is a fighter, and all the
world loves a fighter just as it loves
winner. Griff has had a lot of tough
luck during his managerial terms, and
it is about time for the worm to turn.
There are countless other reasons why
the Nationals will be the most popular
ball club in the history of the game, II
they win the nag in the Ban johnson cir
cult.
Said Bob Groom to-day: I'D give al
most anything I've got to get a chance
to pitch against the New York Giants In
a worlds series. 1 feel sure / could beat
them, and maybe wouldn't like to stack
up against them III
do you think We will win the cham
Robert was asked by the writer, and re-
piled:
We've got an outside chance; that's
ALL"
Groom is a deep student Of the game
and a thinker. He never goes of half
cooked. and when he expresses an opin-
ion each phase Of the question is care
fully weighed in his mind. The pitcher
added.
..ery.rpttyn~ danards ,,ror ub, vviu stor
Boston. and give us a chance to get near
enough to them. The Red Sox pitchers
have kept them up in the race, and at
present seem to be going just about as
nicely as any twirling stan IN the league.
They may crumple up under the strain.
and then again they may not. II they
start to- crack. then 1t is all over but
the shouting. for I believe we will step
in ahead. and once we lead the process
sion, I.dont think any club in the league
can jostle US out Of first place"
WILLIAM PEET.