The Washington herald., 1912-06-23
BY EDDIE COLLINS.
send Bas.man ot ths AthlsticS

| Second BaseInzn of the Athle0S
The sensational winning streak of the
Washington club has been interrupted by
the Athletics, but the progress Of the
club has not been stopped. I desire to
lay particular emphasis on the fact that
the progress Of the. team has not been
stopped. From this point on Clark Grif-
hth and his men, by their wonderful
spurt, have made themselves factor
in the race
Analysis in distastefuI to me, but that
appears to be the only way to get at an
explanation Of the sudden burst Of the
Washington team, which has put IL up
among the leaders in the fight for the
/ pennant and altered the entire COM
plexion Of the proceedings. Washing
| ton has always had more natural
strength than the team has been given
credit for, because no manager, in Ithe
last few seasons, has been able to obtain
the maximum results from the club.
This year Clark Griflth went to the Cap
ital from Cincinnati where the papers
had roasted him and declared him a fall
ure. In a way Griffith was fighting for
his baseball life.
Griffith Given Free Rein.
Grihith found conditions in Washington
satisfactory. He was given a free rein
and complete control Of the playing end
of the club. Grifith, IN my opinion, is
one Of the best managers in the big
league when he has an opportunity to
display his talents, and is not bound up
with red tape. .Grihith played a few
games with the club as IT stood when
he inherited it, and then realized that
there was some material which would
have to be cleared out. So he sent
scouts to search for some players who
would fit into the places he Intended to
make vacant. Gandil, Shanks, and Nor
gan looked promising. Griffith rearrang-
ed his club, and the new players proved
to be stars and to have pepper and
fighting ability. The team set out on
Western trip, and, after playing Sc
ries in New York, won sixteen success
sive games away from home, starting
the victorious streak With the last con-
test played with the Red Sox In Boston,
and continuing by taking four games in
st. Louis, four in Chicago. four in De-
troit, and three In Cleveland.
Combined with good management,
Grifith has had fair share Of luck,
which Is a large part Of baseball En-
dowed with one of the best pitching
staffs in the league and carrying one
head liner, than whom there is none
better on the business right now, I
believe, Grihith found all his pitchers
in form at the same time. 1n mentioning
the head liner, mean Walter johnson,
who seems to improve every time that
bat against him, and who has not yet
reached the climax Of hts form. Hughes
ana Groom have proved 70 be able aids.
Behind these pitchers, the new team has
been playing bail and hitting up into
double figures for almost every game on
the trip Added to this pitching, batting.
and lelding combination. Grifath has been
getting the breaks" as g winning team
usually does, for 1t is bulging with con-
fidence, land takes more chances than a
loser. Therefore the mystery Of the win
ming streak is not so great. and evapo-
rates under the strong light of analysis.
The confidence inspired in the men viii
make Washington hard club to beat
for the rest OF the season.
After the Athletics had interrupted the
string OF victories last week, Clark
Grifith said:
Gee, it feels funny to lose. don't IKE
the sensation"
his players agreed with him.
FO6r Clubs I'm the Race.
TM spurt Of the washington team has
increased the number Of clubs stin hard
in the running for the American League
pennant from three TO four. These are
the Boston Red Sox. the Nationals, the
Athletics, and the White Sox. Notwith-
standing the great form shown by the
WASHINGTON team, the Boston Red Sox
are the boys that We are watching
closest just at present. for they are set
ting a desperate pace. and must be stop
ped II the Athletics are 70 win the pen
nant. A winning streak at present win
DO rs no good 4 the Red sox continue