Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-18
BY ]. ED GRILLo.

its failure to take both ends of the dou-
ble-header from the Browns must be
charged to overconfidence.
With the score standing 6 to l in favor
of the locals at the beginning Of the
eighth, Manager Griffith considered the
anne as good as won. and, wishing to
rest Mcbride. his captain sent him to the
clubhouse and substituted Wilbur Roach,
the teams utility infeder. Roach made
an error, which resulted in the score be-
ing tied, yet Mcbride might have made
the same misplay. But it was the moral
effect that McBrides. retirement had on
the team. 1t was construed as meaning
that the game was virtually over, and
once a ball team gets this impression it
loses interest in its work and Is very apt
to grow careless. Vaughn, who had
pitched brilliantly up to this time, seemed
to let down. and lost control. he tried 10
brace up but as is usually the case I'M
der such circumstances, he found that he
couldn't and the first thing that any one
knew the score had been tied
Vaughns weakening came Unexpectedly,
of course and should, perhaps, be attrfo-
uted to carelessness esulting from over
confidence. But there were eight or nine
other pitchers sitting on the bench.
fresh man would have stood better
chance to stop the rally than one VINO
had pitched hard game under bro1llng
sun. But 1t all came about SO qL1c .ly
that the rally was over and the score
tied before any one could realize that the
Nationals were in danger.
1t was an unfortunate affair. in that
the days proceedings in the league for
that Washington could have gained on
all its rivals. 1t was. splendid oppor-
tunity which was not taken advantage
of, and the ball teams which do not take
advantage of openings greatly hamper
their chances.
1t was pointed out before the games
were played that no matter how weak
team may be, ii is not policy to tribe
with 1t. Victories over the Browns count
just as much as those over stronger
teams, and the only way to assure sue
cess is to hustle just as hard against
tailender as against team which is
fighting for a high position in the race.
The Browns proved themselves q genuine
surprise in the games Of yesterday. They
played every bit as good ball as did ,.ie
locals, and refused to consider themselves
beaten even when the score stood to l.
The first game, which was won by the
narrowest margin, proved that the visi-
tors were capable Of putting up stub
born front. yet they seem to have failea
to create any caution in the minds &:
the locals.
Three more games remain to be played
in the present series. and II the Browns
put up the same article of ball In these
that they did yesterday II Is not going
to be an easy matter for the Nationals TO
win a majority Of the games.
Stovall worked two young pitchers yes
terday. who made a very favorable I'M
preston. Allison, who hooked up with
Hughes in the first game. gave splendid
account of himself losing only because
he was up against as effective pitching as
has been seen on the local grounds this
year. Adams, a tall young coHegian,
who finished the second game, had all the
earmarks of great pitcher. He vas
cool and had enough stuff to stop the
Nationals at critical moments. lnctden-
tally both were we'll supported.
Pitchers usually can tell what sort OF
form they are in when they warm up A
every day. and after the preliminary
warm-up the average twirier has a fairly
good line on himself.
After Hughes warmed up before the
his arm felt better than 1t had in five
years and that he did not believe ne
could be beaten.
Hughes was right about himself. He
pitched a wonderful game of ball, when
would have beaten almost any team. and
there was never a chance for the Browns
to score.
Shotten, the Browns center fielder,
would class among the crack oLtneiders
of the league If II were his good fortune
to be with winning team There are
few faster men in the league than he.
and though he Is playing under condl-
tions which are not calculated TO inspire
player TO any great extent. ne appears
to be an earnest worker and a most
capabel ball player. Being on taileno
team Shotten does not attract much at
tention, and seldom secures any mention,
but 10 watch his work day In and day out
creates the opinion that he must be
counted among the star outfielders of the
league.
The chances are that it will be some
time before the Nationals are given an
opportunity TO gain on both Boston ana
Philadelphia, as was the case yesterday
To be pitted against the Browns at a
time when Chicago and Detroit are de-
feating the Nationals nearest rivals would
be considered an ideal situation. yet
when the day was over there had been no
change accomplished In the standing.
Walsh and Dubuc, the two pitchers
who defeated Boston and Philadelphia,
are the stars of their respective teams,
and 1t is not likely that either will work
again in the present series.
Bob Groom is to face the Browns today,
but il will not be decided until just before
the game which one of Stovalis twiElers
Will oppose him
Now that AIva Williams is getting a
chance to work regularly he Is showing
his ability as a batter. In the last two
games Williams has made six hits. and
none of them was Of the scratchy vari-
ETY. A hitter of his ability is far too
valuable a man to keep on the bench. for,
after all, hitting is what every team
needs.
Manager Griffith has been unable to
get in touch with Nick Altrock, the vet
eran left-hander, whom he wants to Sc
cure as coacher. Grin has had the
wires hot between here and Kansas City,
but has been unable to get a reply from
the comedian.
Chick Gandil did not get hit in either
game, fact which had much to do with
the second defeat The nearest he came
TO getting the ball safe was in the fourth
inning Of the first game. when he drove
liner into left. Compton misjudged the
ball. running in for 1t, and then leaped
into the air and pulled 1t down with one
hand There have been few games since
Gandil Joined the team in which he has
failed to get one or more hits. and when
he Is not hitting few runs are usually
scored by the locals. for his position in the
batting order Is such that his hits are
usually productive. the players preceding
him getting on bases quie frequently.
between Tom Hughes and a youngster
named Allison. Hughes did by far the
better work. but had to go at top speed
the entire route because OF the effective
ness OF his rival, who allowed but a single
run. This forced Hughes to pitch n shut