The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1912-04-12
NATIONALS HAD
LITTLE CHANCE
IN OPENING GAME
Mackerels Bunched Their
Hits When They Counted
Most Heavily.
WALTER JOHNSON
EASY FOR ATHLETICS
Griffith's Players Made Many MIS-.
plays Which Proved to
Be Disastrous.
BY SENATOR"

opening game of the season of
1912 was disastrous defeat for the Ma
tionals to the tune of to 2. This
score doesn't look bad, friends, Romans,
and countrymen, but as the game was
played the Nationals never had a
chance to do single little thing. In
the first place, Walter Johnson was
hardly a puzzle for the far-famed slug
gers of the Mackerels, who punched
TO count for something. Then, too. the
Nationals misplays counted severely
against them, particularly Johnson g
wicked heave to the middle pasture.
This alone allowed two runs to score.
Iron Man" Coombs had plenty Of
speed and excellent control when both
of these things were most needed, and
he kept the visiting hitsmiths without
commenced. The champions gave him
good support and choked off all at
tempts of the Nationals to connect with
the$corfnGs&heet until the victory, had
session. ...
Special Opening Features.
Being the first game of the campaign
there were unusual ceremonies attend
ant upon the occasion. Mayor Blanken-
berg put lot of stuff on the ball a.
he tossed 1t to silk" O'Loughlin In
the face of dozen alert and expert
camera men. But that came after
Schaefer he'd proved himself the real
thing In the line of exhibitions from
the wilds of Borneo.
There is q general sameness about
these openings of baseball seasons, and
without the Nationals famed comedian
yesterdays opening would have been
dead. But Herman saved the day and
put himself in solid with the Philly
bugs. Before the order came for tht
formation of the procession to center.
field and the flag raising. Schaefel
dressed up in catcher's mask, chest
them all on backwards, greatly to the
enjoyment OF the rooters. He was the
one bright figure in the stately stroll
to the middle garden.
There were other occasions. too, when
Sehaefer added a dash OF life to what
otherwise was a featureless contest
once when he got under Oldring's fly In
the sun, he bowed deeply to the fans In
heroic pose for their special edification
This made a hit with the bugs, who Of
fered anything then and there from 9
stein to an I. o. U.
Griffith Greets Umpire.
The formalities Of the occasion included
Clark Griffith's first and last friend
" greeting of an umpire for the sea
son of 1912. When he met silk
o'Loughlin the Nationals leader wal
seen to give him a hearty handshak'
with the right hand. The left wal
clenched and the right followed suit a.
soon as the shake was done: Both Wi
remain clenched from now till the open
ing Of the 1913 campaign. :.
But thu game, Well. the world
champions grew extremely busy in tn
opening frame, corralling one tally o.
tTo bingles With strunk gone nss,,ar no os
II tho reach OF Jack Knight and too
one more while knight was gettin
Colinf at first. Amid deafeptng ap
IN the park J. franklin Raaer took hi
place at the platter and then ,punche
one 20 right ficld lust out or the reac,
Of Knight, Oldring sprinting from sec
und and over the dish for the first ru
of the season. johnson opened up
couple of valves and Tanned Damn
Sor again till the Afth did the -Ath
son blamed himself for them. Coomo
tirst man up, bifed binglo to cente
fold Johnson dashed In. seized Amo
Strunk's little tcaser on the third bas
line and, trying to get Coombs at sec
ond. hurled tho hall to deep center field
Beth Mnckersls scored, Strunk shown
II fancy turn Of speed.
Champs Gets Final Run.
In the sixth the final run came o"e
for tile champions. With one dow
Jack Barry cioutcd a pretty double I
center and roamcd over when JAG
Coon lis grabbed his second single, thi
one going 10 right field. Yes. 1t did loo
kuft for the champs.
For seven long innings the National
were Unable to get q, nit. The genel
0sity of Jack Coombs had let thre
different men reach second, but NJ
Till the eighth did the first hit show I
Felf off the tantaliHlng delivery Of IN
Colby cpllegian With Schaerfer dow
TJan Moeller. who played a smo"t
the pill for a single to right. He hus
led 10 third when Jack Flynn found or
10 hls liking and planted 1t oy'
StrunE's head and up against the Fl
cline for two sacks. Knight couldn
runrh one past Coombs, and McInn'
thought he could relay the pill to- SCI
ond to catch Flynn mapping. He didn
get Ia. former Pirate fsleep, and viii
the oall was in the DIR Dan Moell'
took :. chance and scored; 1t was Eoe
headvrork AID fast footwork on ii
part NJ The gardener.
The score. inning by inning, and r.