Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-08
BY ]. ED GRILLo.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ST. LOUIS, August S.-Before the Ma
tionals return to their own grounds next
week there Is a splendid chance for them
TO crawl up within whispering distance OF
the Boston Red Sox. That the leaders IN
the race are slump.ng Is shown by the
manner in which opposing teams are TAX
ing to their pitchers, and as result OF
which the Red Sox have lost ground to
the Nationals on the western trip To-
day the men Of Griffith opened four
game series here with the Browns.
Though low in the race, these games
must not be counted victories before they
are won. Stovall's team Is apt to be
troublesome. Neither Boston nor the Ath-
letics have found II easy picking. and
Griffith does not expect to- He has been
telling his players of the dangers OF TAX
ing the Browns too lightly. He wants
his men to hustle against them as il they
were leading the race. and II his team
comes through and plays here as it has in
the other three cities of the western end
of the circuit. the chances are that ma
jor,ty of the games will prove victories
for Washington But there must be no
fooling and the team must put forth its
very best effort
While Washington is so engaged Bos-
ton will be busy with Detroit, and there
is no getting away from the fact that the
Tigers are right now going better than
any team in the west.
Jennings made 1t plain while the Ma
1ionals were in Detroit that he intended
TO get no worse than an even break with
the leaders. and he hoped TO do even bet
ter. In view of the fact that none of
Stahrs pitchers has been showing his
best form Of late. II Is not at all un-
likely that Detroit will help to set the
leaders back during the series which
opens today. and II this comes to pass
Washington stands grand chance to
gain lot Of ground Boston during
Its stay in st. Louis.
Conditions have never been so favorable
for the Nationals since the fight with
Foster has been on. Good. consistent base
ing. If continued during its stay here is
sure to have il within short distance of
the leaders by the time the team returns
home for its final clash in the east with
the western clubs
In no game that the Nationals have
played Of the present trip have they scor-
cd SO easy a victory as the one yesterday.
IL was. OF courst. a foregone conclusion
that Johnson would win his game but 1t
was rather surprising to find his team
securing so big a lead that II was neces-
sary Tor Grimth's star twirler to go but
six innings, after which he was replaced
by Engei. Right now johnson Is In the
best form he has ever been in since he
oonued Washington uniform.
Nothing but a miracle can beat him at
this time, and as he instills the greatest
confidence in his teammates whenever he
works, there is not one chance I'm ten Of
his losing game On the present trip
Yesterdays victory was Johnson
twenty-third of the season. as against
seven defeats This gives him the lead
over all the other pitchers In the circuit.
Incidentally. yesterday marked the
eleventh consecutive victory for the big
fellow. and he did not have to exert him.
self at that. Johnson is in perfect health
again. and his work shows it. 1t is a
picture to see him go through a ball
game these days. He is ever master of
the situation, and the tighter the pinch
the greater he looks. That remarkable
reserve force which he puts on tap when
ever he is threatened only serves to show
his wonderful ability and just how ef-
fective he would be IL he went at top
speed through an entire game. as he un-
doubtedly would do II a worlds series
hinged on the result,
In fact. all of Grifith's pitchers are
going well, and II is this fact which gives
hope that the time Is not far OF when
the Nationals will pass Boston in the
race. Stahfs twirlers appear tObe failing.
rhert are hints that the pitchers of the
leaders are giving away under the strain
OF leading the race and watching Wash
ington slowly. but surely, crawling up on
them.
LANCE and Peters were both unmerciflIl-