Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-06
BY J. ED GRILLo.

With almost half of the schedule play
ed Washington finds itself in second
place. Seventy-five games have been
played by Griffith's team. and when two
more are added one-half of the season
will be over. 1t is the first time in the
history of base ball in Washington that
. team has made so good showing,
and while even a first division berth
would be a wonderful achievement. there
LIS a chance for the team to finish at the
top Of the list Today only Boston leads
the Nationals. though. of course. Phiia-
delphia and Chicago are close on their
heels
Griffiths team is better fortified now
than it has been at any time this sea-
son. To begin with. the youngsters have
become more settled and accustomed TO
the company. Foster. Moelier, Shanks
and Morgan are better players today
than they were a month ago. Experience
has come in that time and their work is
much more finished
But ii is the pitching staff which has
been most improved. Griffith is now in
a position where he can change pitchers
in a game without affecting the strength
OF his staff. Before he secured Vaughn
and Petty he had either to use one of his
youngsters when one of his veterans was
weakening or vice versa. and this always
upset his plans for the future. Now he
is well supplied with pitchers and can
protect himself without jeopardizing his
pitching staff.
With luck breaking even the Nationals
should make a good showing against the
western teams. The club Is stronger
than ii was on its last invasion Of that
section. Cleveland opens here Tuesday
with double-header. and Griffith will
probably have Groom and johnson ready
to pitch these games.
One of the most troublesome pitchers
that the Nationals ere asked to face is
Jack Warhop of the Highlanders. The
diminutive twirler with the underhand
motion always gives the locals an argu-
ment. even when he lacks the proper
support. Twice in the series just closed
he has forced the Nationals to go the
limit to beat him, and yesterday it re-
Quired sixteen innings and Walter john
sons best to turn the trick. WARRIOR
owes his effectiveness to that underhand
delivery. He can make the ball rise and
drop with this same delivery. and it is
next to impossible to hit it squarely
when he has his control warhop is the
smallest pitcher in the league. and when
not worked too much Is also one of the
most effective.
Brilliant fielding by Foster saved the
game in the eleventh, which Dowd open
ed with a two-bagger. Martin was out
trying to sacrifice when he popped up to
johnson. Wolverton met the ball square
ly. and sharp grounder which threatened
to pass third was the result Foster made
a great stop Of the ball and threw out
Wolverton, holding Dowd on third. A
moment later Warhop sent q low liner
right at Foster and the side was out.
Johnson pitched wonderful ball after
he got into the game. and had he been
properly supported he would have had to
go but nine innings. He was not scored
on In the last twelve innings, but he had
10 work hard all the way. and with the
Thermometer high up 1t proved hard
days job for him.
Joe Engel did not have the good breaks.
Errors got him into trouble in the fourth.
or he would probably have won his game
in a canter. Engel allowed but two hits
and struck out FIVE men in the few In
nings he pitched. The youngster has lot
of stuff. and Is sure to be great pitcher
some day. 1t was too bad that conditions
were such that he had to be taken out.
for to pitch full game would be a great
benefit to him.
In the final inning, after Moeller had
singled. the New York infield came in for
a hunt from Foster. But. as usual. the
little third baseman crossed the position.
and, while pretending to bunt. hit through
short field, Dowd barely knocking the
ball down. thus preventing Moeller from
going to third.
When II comes to place hitting Foster
has no equal. He can do more with a bat
and ball than any other player in the
league, and much Of the teams success
has been due to the fact that Foster fools
the opposing infelds in the pinches.
Just how uncertain base ball is was
proved by the game Of yesterday. After
having cleaned up the field with the
Highlanders for two days and scoring
runs almost at will, no one expected that
there would be much of a contest fur
nished by the final game. and as a result
the attendance fell off badly. But the
game proved one Of the most interesting
of the year. The good pitching of War
hop, of course. made that possible With
offered his felders were weak and easy
andA consequently the support was good.
Griffith hasn't a more dangerous hitter
on his team than johnson. Any time the
big fellow is up at the plate he is apt to
break up a ball game with long drive.
When he hits there Is always something
doing for no batter takes a more healthy
wallop at the ball than he. Defeat would
have been the Nationals lot yesterday
but Tor JohnsOnS trusty bat, for II was
his three-base hit in the sixth which en-
abled his team to tie the score.
The splendid performance of Rixey, the
former Virginia College pitcher, who
yesterday shut out the Bostons, may
create the impression that Griflth made
a mistake when he did not sign the tall
southpaw. But the facts of the case are
that there never was chance for Rixey
TO come here. 1t seems that he entered
into an agreement with Umpire Rigier,
who coached the college team, not to
sign with any club until Rigler gave his
consent. Rigler naturally wanted Rixey
TO go to some National League club and
II was he who induced him 10 join the
Phillies With proper handling Rixey il
very apt TO prove most successful
pitcher In the National League He was
poorly trained and overworked while with
Virginia.
Engel was wild sn the first inning. He
started by hitting Daniels and then walk
ed Otis. He forgot TO look around and
did not see Mcbride chasing Daniels
back to secord. and Sterrett's grounder
rolled through short field. scoring two
runs
lie was in more trouble i'm the fourth
He struck out Dowd, but walked Martin
Mcbride fumb' ed Wolverton's grounder
and Sweeney singled. Milan threw wildly
10 the plate and Wolverton and Sweeney
moved up to third and second. Engel was
relieved by Johnson at this stage and ne
struck out Warhop. Johnson hit Dam
iels, filling the bases. and then Mcbride
muffed Otis little ny. and two more runs
came home
Hits by Gandil and walk to Morgan