The Washington herald., 1913-07-28
7oehIing Hopes to
Win Twelfth Today
Young Southpaw Goes Against Browns and Will
Hook Up with Leverenz-Other Sport
Gossip and Comment

outlucked in every extra Inning game we
have played. In seventeen games that
ranged from ten to fifteen innings. we
have lost fourteen. won two, and tied
one. When a team runs as many games
as these. neck-and-neck for nine innings
and only pulls two, they are playing in
hard luck.
81 feel that I have the nucleus Of q
winning club. in the young players
have signed up. Lavan did not make a
hit in sixteen games and ! was scorched
by home papers for continuing to play
him at short. The wisdom of this is
now proven, as he is hitting the ball fire.
cuently and hard. Jack Johnston is an
other man who is daily improving, while
in Weiiman 1 have a pitcher who Is
bound to become great twirler. Az
news accident will affect US somewhat.
hut Alexander and McAllister. I consider
to be crackerjack backstops. Take II
from me. the st. Louis team will cease
to be the Missouri pup e'er many
moons.
Says the Philadelphia Record yester-
day: Manager Mack has hopes that
Pitcher Coombs will still be of service to
writes that he has regained his lost
"tlSHl, 10 lcSililS NidSSp aiiu WIZ
join the club in ten days. Coombs Is a
man who trains himself and IL he re-
ports 1t will not be at all surprising to
see him in a game by the middle of
August Should be regain the form he
displayed last season his coming will
prove a great help to the Athletics in the
hard games that usually mark the close
of the season. Shawkey's spien-
did showing against the Detroit team on
TEtt d,ax- xt-ha he hall 70
intield hits. makes it look as though he
might prove of some help TO the team
also and as II is in the pitching depart
ment that the club has shown most
weakness. the outlook for the last half
of the season is most encouraging. With
good pitching the Athletics outrank any
team in the American League, and they
are still sailing along in front Of the race
with a weakened stan. Eddie Plank cam
not stand the gam as he once could. That
was demonstrated yesterday, when he
was hit freely by the Tigers. whereas
ne shut out that team in the last game
at Detroit. Bender is pretty nearly as
good as even when he is just right, but
he has been unfortunate enough to meet
with slight ailments that have affected
his work at times. Brown is the best of
the second string men, but he cannot
always be depended upon. The coming
of Shawkey and Coombs should help
greatly.
Just how good the Athletics have been
going this season is well illustrated by
the fact that the last trip abroad. on
which the team won twenty-one games
and lost twelve, is the poorest showing
they have made SO far. That they will
win the pennant and put up a great fight
for the worlds championship is now the
popular belief. However. Connie Mack is
taking nothing for granted and says he
expects the Western teams to put up a
great fight for every game played. He
declares that all the teams are going
at fast clip just now and consequently
are much harder to beat than they were
earlier in the season. He still thinks the
Maps are the hardest proposition and re-
fuses TO take any stock in Griffith's claim
for class for the Washington club. the
| success of which is due principally to the
pitching of Johnson and Boehling.