Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-28
FRANK LAP0RTE SOLD
TO KANSAS CITY CLUB
CONTINUED from First Page.)

the past five years. Mcbride is to be
presented with a handsome testimonial.
There will be the usual ceremonies and
band and it is believed that one OF
the largest crowds of the year will be
present.
With GedeOn suspended and Laporte
sold, young -Acosta Is finally to have a
real chance to show what he can do.
1t is Griffith's intention to play him in
left field during the remainder OF the
season. and unless he misses his guess
he expects Acosta to give the FANS a
real surprise. The little fellow has been
diligently practicing batting for the
past six weeks or so, something he was
not given an opportunity to do early in
the season, and he has shown so much
improvement in this respect that 1T Is
thought he will prove a most valuable
player for the team
Acosta has already established the
fact that he is by far the cleverest
bunter on the team. He has the knack
of being able to lay the ball down on
either side of the plate, and this. to-
gether with the fact that he has shown
himself to be more than an ordinary
batter. is figured to make him show
to good advantage.
The Nationals now have a rather
short lead for second place, but there
is some advantage in having Cleveland
behind them. This. of course. is apt to
be hard week for the Nationals, for
they will have six games in a row with
Philadelphia and Boston, and neither
is apt to be easy picking. The Ath-
letics. of course, are making a special
effort to get themselves on edge. while
Boston still has fight on with Chi
cago for fourth place. and will put
forth every possible effort But there
is nothing to be feared even from these
teams If the Nationals will play the
same kind of ball at home that they
have here.
been here for several days watching the
Giants play in Brooklyn, is absolutely
confident that the Mackmen will beat the
Giants in the worlds series. He said this
morning that at no time this season have
the players under Mack been in such ex-
cellent condition as they are at pres
ent, and, incidentally. he called at
tention to the fact that both Bender and
Plank are in better form now than they
have been at any time during the pres
ent campaign. On the other hand. he does
not believe that either Mathewson Mar
guard or Demaree will be able to hold
the Athletic hitters in check, and that
if anything this series will be won much
more easily than it was two years ago.
The Giants. on the other hand, are not
only showing discouraging batting
slump, but it is questionable whether
Doyle will be able to play in the games.
play AS to be able to report 10 Mack
whether the team is stronger this year
than it was two years ago. and he init
mated this morning that he was of the
opinion that the Giants were not near
as strong now as they were then.
An effort is being made to have Griffith
take the Nationals to Cuba next spring
to do their training. but the matter has
not yet been settled and probably won't
be for some time. The inducement held
out to Griffith is not only the weather
reports, showing prevailing conditions
there during the month of March, but as
surance Is given that the money taken in
greatly decrease the expense of bringing
a large squad of players to the island.
Griffith. Of course, has different ideas
about the training trips a ball team
needs He does not want to go where
it is too warm because of the change
the players have to undergo when they
return to the states, and yet he might De
induced to give Cuba a trial. But IN vie"
of the fact that Griffith, like all managers
of ball teams is more or less suspicious
he Is very apt to insist on going back 10
Charlottesville because both seasons that
the team has trained there 1t has finish-
ed well up in THE race.
The soil aSe1t the pitchers box on the
Polo Grounds here contains certain
amount of mica. which when rubbed on
the bal, causes II to become Snppeis
and therefore gives a pitcher lot OF
trouble to control. Pitchers who have
had their experience here never think OF
such thing as letting any of the SOIL
with which the pitchers box is filled gel
on the ball When this Is necessary they
go into one of the base paths and run
the ball Slim Love. however. was
not wised up to this fact. and this was
the cause OF his wildness in the ninth,
when he walked four men and forced two
runs over the plate. Love, If he has any
thing has control. yet in the ninth ne
was wilder than March hare, and hs
eou not make the ball behave. 1t was
all because he insisted al the outset o.
the inning on rubbing he ball on the
ground and, of cou se as he could not
get it over it was never fouled out. Love, |
however. showed real gameness while
was having his troubles with his control
and did not grow the least bit nervous or
ratified.
The Nationals, with Shaw pitching, will J
play exhibition game in Newark to- |
day. Griffith. Johnson, Love- Groom and |
several others of the players left here |
right after the game today for Wash |
ington.
Milan continues his remarkable hitting |
streak He came through again with two
clean-cut singles today, and hit the ball