Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-17
un Promises to Do Edge Work for Nationals te Base baNew'

never intended for the major leagues. He
worked in only one inning, and in that
one round he was given the severest drub-
bling that any of Grfffith's pitchers has
had this season. After he had struck out
Rondeau Dubuc hit ball over the score
board for home run. and then Louden,
Witt and Crawford followed with ripping
singles that We're of the genuine order.
Ihere is no reason for expecting any re-
lief of the pitching situation from Drohan.
He may have been q star in the bushes,
but he would only help to increase the
batting averages of the opposing players
If he was assigned to do duty in this COM
pany.
Notwithstanding the fact that Jen-
nings team is down in the race and is
not apt to play prominent part in this
seasons campaign, he has a better bal
anced team than he is given credit for.
1t looks to be a much better aggregation
than st. Louis or New York can boast OF
and it may beat out one or two others.
Dubuc, of course, is just about the best
pitcher Jennings can call on. and this
may have had the effect of making the
Tigers look good yesterday, though Du-
buc did not pitch anywhere near his usual
form.
The way the Nationals are now hitting
it takes pitcher of Walter Johnson 8
ability to win for the team. Hughes
game would have been a winner nine
score enough runs to give its pitchers q
margin to work on, and any sort of a
wobble means defeat. For five innings
Hughes held the locals to two hits He
was bit off in the sixth, and yet IL his
team had taken advantage of the numer-
Gus opportunities it had to score earlier
in the game the little rally the Tigers
enjoyed in this round would not have
amounted to much. AS it was, it proved
sufficient to decide the contest.
John Henry appears to be in his best
form at last. Three of the Tigers, In
Guiding Cobb, tried to take liberties with
his throwing arm yesterday, and he turn
ed every one of them back. Cobb was
the easiest of the lot for Henry to nail,
for Morgan stood waiting with the ball
when Cobb slid into second. But John
is not hitting. As yet Ban Johnson has
no official notice that he is In the league.
if such notice is given through the base
hit route. Nothing that resembles hit
has been made by Henry this season, and
this naturally has been a severe handi-
has worked. for, as luck would have 1t. he
has usually been up with men on the
bases.
The chances are that Griffith will pitch
Groom today. He had intended to work
Engel in one of the games here, but with
one of them postponed he is particularly
anxious to win the next two. and Groom
and Johnson are expected to deliver the
goods Groom, on the form he displayed
in st. Louis should prove a hard man to
beat here, in view of the fact that he has
always been more or less successful
against the Tigers. even when they were
pennant winners. Johnson is slated for
Sunday. and IL the day is clear and warm
the chances are that he will be the cause
of breaking all attendance records here
for the season.
1t is strange, indeed. that Frank La
porte has forgotten how to hit. 1t was
the one thing that Frank was believed to
be able to do in ball game. and yet
since he has been filling Fosters place he
has been one of the weakest members Of
the team with the stick He Is not only
connects there is no force behind the
blow. If Laporte were hitting as he
should there would be lot of different
stories to tell of many of the Nationals
games. He is naturally batting in a place
in the order where he could do a lot of
damage If he were hitting up to form,
and his slump has proved disastrous on
more than one occasion.
Dubucs home run was one Of the long
est hits ever made on Navin Field. Left
field Is by no means short, and in left
center high score board is built. 1t
must be fully forty or fifty feet from the
ground, and Dubuc hit liner over this.
1t cleared the fence by yards and is the
second time in the history OF the park
that this has been done. Strangely
enough. Willett. pitcher. accomplished
the feat last year, but his was a high
fly. while Dubuc's was a liner.
Eddie Foster is on his way to recovery.
In letter to Alva Williams the Ma
tionals' crack third baseman tells OF his
pital, slowly recovering his strength.
Here is the letter:
Am still in here. fiat on my back and
itching to get back in the game. Ought
to get up this week. but 1t will take me
some time to get strong again. My legs
have shrunk away until they are as thin
as dime, but I'll pick up fast when ]
get able to step around Feel fine all the
time, and they have a hard time around
here trying to keep me STILL so that my
temperature won't bounce up again. II
a guy gets too frisky when he Is getting
over this. 1t is liable to put him back
again for month. so guess I'll cut out
some of the pepper | get the scores
every day. but l get awfully sore when I
hear that you have lost.
Hope the boys win the majority of the
games out west. The pitchers don't
seem to be right yet Remember me to
and get back soon. Am getting bugs ly
ing in the hay all day long"
With any sort Of hitting the Nationals
would have had more runs than they
could possibly use during the early in
nings of yesterdays game. he first in
ming, for instance. after Moeller had been
retired Milan walked. but was nailed try
ing to work the delayed steal. Morgan
got scratch hit through Gainor.
Williams got double ball hit
sharply at Witt which bounded into left
field and Morgan reached third. With
second and third occupied Laporte drop
ped the ball In front of the plate and
Dubuc tried to catch Morgan scoring, but
was too late. Laporte then stole sec
ond and Mcbride was walked, filling the
bases, but Shanks' line drive was right
at Cobb and the inning was over
In the second Moeller walked with two
out, but was left. The third produced
run from a start that gave hope of a
real rally This time Morgan walked and
Williams sent him to third on the hit
and run play when he hit safely to left
through the spot where LoLden had stood