Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-08
BY J. ED GRILLO.
Special Dispatch TO The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
| DETROIT Mich, July s-'us'
why 1t is that the Nationals al
ways play their poorest ball against weak
| teams while they loom up like champions
! against teams which are nearer their
own class, Is one of the mysteries which
| cannot be explained.
| Had the Nationals played anything
like the ball they put up in Boston In
New York, they would probably have
made a clean sweep of the series there.
But there was evidence of that tired
feeling in every one of the four games
| against Chances men, with the result
that the best they could do was to get
an even break.
There may have been some excuse Tor
the listlessness displayed in the game
Friday afternoon. for the team had hao
a strenuous trip and little rest coming
down from Boston, but there was no ex-
cuse for the exhibition in the first game
of the double header YESTERDAY
| Engel did not pitch star ball IN TINS
game, but he was not responsible Tor the
three-run lead which the YANKEES Sc
cured i'm the opening inning. which vir-
tually decided the game. Two dinerent
| balls which had to go for base hits In
the first inning should have been COB
| bled up by Morgan.
| One of these should have resulted in
double play and under ordinary clrcum-
| stances no runs should have been scored
But Morgan was slow on his feet, play yea
| the balls poorly, and made a lot OF
lost fly ball in the darkness of the
| stand, which also helped to contribute
| to the runs
| The play of the visitors was stupid ana
slow during the entire game ana they
| never had chance to win. There was a
| slight awakening in the second struggle
probably produced by the excellent pitch
| ing of Boehling. 1t is hard to understand
why ball players will lose their ginger on
| occasions where there is so much al
stake One would suppose that being up
| against a comparatively weak team would
| spur a team on to its best efforts. There
| is still a chance for the Nationals to nm
iSh we'll UP in the race. Even a remote
| chance for the pennant exists, but unless
| advantage is taken of the easy games
| this is sure to go glimmerng.
| There is no longer any doubt about Joe
! Boehling being a finished pitcher. he
| seems to improve with every game, and
| his work yesterday was nothing short OF
| splendid. Not only did he have good con-
| troll, but he had the Yankees eating out
| of his hand the entire route. and was far
more effective against the right-handers
| batting than the left-siders. A curve
! ball, Of which he had perfect command.
baff1ed the Yankees in every inning, and
he handled himself in every way like a
veteran. Boehling has so well established
himself now that his team plays benind
him with every confidence which is not
the case when some Of the other young
scored his eighth consecutive victory he
is now within two games of the season s
record in the American League, held
Jointly by Johnson and Falkenberg. Ii
49, hfyra no
his present form there is chance for
him to hang a new mark. What an
achievement it would be for pitcner
who until a few weeks ago was virtually
record, and yet Boehling stands good
chance to accomplish this.
Having worked his young pitchers in
New York, Griffith is well fortified for
the Detroit games. Groom will open the
session here tomorrow, and then Will De
followed by Johnson. while Harper Is apt
to be given a chance in the final game
There Is probability that Engel too.
will get a return engagement "he luck
| OF this youngster must turn some time.
| Up to this time his team has always
| failed to get him any runs, and Incl
dentally he has had all the worst OF the
breaks In the luck. If Engel ever gets
of well he may have the same success
that has followed Boehling since he
| started to win.
Lay-offs do not help the Nationals.
Griffith is never happier than when he
has a game to play every day. He holds
that these off days set his players back,
| and 1t really seems so. for in most in
| stances the team play. far below its
standard after having had an off day
| or two.
| Henry and Ainsmith are now catching
| as good ball as ever in their lives. There
was a time earlier In the season when
| neither Of the young catching stars was
| in good form, but since the team mas
been on the road both of them have been
| throwing perfectly and doing splendid
work behind the plate. Around the cir.
| cult this pair is generally recognized as
the two best young catchers in the
league. and they deserve this reputation.
| Manager Griffith met with a painful
accident after yesterdays games. In
| hurrying from the shower bath his feet
gave way and he fell fiat on his back,
/ striking his shoulders on the floor with
great force. His head barely missed a
| wooden sill which keeps the water from
| flowing out and for few minutes he
was rendered unconscious. He finally
shaken up and suffering from a severe
pain his back, does not appear to be
much the worse for his experience.
Grounds makes the field one Of the
hardest in the country to play on. It is
Impossible for the felders to see a ball
until it comes out of the shadow Of the
stand and it is then often SO far out OF
their reach that they cannot field it.
shanks had this sort of experience
yesterday when Borton hit a high fly
could not see and it fell safe. netting
two bases. adding to the Yanks runs
Even the infielders find it hard to handle
hard-hit balls for the same reasons.
Engel gave but three bases on balls in
the first game and every one of them
developed into a run. In the first round
he walked Daniels. and when Morgan al
lowed VOTERS grounder to evade him
Daniels went to third. Morgan also failed
to reach Cree's grounder and run came
home. Then Hartzell hit safely, and,
after Peckinpaugh was out, Borton was
made a present OF q two-bagger by
Shanks. and three runs were over the
plate.
walk to Cree in the third, a hit by
pitcher and a couple of put-outs sent
the fourth run over and when Cree
walked for a second time in the sixth he