The Washington herald., 1913-08-09

Deep In the heart Of every faithful
follower Of the Nationals there has been
a great desire to see Walter johnson
shoot his smoke ball across the platter
at the Climbers park In worlds series
contest and with some that hope still
remains. but. pals. 1t Is futile, II il for
lorn; 1t will not be this year.
There is an old saying that while there
is life there Is hope, u. and 1t is true. In
deed, in the case Of those top-notch
Athletics, even though they were
trimmed by Jimmy Callahan's White
Sox. Nobody expects Connie Mack's
team to win every game during the re-
mainder Of the season and they will not.
but n glance at the dope will convince
any one that the Nationals are hope
lessly out Of the race for the top honors
and that only a miracle can land the
Naplanders at the top of the procession.
Look these figures over.
As the teams stand this morning the
Athletics are leading the race. having
gained Y victories and suffered g losses.
total OF 1Oi games played. As the
schedule calls for ia contests during a
season there remain to be played by
Connie Mack's team just 50 more games.
In all forecasts of the possible finish of
teams in a big league race. 1t is as
sumed that the winner will be forced to
carve 100 notches In the victory pole and
to do this little stunt what must the
Athletics do? They must win IS while
they are losing - Did you ever hear
OF Mack's team doing any such foolish
thing or making such a miserable show
ing during the years 1t has been a PEN
nant contender? In other words his club
must travel at $50 clip for the remain
der of the season. whereas at present II
is breezing along with n percentage OF
eS for the season. 1t Is unreasonable
TO suppose that any such thing will hap
pen.
Cleveland. with sixty-three victories
and forty-two defeats. Is nine and a half
games behind the leaders and have ore
less game to play. having completed 1G5
of their scheduled contests There re-
main on the Maps schedule forty-nine
games to be played. and in the event
that the Athletics only win twenty-eigh.
OF their remaining fifty games. in order
10 tie. Joe Birmingham's bunch will have
TO win thirty-seven of their forty-nine
contests. Do you think they will do II?
This pace would be .757. and you c,r
Just take II as a straight tip that the
Maps VIII not improve their play to that
extent. At present they are playing 600
baseball. Winning three out of four Is
vastly different proposition from win.
ning six out of ten, which is the Maps
present pace. Joe Birmngham's boa st
"hile the team was in Boston is a thing
OF the past. as Is the Maps chance OF
overhauling the leaders.
Griffith no doubt realizes, in view Of
tie severe setback administered by the
White SoN recently, thst his team ha s
no cnance ct all of clinching the covet-
ed honors. Second place is by no means
lost, and II would seem to be the final
resting place Of his team at the end OF
the season. inasmuch as the Climtsr =
are about to start on a long road trip
and 1t is on the road that his team shows
to the best advantage. The outcome Of
the remaining games to be played here
with Cleveland will have much bearing
en- the question Of who will finish sec
ond to tbS Athletics
So far as the Climbers chances for
annexing the pennant are concerned they
are almost too remote to mention. In
fact, 1t would be a terrible calamity &c
TAR as the population of the city is ctr-
cerned. for there would be SO many raw
ing, raging baseball maniacs at larr.
that the authorities would be unable 20
meet the situation. Here is what the
nave 90 IN order to
tain tie, always presuming that Con-
nie Mack's team will win only twenty
e,ght games while II is losing twenty-five
To date the Washington team has
played l@ games to a decision There
remains on the Climbers schedule vet
TO be played, fifty-one games. To enable
It TO create a tie with 100 games won to
hfty-four lost, the team must win forty
TWO OF its games while II is losing nine.
IL such thing should occur, and every
one knows how remote the chances are.
the best ball club We ever had would
have travelled at record-breaking pace
OF .S2i. or winning IA games out of
every ten. At present the club has a
winning percentage Of .563, or a trifle over
five and one-half games out Of every ten
played this season.
At the present time Philadelphia IL
thirteen and one-half games in advance
of the Nationals, while the Clevelanders
are but four games in front. Second
place We must have, first place We can
not get. So says the dope.
Not this year for the flag boys Maybe
when next October, 1914. rolls around you
can journey out to the Florida Avenue ball
yard and watch Walter johnson work
against the National League champions.
but il you care to see the world series
this year you can make all ARRANGEMENTS
now to spend a few days in October in
the nearby hamlet of Philadelphia
For today's game at National Park Griff
last night announced that Joe Boehling