Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-08
BY J, ED GR1LLo.


appears to have worse control this year
than ever before, cannot be relied upon
| and in nearly every game he has worked
in this year he has lasted only a ie"
| innings Last season Mack could use
either Bender or Plank to relieve his
young twirlers, but so far as Bender Is
concerned, this seems out of the aues-
ton right now The Chief has been hit
hard on both of his last starts, and yes
terday he was hit harder than he has
been in several years. 1t may be that
the Indian will regain his form in due
time, but he has shown but little to date
and the impression is current that he
has seen his best days.
| Right now Mack has but one seasoned
pitcher who has shown his old form,
Eddie Plank and he has reached thaA
stage of his career where he must nave
| at least five days rest between games IN
order to be at his best 1t is not hkely
that Plank can be used for emergencies
this season. and none of Mack 8
youngsters. excepting Shawkey. have
shown any thing this spring. his pitching
staff does not loom up very strong Mack.
of course, has d wonderful ball team. 1t
has both defensive and offensive strength.
Yet DIT is doubtful if this combination can
land the team on top without the aid of
good pitching. and Mack has not had that
to date.
Doc Ayers is slated to pitch for the Ma
tionals this afternoon, and Mack is ex-
pected to send either Plank or Shawkey
to the rubber for the champions. 1t will
be the second time this spring that
Ayers has been asked to start game
for himself.
For the first time in more than year
Dan Moeller suffered a dislocaton of
his left shoulder during yesterdays game.
In the fourth inning he stretched a sin
gle into double and he had to make
a desperate slide into the bag to make
the play possible. In so doing he dis
located his arm and the game had to
be stopped while Trainer Mike Martin,
with his foot against Moeller's chest,
pulled it back into place. Moeller then
continued in the game There is but
little pain with this dislocation and the
chances are taht Moeier will continue to
play regularly.
Season before last Moeller had six or
seven such experiences during the season,
but last season il did not happen once
and it was believed that the weak Shout
der had mended under the treatment
Moeller had undergone winter before last.
1t looked very much as If the luck
which usually favors the Athletics in
their games with the Nationals was still
prevalent. when. in the third inning. with
the bases full and only one out. Collins
leaped high in the air and pulled down
| Milan's perfect drive with his gloved
hand The hit had all the earmarks of a
three-bagger TO the fence and would have
cleared the bases. 1t was wonderful
bit of fielding and Collins came near
to turning 1t into a double play. After
eral opinion that the Nationals were
doomed. for no one expected Bender to
prove as easy as he was.
What handy man Wally Smith is
proving himself. He is not only capable
to fill most any position on the team,
but the long lay-offs do not seem to dim
his batting eye. Yesterday he was up
hits. besides stealing base. 1t is a safe
prediction that unless some Of those
players who are in a batting slump come
into form soon Smith will make
his debut in the regular lineup He is
almost too valuable a man to have sit
ting on the bench.
Dan Moeller looked like the Moeller OF
old in yesterdays struggle. He not only
played a brilliant game In the field his
catch of McInnis' fly in the third inning
being a clever piece of fielding be-
cause McInnis hit into a field where
but he also was instrumental in
bringing runs over the plate, getting three
hits during the afternoon. all of which,
were timely. 1t Is to be hoped that Dan
has finally struck his stride, for when he
: is hitting up to his standard there is not
a more valuable ball player in Grit
fth's lineup. His speed and good judg-
ment on the bases have helped the Ma
tionals to many victories.
Brown. who started yesterdays game
has been unable to help his team this
spring because Of his wildness. Yester-
day was the second time this spring that
he started a game against the Nationals.
but had to be taken out because he could
: not locate the plate. Mack has been
carrying Brown for three seasons. and
, he has shown but little improvement in
| the matter of control, though he would
very likely be successful pitcher but
for this.
RI None Of Mac, youngsters seem blessed
with command of the ball, hence are not
, reliable.
Poor Judgment by the coach at third
base cost the Athletics a run in the
) sixth inning which Orr started with a
clean line drive to left center. He made
third base easily. but after slowing up
there was sent home to his doom. There
was one out at the time and the
Athletics were one run behind.
The relayinS Of the ball Orr hit was
a brilliant play Slanks went to the
fence at top speed and tossed the ball
t to Milan. who in turn heaved it to Nor
gan. who made the throw to the plate
1t was the splendid handling of the ball
by Henry. who barely had time to touch
lOrr. which made the put out possible
Preventing this score undoubtedly saved
| the game for the Nationals, for 1t was
by this small margi nthat the contest
, was decided.
| There is such marked improvement in
. Howard Shank's hitting that he stands
a good chance Of being a great help to
the team in an offensive way this sea
son. Shanks is not being handicapped
l to date by the i'll luck of having hard
hit balls go right at some waiting
fielder. More of his drives going
safe this year and that was all that was
e ever necessary to prove him anything
1 but a weak batter.
Winning that first game may make 1t
s possible for the Nationals to win a ma
jority of the games of the present series.
: Unless some of Mack's youngsters show
unexpected reversal OF form they ought
to be outpitched by the twirlers Crit
fifth will use against the champions.
v Ayers was effective against the Athletics
in the game at Philadelphia, johnson
showed that he has regained his form In
Z the game he pitched against the Yankees
, the other day. and he will work Satur-
day. while for Mondays game Griffith
will likely send back Boehling. and the
chances are he will then display better
form than he did yesterday.
= Eddie Foster made q marvellous play
! on McInnis grounder in the fifth, when
he picked up the ball right on top of the
bag and, without Strengthening up or
steadying himself, whipped it to Morgan
: at second in time to force Baker. Nor
gam too, handled the ball well and shot
| it to first From the stand it seemed
that the throw had beaten Mc1nnis a
! STEP but Umpire Connolly, who un-