Evening star., 1914-05-26
BY J. ED GRILLO.


At no time since the Nationals have
been factors in the American League
race. which has been during the past two
seasons has the team played such good
ball as it has Of late. Ever since the
winning streak has been on the locals
have outplayed their rivals from the west.
Ten of the twelve games played with the
invaders have been victories. and there
are bright prospects for more.
Not only is the team fielding in its
usual brilliant form. but it is playing a
more intelligent game of ball and it is
hitting in better form than it ever has
before. 1t is going to take some playing
to stop the Nationals in their present
stride. None of the other teams in the
race is playing up to the standard the
locals have set The most encouraging
feature of the teams performances is
that it has had a long winning streak
on its own grounds, where heretofore it
did its poorest work IL it can keep up
its pace on the road it stands to reason
that the team which beats 1t to- the wire
! will win the pennant.
The showing against Detroit yesterday
was In many respects the best perform
son. The team. of course, had the ad-
vantage of finding the pitching to their
liking, in addition to playing fast and
| intelligent bah.
The second game of the series is slated
for today. Jennings intends to pitch
either Hall or Coveleskie, while Griffith
Is going to use Joe Boehling. .Bochlns
is believed to have entirely recovered
from the injury to his knee, and Is ex-
pected to show improved form over his
last appearance.
The Nationals hitting OF late has
shown so much, improvement that the
tea m is sure to figure among the strong
hitting aggregations ere long. In the last
nine games no one pitcher has been able
to withstand the locals hitting and in
every one of these games the opposing
team has been forced to use two or more
twirlers. Jim Scott of the White Sox
was the last pitcher to go the entire
route against the locals, and he was
beaten ! to . i'll ten innings by Ayers.
On two occasions yesterday the locals
worked the squeeze play successfully. In
the third inning. with. Gandil on third,
Shanks pushed the ball down the first
base line. and Gapdil scored. and in the
seventh Morgan brought Shanks home
on a tap to Kavanaugh.
| Shanks' performance in the inning re-
ferred to when, on playing the squeeze.
| he avoided being touched by the ball in
the hands of Burns, was one of the clev-
crest ever seen OH a ball field Shanks
had showed the ball down the first-base
line and Burns. picking it up, stood, wait
ing for Howard to walk up to him to be
touched. But Shanks suddenly slid un-
! der Burns and reached the bag in safety.
He followed this by working the delayed
steal catching both Witt and kavanaugh
off their guard. Shanks is the most i'm
proved ball player of the season. Not
only is he hitting better than ever before.
but he is showing himself to be an intelli-
gent player of splendid spirit. If Shanks
can keep up his present pace he Is sure to
be classed with the star outfielders OF
base ball.
Give Walter johnson a comfortable
lead and he Immediately begins to save
his pitching arm. Johnson has no am
bitions to make records against opposing
teams He likes to beat them. but once
he gains a lead he merely lobs the ball
over and takes a chance on his support
For. two innings yesterday johnson dis
PLAYED his real form. but after the Na,
tionals got him four runs in the second
he began to loaf. putting only ordinary
speed on the ball and letting the Tigers
hit He had perfect control, but one man.
the first man to face him. and ms Two
strike-outs came in the first two innings,
when he was putting all his stun on the
ball Griffith wisely took Walter out
after the seventh. SO that he will be in a
position to use him again in the f1nai