Evening star., 1914-10-02
MILAN THEF|RST
REGULAR TOLEAVE
Nationals Crack OutfieIder
Quits Team After Yes
terday's Game.
CHANCES FOR FINISHING
THIRD ARE RATHER SLIM
Team Might Have Been Benefited by
Experimenting This
Fall.
BY J. ED GRuLo.

Clyde Milan. the Nationals star out
fielder. played his last game of the
season yesterday. Milan left for his
home at Linden. Tenn, last night and
will not return until in the spring,
when reporting time rolls around
But for the accident which put Milan
out of the lineup for about six weeks
this summer there is no doubt that the
Nationals would have had a much
higher percentage in the race at pres
ent. Milan undoubtedly is one Of the
most valuable members of the team
and his absence always is felt. Milan
has not been at his best since his re-
turn to the line. He was weak as a
result of his fractured jaw, which did
not allow him to eat anything but
fluid food.
Wyckoff pitched a splendid game Of
ball here yesterday and if he can retain
this form he Is sure to stand a chance
of being used in the worlds series.
He allowed but three hits, these be-
ing widely scattered. and he seemed
to have lot in reserve whenever he
was threatened by the Nationals.
Griffith intends to play Acosta in
season and he ought to get a fairly
good line on the Cuban's changes to
make good here in that time. Acosta
has been greatly handicapped in the
few trials he has had this season, be-
cause of the fact that he was kept out
OF the game for weeks at a time and
then showed into the lineup, a system
which is not expected to give a young
player a chance to show to advantage
II Acosta is played regularly for a
while he undoubtedly will prove him
self worthy of retention, for there is no
doubt about his having lot of ability
for boy Of his age.
Despite the fact that the Nationals
lost two games to the Mack recruits,
they are still tied with Detroit for
third place. This because Of the Browns
ability to win two out of three from
the Tigers. But the Jenningsites should
have easy picking now. for they are
the remainder of the campaign, while
the Nationals will be playing Philadel-
phia and Boston.
Griffith might have been better of
had he made no effort to finish third
and instead of retaining his regular
lineup had put in the last month Of
the season experimenting with all the
youngsters he could get to report here.
In this way he might have gotten a
draw from next season. 1t makes little
difference to the fans whether a team
finishes third or fourth. and the last
month of the campaign might have
been put in to better advantage.
John Henry will join the ranks of
the Benedicts October IA. when he will
be married to Miss Dorothy Perry Of
New York. Mr.. and Mrs. Henry are
apt to make the trip through the west
with the Mack team after the worlds
series.
According to Ira Thomas, the same
team which twice defeated the Nation
ais here will face them for the next
two days in Philadelphia. 1t is not
Mack's intention to use any of his reg
ulars until Monday. when they play
New York. Then the regular team will
be in the field to go for three days,
so that the players will be on edge for
the opening game with the Braves Fri
day.
Those who figured that the Nationals
chances for finishing third were helped
by the fact that they did not have to
meet the regular Mack forces made a
serious mistake, for the second team
was just as successful against the To-
Gals as the first team could have been.