Evening star., 1914-04-25


home has been lar below its she
the PLAYING OF the two games ne
differ from the past i'll that reSpe
The average ball team has an adyan-
tage when it is ON its own hetd- MOI
only does il benefit by reason of being
familiar with the grounds, but II Is
helped by the announcement il gets from
the spectators. The Nationals. however,
seem rot to be affected in tins way;
Put the team before a hostile croWd anu
IL usually shows its best form 1t ap-
.nears 70 have an entirely different spirit
when away from home. As rule the
team which can win on the road mas
an easy time at home. but with the va
tiouals lust the opposite is the case
For "A time this difference IN the team 5
performance was blamed on the clrnate,
bur that could not possibly be the case
in the spring and fail when the weather
here does not differ from that OF other
cities in the circuit. Nor IS there the
slightest difference in the care the PA!
ers take of themselves Grlfnti is oieSseu
with well behaved lot Of men. iney
are no more apt to violate the training
rules at home than they are abroad when
they are all under one roof ana their
manager is in constant touch with them
But the fact remains that in the games
loom UP like a team that really had
chance. and vet the unpreJudtced VINO
see ii in action in other cities recognize
its strength
1t was unfortunate that Joe Engel
should have been selected 70 start the
game Had either Ayers or Shaw Eesii
chosen the chances are that the Ma
tionals would have won. Griffith had
named the three twirlers as being ehsl-
bic for the game. then took EnSel De
cause in the past he has always been
very successful against the Red SoX
Joe started well, too. getting through
the first two innings without any trouble
Then he lost control. walked three men
and lost. the game. Ayers gave a splendid
exhibition of pitching with the three
men on. He got rid of Engle and
speaker. but the latter's drive hurt his
injured hand. and when he pitched the
first ball to Lewis. which the latter
drove for two bases. he did not have the
usual amount of speed on the ball.
Ayers was hit safely but once while he
was on the SLAB, and that was the hit
which won the game.
Eddie Fosters playing in yesterdays
game was nothing short of marvellous.
He had all sorts of difficult chances and
handled them all without the senblance
Of an error. Incidentally he showed
that he is getting into batting form
when in the third inning. with Moeller
on first, they played the hit and run
Moeller to third base.
Griffith expects to work Joe Boehling
against the Red Sox today. The last
time that Joe faced the Carrigans he
shut them out.
Chick Gandil will not be out of the
game very long. He was much i'm
proved this morning and reported at
the office of the club physician. 1t is
not unlikely that he will get into the
game this afternoon.
Wally Smith played a splendid game
in Gandips position He made but one
second in the ninth when Carrigan,
after being caught off first ran for
second. But Smith handled some very
difficult throws to the bag like a vet
eran and, incidentally, he hit the ball
hard every time up. but was unfortu-
nate in not getting it safe
That Smith is by far the most valua-
bic utility man the Nationals have ever
had is plain He seems to be able to
fill almost any position, and is always "a
dangerous man at the bat
There is a lot of luck in base ball, and
tine Nationals have hardly had their
share OF it in the two games they have
played here. In the fourth inning yes
terday, for instance, with Moeller on
third and Foster on first, with none out,
.
right field 1t was right at Yerkes, how
ever. when If it had been foot two
to either side he could not have handled
1t. Smith. the next man up. drove a
sharp grounder toward left. but Janvrin
did not have to move for it. Had either
one of these drives gone safe there
would be different sto-y to tell of the
game.
That Boston outfieid is still the great
est III the league Lewis Speaker and
Hooper arc a competent trio, and much
of the teams strength is given by them.
They are all good feeders. superb throw
eIs and htters of much more than ord
nary ability. and. incidentally, they are
all fast on the bases. As fielder Iris
Speaker is absolutely in class by him
SELF. 1t is no easy matter to get a ball
by him. He mas great ability in COM
ing forward going back. while ne COW
ers wonderful lot of ground, going to
either side.
That the scoring ability of the Nationals
would be materially improved if either
Milan or Morgan We're hitting in form
stands TO reason. Milan hit we'll until
lew DAYS ago. but is now in bad
slump. while Morgan has not beer, going
at his natural strid. at any time
tins sprinS. Last season Morgan was
one or the HOS; timely hitters on fhc
team Figures viii show that he drove
IN about as many Tuns any other man
on the team barring Gandil and il Is :,
serious handicap just now to have him il,
poor hitting form.
Time does not appear to affect George
Mcbride. If anything he is a bette,
player today than he was the first year he
came here and this is his seventh season
with the Nationals. Not only Is Mcbride
fielding as brilliantly ever. but lie is
hitting the ball considerably better THAI
usual II took local fans some time te
recognize McBride's value to the team
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