Evening star., 1914-05-10


Ray Morgan seems to be having hard
time getting back into his batting stride
To date. in the eighteen games played,
Ray has just seven hits to his credit.
Last season there was not a more timely
hitter in Griffith's lineup. and next to
Gandil he drove in more runs than any
man the team. Morgan has always
been figured natural hitter. out Tor
some unaccounta BILE reason he seems un-
able to get into his stride this spring
and his slump is proving severe handi-
cap to the team.
F.. Lawrence Phillips. the official an
nouncer at the ball park, suffered the
humiliation of being put off the field by
Umpire Dineen in the ninth inning OF
yesterdays game.
Capt Mcbride. who was the first man
up to bat in this inning. claimed that
the ball in play had been changed on
the Philadelphia bench between innings
and while he and Griffith were arguing
the point with Dineen at the plate
Phillips started walking toward them
with a new ball In his hands. Connolly
spied him first and ordered him back
to the bench. but when Dineen got
sight of him he started toward Phillips
and in tones that could not be miscon-
strued ordered him off the field. Phil
lips. of course. complied with the order,
and after that Dineen had to do his
own announcing, which was greeted with
Jeers.
Wyckoff was hit harder in the final
| two innings than at any time early in
! the game. Four hits were charged
one run was scored. Milan and Shanks
hit safely in the eighth and Foster and
Milan were there with hits in the ninth.
sending Williams home. who had been
given life by Kopfs tumble after one
was out.
Connie Macks team is in decidedly
better playing condition now than it was
a week or SO ago Macks players have
finally rounded into form. and if they
get anything like good pitching it will be
no easy matter for any of the other
contenders to beat them to the wire.
Where the Athletics have the advan-
tage is that every man. barring the
pitchers. is a dangerous batter and the
team is sure to score a lot of runs unless
the pitching is exceptionally good. Nor
is it a team which loses caste when its
fielding ability is considered, for when
still have the greatest infield in either
league. With it all it is we'll balanced
and we'll systematized ball team.
The western teams have made a dismal
| failure trying to stop the advance of the
Detroit Tigers and there is no assurance
| that the eastern contingent will be able
| to check the advance of Jennings team
| u
| hard hitting combination. which. if it gets
the support of good pitching, will al
| ways be hard to beat. The Tigers first
| invasion to this section will be watched
| with interest by the fans. for If they
can hold their own on the road in the
| east there is good chance for them
to repeat their performances of few
years ago and annex another pennant
Beginning Tuesday the western teams
| start their invasion of the Chica gO
opening here in four-game series.
! Cleveland. st. Louis and Detroit follow
! in the order named. each team playing
four games here. May 90 the Nationals
open a series of four games in Boston.
then go to New York for three more
games and from there jump to St. Louis
to open the western series and do not
return here until June "a. when the
| Athletics will be the attraction.
average pitchers category that Frank
| Baker cannot hit. His prowess as a
| batter Is most remarkable. and the
pltcher VINO escapes when he is facing
| him has his lucky stars to thank A
| player of Bakers ability as a hitter
| Is or great assistance to his team, re-
! sardless of any other shortcoming he
may have. 1t is noticeable fact that
any time Baker steps to the plate the
other team Is annoyed and the oppos-
| ing pitcher does not feel at all easy
| stein bull from the Soldiers Home
| whose registered name is "Pietertje
| Count Frenesta Dekol." He is year
1 ling and boasts of distinguished ances-
! try. his mother also owned by the
! Soldiers Home. having produced 14,17L
pounds of milk in one year. The young
ster will be shipped to Walters farm a,
Coffeyville at once.