Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-24
NINTH HAS TO WIN
ONLY ONE VICTORY
If Christians Defeat Eastern or
Treasury They Will Get
Amateur Title.
CONTEST BOOKED TODAY
MAY Determine H0N0RS
Ed Kelley and "Finney" Kelly Like.
ly to Be Opposing Pitchers-0li-
plant Case Explained.
BY II. c. BYRD.

BY II. G. BYRD.
The Ninth Street Christians have to win
only one Of the two games scheduled
for today and tomorrow in order to OBJ
tain the coveted amateur base ball cham
pionship of the District The East Wash
ington Sunday School champions are to
meet Eastern today and Treasury to-
morrow. A victory over Eastern this
afternoon will abruptly end the series,
inasmuch as it will be unnecessary to
play the final game.
That Ninth has an excellent opportunity
to represent this city in the games
against Richmond is acknowledged. The
Christians have gotten what appears to
be a commanding lead, and that they
ought to win at least one of the two re-
naming battles seems only reasonable.
But in this series no team had better
take anything for granted. Treasury and
Eastern have proved themselves of about
the same caliber as Ninth, and there is
the possibility that the Christians will
drop both contests, causing a triple tie
The standing Of the teams in the inter-
sectional series now is:
Won. Lost Pet.
E.ntn. ;.'.'................. 2 Q loo
Eastern. .................... j 1913
treasury. .333
1t will be seen from this standing that
a victory for Ninth today will place that
club in a position out of which it could
not be ousted by either of the others,
even though it were to meet defeat in
the final contest tomorrow a defeat to-
day and a win tomorrow would give
Ninth the championship just as well.
For about three years now. the follow
ers of the Ninth Street Christians have
watched their team go into the post
season series each time with yells of
ION to Richmond" and for the first time
1t seems that their desires are to be
gratified. OF course, that result Is by
no means sure, but they are certainly
entitled to be somewhat confident be-
cause of the splendid work already done
by the team in its efforts to land the
championship.
1t is more than possible that Ninth
may play good ball in the two remaining
games and yet lose both. The Christians
did not have a very big margin in their
game of Saturday, and had they not been
fortunate enough to get those two runs
through errors In the first inning there
is no telling what might have happened.
They had difficulty enough In getting men
around after that, anyway. In contests
in which clubs are very evenly matched.
it is possible to lose two successfully. A
slight turn of fortune would have given
both the other games Ninth played to
Eastern and Treasury, and 1t may be
that the wheel will go just that much
different today and tomorrow. The sit
uation is one that cannot help but make
the adherents Of Ninth feel confident OF
the chances of their club, but 1t also
is one that must cause some uneasiness.
In the event of triple tie the cham
pionship would be anybody's. The issue
probably would be settled then by having
two Of the three teams meet one day
and the winner meet the odd club the
next, which is a poor way at best to de-
termine the relative merits OF three Or
PLANTATIONS That would be the only
thing for the amateur authorities 70
order, though, as there would not be
sufficient time in which to complete
new schedule. ....s.--
Ed Kelley, who blanked Eastern in
the game of last Thursday. and FIN
ney'' Kelly, who was on the mound for
Eastern in the same contest. probably
work of both pitchers should be OF
high standard, just as it was. the other
time. A well pitched and close game
may be looked for, though there Is OF
of the teams will run away with the
game by scoring at will in an inning
or two. -.-..
Recently there have been rumors re-
garding the entrance of O1iphant, the
Purdue University foot ball star, to
the United States Military Academy. 1t
seems that Oliphant, early last spring,
made known his intention to enter the
Naval Academy. There was much en-
thusiasm displayed among the MID
dies, as he would have served to boil
ster what may be a weak backfeld this
season because of losses by graduation
There was consequently considerable
disappointment felt when it was learn
ed that Oliphant had entered West
Point Certain rumors were set afioat
that did not reflect much credit upon
anybody. but the matter SENS to have
been satisfactorily cleared up by
statement from one of the officers at
the Military Academy and a letter sent
by Oliphant himself to the sporting
editor OF a Philadelphia paper. The
two letters follow:
''Sir: I inclose statement by Cadet
Elmer 8. Oliphant In reply to q narticle
headed Cadets and Middies Fight for
Foot Ball STAR which was published in
your issue of August 15. I desire to en-
phasize the fact that no inducement or
promises whatever were made to Mr..
Oliphant by any official at this academy,
and no information was furnished him
other than that furnished to all other ap-
plicants: and further, that. the regula-
tons governing admission to the Naval
Academy make candidate ineligible for
twenty years of age. Cadet Oliphant was
twenty-one years of age on the 9th ul-
timo. Evidently he did not know that he
was beyond the age limit when he applied
for an appointment to the Naval Acad-
envy. Yours truly.
sE. r. HOUSEHOLDER,
First Lieutenant, 26th Infantry, Assist
ant Adjutant.
West Point. August %, 1914"
"Sir: In your issue Of August 15 you
published. under the heading Cadets and
Middies Fight for Foot Ball Star. an
article from some correspondent at An
napolis, Md. This article contains mis-
statements and insinuations which I de-
sire to correct
THE facts are as follows:
Il tried to secure an appointment to
the Naval Academy and failed because
there was no vacancy for which / was
eligible.
q then made inquiry and found that
there was a vacancy at the Military
Academy in my own district I asked
ducement of any kind was offered me
to come to the Military Academy. 1 was
not promised nor have l been accorded
the privileges of an upper classman.
II received no communication from
any one connected with the Military
Academy or the Army Athletic Associa-
ton until after I had written asking for
information concerning securing an ap
pointment.
will verify my statement as to my not
being able to secure an appointment to
the Naval Academy.
ELMER S. oLIPHANT.
West Point. n. Y, August 20, 1914