Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-07-12
JOHNSON FINES
LOCAL CLUB


| turn for the worse and Gandil found it
| difficult matter to see. Consequently
he informed Griffith that he would be
unable to get into the lineup. 1t is hoped
that Chick will be able to resume his po-
sition at first base Monday. The team
can i'll afford to have Gandil out OF the
I lineup at this time. when the race is SO
close and the team needs every ounce OF
strength to hold it's own
Williams played the position splendidly
yesterday, but he is needed behind the
bat. where his batting will be Of much
service.
If Griffith does not change his system
of working Walter johnson with two days
rest, the Big Train will be ready to face
the Tigers Monday, and unless there has
been material change In his form he
ought have no trouble hanging up another
victory. It Is a fact that ever since
Griffith cut down the resting days for
johnson between games he seems to have
shown better form than ever before. 1t
used to be that Griffith did not think Of
using Johnson unless he had three or
four days rest. OF late, however. he
has worked him with but two days rest.
and the big fellow seems to prosper under
the system.
Pitching q ball game is not a strenuous
task for Walter. He does not waste a
lot Of energy winding up. nor does he
do any posing. and in games in which
of loafing, always trying to keep as much
strain off his arm as is possible.
"TiIlie" Walker did noble work in
the first game in Philadelphia yester-
day. when he brought about the defeat
of the Athletics single-handed and
alone with two home runs. 1t is
dangerous proposition to groove any
thing for Walker Any time he gets
hold of a. ball he can drive 1t as far as
any batter. Shawkey learned this to
his sorrow on two different occasions
yesterday.
Daring base running must be en-
couraged, although 1t frequently works
to the detriment of a ball team and
of standing on the bags until some
batter drove the runners around ball
games would be rather tiresome prop
osition. There is. Of course. no sense
ball or taking foolish chances, but
whenever the play is justified it is
commendable If the player will take
Yesterday there were several in
stances where runs were probably pre-
vented for the Nationals by what some
would term careless work on the
bases. and yet in every instance the
chance.
In the first inning. for instance.
Milan tried to steal third with one out
nailed by perfect throw from Stan
age Yet had he made the play he
would have been in a position to score
on an outfield fly or slow bounding
infield put-out. To make this pos
sible he took the chance of stealing.
True. he failed. but the player who
takes chances frequently does that.
Moeller died stealing in the second
because he took a chance to advance
a base with two out, thus making it
possible for one-base hit to produce
run. Moeller failed. but he did what
was best for his teams interest.
Morgan tried a similar play in the
fourth when he tried to steal third with
out one out. so that he could score on a
fly ball, and he. too, failed, yet there was
nothing wrong with the system employed.
If Howard Shanks had not tried to
reach third from first when Morgan hit
a slow bounder to Purtell in the sixth
inning he should have been fined for be-
ing listless, and yet Howard was thrown
out.
Williams made similar attempt in the
ninth when he tried to go from first to
third on Shanks' little grounder down the
first base line. He was thrown out, but
he would have looked absurd had he
stood still on second while the pitcher
and first baseman were trying to retire
Shanks.
So long as ball player takes chances
in which the general percentage favors
his team ne is doing that for which he
is being educated by his manager and
paid by his club.
Comparing the standing Of the club ex-
actly year ago it will be seen that the
Nationals are by far the most consistent
performers in the race. There is exactly
five points difference between the local
teams standing today and what it was
a year ago, which cannot be said Of any
of the Others
The Athletics. for instance, are about
$50 points behind what they were year
ago, while Detroit has 2O0-point i'm
provement over 1913. The great differ
ence is shown in the standing of the
Cleveland Maps.
Here is the standing OF July IL. 1913:
W l.. Pet. w L. Pet.