Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-22
BY J. ED GRILLo.

The Browns made a very favorable I'M
preston in their debut on the ioca'
grounds yesterday. Branch Hickey may
not have team which will cut much oil
a figure in the present pennant race
but his aggregation is not gong 10 Ut
an easy mark for any of the contehoe' >.
Not ip recent years has st. LOUIS i't''
such a hustling aggregation represent II
in an American League race hickey
seems to have injected the proper spirit
into his players and every last one OF
them is giving the team his best efforts.
The team has speed and is daring on the
bases aud is sure to force its opponents
to play an alert game in order to hold
it in check. There is good supply OF
hish-cEss pitching material which Will
always be troublesome and the general
playing of the team is quite different
from what it has been in the past II
is hardly real flag contender. In fact,
it may not finish in the first division,
but it looks like better ball team than
ST. I.osiis has mad in some time.
Considering the fact that Joe Boehlins
has-becn out of the game for couple of
wecRs his performance yesterday was
Ia tier encouraging He was wild during
the early part of the game. which placed
him at q disadvantage. but he gradually
sleadied down and during the last four
innings pitched splendid game. allowing
but one'hit during that period Boehling
should show to better advantage the next
time out and if he does it will mean
much to, the Nationals pitching staff. for
n nf ri q HI lda
of great Importance to team which
wants to be contender in the race.
Boehling showed early this spring that
his performance last season was not
flash in the pan and he is sure to i'm
prove.
The real struggle for first place will
take place during the stay of the Detroit
team here next week The Tigers will be
here for four games and there is now
lead. even though they should lose the
two remaining games with Philadelphia
and the Nationals make clean sweep of
the series with the Browns. If this hap
pens the Tigers will still be leading by
half a game upon their arrival here.
With Cobb out of the lineup as a result
of a broken rib, Jennings team will not
be near as formidable in the series here
as it has been. Cobb is being given credit
for playing the best ball of his career this
the Tigers will miss him not a little.
There was nothing accidental about the
scoring of the winning run by Moeller
in the ninth. He purposely took a long
lead off of second base to draw throw
from Asnew in the hope of scoring on
wild throw either by the catcher or
one of the infielders. He reckoned well.
for that is just what happened Agnew's
throw to Wares. who covered the base
was perfect, but Moeller had such long
lead for third that Wares was hurried
and his throw to Austin was high and
could not be handled. The ball rolled
to the stand and Moeller scored compare
lively easily. not even having to slide.
Moel!er's value to the Nationals on the
bases is remarkable. He scores a lot of
runs because of his speed. and he always
has the opposing team on edge when he
reaches the paths.
Let the Nationals keep up their present
pace and the team stands an excellent
chance to gain the lead ere it leaves here
on it's next trip. Defensively the team
has never played stronger game than
of late and while the hitting is not
strong. it is timely enough to give the
team the runs it ordinarily needs to win
games. The most encouraging feature of
the teams play is the hustliaS spirit it
lis displaying. Ever since the morning
practice was abolished the team has
shown more life than has been the case
for some time. Griff1th's pitching staff
is gradually working up to its reputation
and comes pretty near to being the best
balanced twirling department in the
league.
Inability to get a base hit on any of
several occasions Yesterday kept the
score close. Had the locals been able
to come through with a safe drive on
any one of three occasions they would
have had comfortable lead to work on
when the final inning rolled around.
The hitting was timely in the first.
however. when the usual two runs which
have marked most of the recent games
came over the plate. Fosters hit and
steal gave Gandil a chance to score him
with a hit. and on the throw home Gandil
went to second. from where he scored on
Shanks hit to center. hit was missing
In the second, however when Morgan
walked and Mcbride was saved on a
fielders choice. The next three batters
failed to advance them. Again in the
fourth after Shanks had walked and Nor
gan tripled before any one was retired
Morgan was left on third.
There is q great improvement in Nor
gan's playing of late. and particularly in
his batting. He is hitting now like he
did during the last campaign and is again
one of the most dangerous men in Crit
fith's lineup. Morgan's one-handed pick
up of Leary's grounder toward right in
the fourth inning was one Of the best
plays of the season. 1t looked for all the
world like base hit. but Morgan SCOOP
ed it up with his gloved hand just as it
seemed to have escaped him and then got
the ball to Gandil in time to retire the
hitter Gandil's end of the play also was
brilliant.
H. " Wayne. a resident of Yonkers
\. y. was the guest of Manager Griffith
at the game. Mr.. Wayne was member
of the old Nationals back in 1860 when
games We're played on the old White Lot
The late Senator German was one of
the players On the team with Mr. Wayne
who is now well over the seventy mark
and yet enjoyed yesterdays exhibition
as real fan would.
Shanks robbed Clarence Walker of
base hit in the ninth when he made
remarkable forward running catch Of
what looked like a certain hit Walker
got two hits off Boehling. one of which
was rank scratch. being swinging
bunt down the third base line
Daring base running marked the
Browns play. Hickey has his players
taking chances on the paths and there
was not a single instance where they
did not take advantage of an opening
to advance. incidentally, there is con-
siderable speed in the lineup. Shotten is
one OF the fastest men in base boII Al,