Evening star., 1914-09-25
NATIONALS AHEAD
OF DETROIT AGAIN
Victories of Yesterday Enable
Griffmen to Go Into Third
Place.
ATHLETICS STRONGER
THAN THE BOSTON BRAVES
But That Does Not Mean They Will
Surely Win in Worlds
Series.
BY. J. ED GRILLo.

t1onals have succeeded in regaining
third place from the Tigers Their
dual victory over the Maps yesterday
while the Tigers were idle made this
possible. Just how long the team will
be able to hold the present position is
questionable. Three games remain to
be played here, one today and a double
header Saturday. If the Maps do not
show to better advantage than they
did yesterday there is hope of clean
sweep here. but that is almost expect
ing too much. Bentley is slated to
work the game today, and Saturday
Walter Johnson will appear in at least
one of the games, while Engel or Har-
per will pitch the other The Ma
tionals have but two games with De-
troit, Sunday and Monday, and Griffith
hopes to gain lead sufficient to keep
the team in third place, even if it
should not be successful against the
Tigers.
Comparing the two teams which
worlds series. it is not hard to discov-
er that on paper the Mackmen abso-
lutely outclass their rivals, the Braves,
but this does not always give assur-
cerned. 1t will be recalled that prior
to the series of 1906, when the. Cubs
and White Sox met, the Comiskey team
went begging for supporters at to L.
The experts figured, and rightly, too,
that the Cubs outclassed the Sox. They
surely did when the teams were COM
pared on paper, but that fact did not
stop the Sox from winning the series
will not duplicate that performance
this year against the Athletics, a won
derful ball team, but the Braves must
be stronger aggregation than they
fo hot +nh L.
made a pennant winner of lot Of cast
offs does not detract from the credit
the players of that team deserve for
their wonderful showing.
Jim Shaw displayed brilliant form
yesterday. He was called upon to stop
a threatening rally in the eighth in
ming of the first game. when third and
with the Nationals holding but two
run lead. Lajoie was the first man to
face Shaw. and he popped up to Fos-
ter on the first ball pitched. The next
Graney. and he duplicated Lajoie's
performance and popped up to Foster
In the second game Shaw showed to
even better advantage. He was really
never in danger of being scored on,
and the Nap team is not weak with the
stick either. Both of these games will
probably be credited to Shaw, for there
is no doubt that if Engel had been al
lowed to remain on the slab in the
eighth he would have had hard time
of it. Engel also showed good form,
allowing but one hit in four innings.
Smith. the center fielder of the Maps.
halls from the Waterbury club, and
he has all the earmarks of being
great natural hitter. In the first game
he gathered three clean hits. and he
got two off Shaw in the second. He
is a tall. well built youth and gives
nf hoi nf IoJv, 70 "a
Maps next season.
Manager Grifith is not yet in a posi-
ton to give out the names of the two
route, because he has not signed either
of them. One of the youngsters has not
been heard from at all, while the other
one is not satisfied with the terms
Griffith sent him and they are now ne
gotiating.
Present indications are that neither
the Braves nor the Athletics will have
any advantage by reason of either be-
ing forced to the limit in their respec-
tive pennant7 races. Both appear to
have safe margins. 1t is a couple of
weeks before the day set for the OPEN
ing of the series. and 1t would not be
surprising If both have their claim
to honors cinched in time to give their
regular pitchers a needed rest and get
the players on edge for the big series.
Mack Will undoubtedly again rely prln-
cipally on Bender and Plank, and, as
soon as he is sure that he cannot be
overha uled. he will rest these star vet
Grams. Stallings will no doubt follow
similar plan as soon as he can afford
to do so, for Rudolph. Tyler and James,
his principal twirlers, have all been
forced to work hard and a rest should
benefit them.
John Henry and Ray Morgan have
both been asked to join Connie Mack's
tourist team, which is to play an all
star combination from the league
through the west this fall. Neither
Henry nor Morgan has as yet con-
sented to make the trip. but it is likely
that both will accept. The teams are
to start west October Is and finish
their schedule a week or SO before the
Christmas holidays.
Manager Birmingham has about forty
odd players in camp here, and they are
all breaking into the game as occa-
sion arises. From what can be learned
only a few of them give promise Of be-
ing of help to the team next season,
but the chances are Birmy will take
the entire band south in the spring.