Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-16
LITTLE JUDGMENT
USED ON BASES
Nationals Are Throwing Away
Opportunities for TalIies in
Many Instances.
GANDiL SAYS THAT HE
WILL STAND BY CLUB
Gives Out Statement That No Fed
eral League Offers Will Ever
Tempt Him.
BY j. ED GRuLo.

BY j. ED GRILLO.
CLEVELAND, Ohio, June 15.-There
is absolutely no excused for the
absurd judgment used by the Nationals
on the bases 1t is not difficult to pick
out no less than eight or nine games
which have been fooled away this sea-
son simply because some player took it
into his head to run wildly into danger
Yesterday this falling reached climax
when Moeller foolishly ran past sec
ond base on his double to right field
in the fourth inning. There was but
one out at the time. the Nationals were
one run behind. and had man on third.
when Moeller tried to get back to the
bag after realizing his danger, Id
slipped and fell. and. of course. was
run down. while Boehling, who made
a dash for the plate, was doubled up
with him. The Nationals would un-
doubtedly have scored a lot of runs in
this inning. for Mitchell was beginning
to falter; but, helped by such stupidity,
he regained hope and went for several
innings longer.
In the last few games there have been
numerous instances when men on first
pase have tried to steal second and
have received no help from the bats
man. the result being that they have
been thrown out, and impending raj
lies have f1zzled. Entirely too many
runs nave been deliberately thrown
away and if better judgment had been
used many more victories would now
be to the credit of the Griffmen
Jim Shaw pitched to Turner only and
that wound up the game. Though Crit
| nth instructed him when he took EneeIs
place to use curves on Turner, who is
none too strong at hitting this sort of
In how,
| the result that Turner hit for three bases.
and won the ball game for his team.
| Dan Moeller had wonderful day with
the bat, getting four clean hits. two of
them drives against the right field wall.
out of five trips to the plate. But not
withstanding this fact, he was directly
responsible for the loss Of the game
His muff of Graney's fly in the second
inning cost at least one run, and his poor
judgment in overrunnig second base,
when he hit for two bases in the fourth,
undoubtedly prevented his team from
rolling up cluster of tallies In this
round. Moeller is hitting better now
than he has at any time this season, and
it must be said that as rule he Is a
wise man on the bases.
Boehling probably. could have won his
game had he been allowed to finish it,
but with two on the bases and two runs
needed to put the Nationals in the lead
in the eighth. it was advisable to let
Williams hit for him. and Williams came
through with the hit hoped for at that
time. But neither Engel or Shaw could
hold the Maps in check, after the Griff
men had obtained lead. Engel did
spIendidly in the eighth inning, when
only three men faced him, but in the
ninth Jackson started out with double.
Graney got a scratch single and Turner
then wound it up at Shaw's expense
with triple.
Ever since the season opened members
of the Washington team have been over
whelmed with offers from the Federal
League. Some of the best players under
Griffith have been offered fabulous sums
to sign with the Feds for next season.
but so far as is known none Of them has
accepted. Chick Gandil Is one of these,
and he took occasion this morning to
issue a statement which will give the
Washington public an idea of where he
stands.
IT have been offered a lot of money by
the Federal League. said Gandil, but !
have not accepted their propositions. nor
do intend to. 1 feel it my duty to stand
by Manager Griffith 1 have been treated
well since l Joined the Washington team
and propose to remain member of that
team as long as can be OF service to IT,
Only few days ago l was offered con-
tract calling for 81, 500 per year, and Of
fered an equal bonus to sign contract.
but I turned it down l want to make my
position plain now. l will stick with the
Nationals, Federal League or no Federal
League offers.
Though these offers from the outlaw or
ganization may not be sincere. they have
nevertheless had more or less erect on
some of the players who have thelr minds
!. full of large figures and are not at'end-
ing to their work with the same zeal that
marked their play in the past. Gr1fhth Is
not apt to lose any of his players. If there
are any who are going to allow them
selves to be lured away they will find
that the courts will prevent them from
PLAYING with any club but the one holding
their contracts, for the new contract
which all of the Nationals have signed Is,
in the opinion of the best legal author-
ties. absolutely valid, and can be en-
forced But these Federal League o1ers
are doing a lot Of harm. nevertheless
| Gandil seems at last to have regained
his batting stride, and his hitting now
the time last season. Yesterday he con-
tributed three more hits to the Nationals
lot. and there was nothing scratchy
about any of them. In fact, the teams
hitting is not to be complained about
But such is not true of the pitching.
which appears to be decidedly weak In
the pinches. Most of Griffs pitchers do
not seem to know how to protect them
selves in tight places.
Whether Gr1fnth Will work DOC
Ayers or Jim Shaw today depends en-
| tirely on conditions. Ayers suffered with
chiIls and fever Sunday night. and while
he is out and about again. 1t is doubt
full if he is ready to pitch. In that
event Jim Shaw will be sent in against
the Maps. 1t is hard to tell which one
of Birmingham's pitchers will be worked
because he had to use his two best men,
Mitchell and Steen, yesterday. There Is
hope that Blanding will be the selection.
There appears to be no such thing as
correct line on base ball. If any one
interested in the Nationals would go over
the other seven teams and pick one for
the Nationals to meet in a series of
games, that they might strengthen
their position, it would surely be the
Maps: and yet this team has done the
unexpected-won two straight from the
Griffmen-and the end may not yet be
in sight Not only that, but the Maps
are presenting the weakest front pos
sible, most Of their stars being on the
hospital list, though the fact does not
seem to have given the Nationals any
kind of an advantage.
When the pitching is good enough to
warrant victory the Nationals do not hit,
hut when the Oitchine is weak thay ooap,