The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-08
MART|NSBURG IS
HAVING A SLUMP
Complete Reversal of Form
by Morris Club Puts Fred
erick Away Out in Front.
CONNOLLY GOING GOOD
Nationals Outhielder Is Playing Short
with Frederick and Is Clouting
Ball at 300 Clip.
By HARVEY 4. BUSH.

squirt during July and to reach a potn
within easy striking distance of thu
Frederick team, Martinsburg has slump
ed badly in her play since the first day
OF August. and is now as far away from
the league leadership as she was two
weeks ago, with but three weeks of The
schedule remaining.
Rain and the sudden and nexpected re-
juvcnation of the Frederick team con
spired to bring about the decided chect
In MarIinsburg's pennant aspirations
coupled with the inevitable and costly
fielding errors that have hung about the
locals like jinX since the opening OF
the season. OF the six scheduled games
during the past week. two were post
poned by rain, one was lost to Cham
oersburg by miserable. fielding behind
Douglas, one lost to Frederick by rea-
son of the same sort of support given
Clarke, another was won clearly by
Frederick on its merits, while the sixth
was won by the locals-makinS but one
win out Of four starts. During the same
period, Frederick won four games and
two were postponed by rain. This leaves
Martinsburg at the time this was writ
ten, six and one-halt games behind
Frederick, with each team having twen-
ty-two games yet to play.
Martinsburg has three games yet to
plav with Frederick. two of which are
POSTPONED games and will not be played
off unless they figure in the final out
come. This means that. in order for
Martinsburg to win the pennant. she
must take all three games from Fred
erick and then win four more of the re-
naming nineteen games from the other
teams than Frederick wins. In view OF
the fact that Frederick seems to have
STRENGTHENED up by the addition of Tom
my Connolly and Tex Myers. this propo-
sition does not seem any too bright for
the locals-althouSh il has become an
axiom in Blue Ridge League circles that
the only sure thing is that the nneXpect-
ed will happen. Connolly has added con-
slider d BILE batting strength to the Fred
crick team. and. Myers. who is playing
mrs. bass in plac, of Boyne. loaned"
Icy Frederick to Hanover. also seems to
b. making good with the bat.
Connollys hitting has surprised no one
more than himself He has been playing
the shortteld for Frederick. ana while
his fielding has been fair. he has not
startled the circuit in this department.
There arc at least two other shortstops-
HAYES. of MartinsburS, and Mcseley. of
Chambersburg-who can play rings
around Tommy when it comes to fielding
that position. But Connolly has made
good from the start with his bat. and is
hitting At d clip somewhat above the 800
mark ConnOlly's reputation as a .l6O
:r.ckcr IN the big shop preceded him to
the bushes and the pitchers of the cir
9 it figured that he would be compare
lively easy
H. this they have been partly right and
IaItlr wrong 70" while Connolly has
Iulod out some clean hingles in the four
games ne had played when this was
written. h. had also been very lucky in
g,rtin. some hits of doubtful quality.
nd in his last game would have gone
rtlcss but for a pop fly over the Snort
right fence an easy out under ordinary
circumstance. Myers is covering the
initial sack for Frederick as il has not
been played by any other first baseman
j., this league this season. and is also
hitting we'll BOVINE will not he missed
nv Frederick as long as Myers Keeps
III his present clip. He came to Fred
crick with a reputation of having been A
star in the Tri-State League. and is
surely UNFOLDING that reputation.
Outne,der Keener of the LonaConins
team of the Cumberland and Georges
creek League. up in MARYLAND. Is the
only new man added to the Martlnsburs
roster. he being brought here hecaus" of
his great reputation as A hard hitter
and last nelueT. ne Is inc lsiNAtl- al
right. but thus far has failed to deliver
with the stick. getting hut one hit in his
first three games However, as he had
been hitting $50 in thirty games before
coming here he will probably strike his
stride before long and be of much value
to the locals in the remaining games.
He was formerly with the Chicago Ma
tional League team. was later farmed
To the Fort Wayne club. of the Central
7
baseball because OF trouble with the
management His suspension has been
lifted and his release secured. and ne !
will stick to organized ball His home Is
in Grafton. W. Va.
Reggie Rawlings and Bill Donnelly. !
Washington boys with the Martins !
burg team. have been going through !
a batting slump the past week, and !
it's effect has been noticeable. Both
men have been among the most con- :
sistent hitters in the league. and /
Rawlings has been leading jhe cir !
cult with the stick since his first
game Morris. another Washington ,
hoy. who has been playing first base, /,
has been keeping up his heavy stick
work. but is badly handicapped in his
field and base work by his injured !
knee. Shipley. another Washington lad. /
had been playing good game at .
first, but the mana cement felt that
the stick work of Morris was needed !
IN the crucial games this week. and ,
Sh.pley WAS placed on the bench to |
make room for Morris. The almost /
daily shifting about of the men and
the absence of a finished first sacker |
has caused the loss of number of !
games for MartinsburG. The team has |
been without a regular first baseman
all season. and has been forced to play !
men unacquainted with first base !
work. This has been a weak spot all
season. with little prospect of i'm
provement during the remainder OF
the schedule
"Skeets" Hayes, a Washington hoy
" no has been playing a brilliant game
at short field. is now one OF the best
and most consistent hitters on the
team. and is going at better than a
400 clip. His stick work has been 7
Of the most timely character. driving
many runs across. The back stopping
Of "Stuffy" Johnson. Baltimore boy,
has been the sensation OF this depart
,nent in the circuit ever since he was
placed there regularly. and his hit
ting has been such that he is pushing
Rawlings close for the honor of lead
Ing hitter of the league. johnson has
been getting many doubles lately, and
y dreaded By all the pitchers