The Washington herald., 1915-05-30
Nationals Sure to Climb;
Slump Over, Is Claim
Grifmen Home for Long Stay.
Western Trip Not as Dis
astrous as 1914 Jaunt.
OTHER SPORTING GOSSIP
Saturdays Game Called Of on Ac-
count of Rain-Two Contests
Booked Tomorrow.
By WILLIAM FEET.

Calamity howlers hereabouts who are
ready to consign the Nationals to the
bottom round of the ladder because the
club only won six games and lost seven
during the whrl around the Western
wheel just closed should turn back and
take a slant al the record of the 6rn-
men for the frst Western trip in 1914.
Last year. or to he more exact, on
June s the Nationals opened four
game series against the 81. Louis Browns.
winning the game, 10 B. and jumping
into the lead of the championship race
The start was fine. but. oh. what a
nightmare of q finish. On top OF thlS
victory came three defeats in a row at
the hands Of the Browns. The club then
Jumped to Chicago, won two games ana
lost one From Chicago. the Grihmen in
yaded Cleveland. losing all four games
plaved and from there TO Detroit, where
the Tigers won three out of FIVE.
Out of sixteen games played OF the
first trip West last season eleven were
lost. and yet the Nationals finished the
season in third place
Some of the local fans who are always
ready to predict disaster are pesVed te-
cause the Griffmen on the Western trip
lust finished won only six games and
dropped seven.
The championship race is altogether
too young to consign the Grlnmen TO the
bottom of the heap. The club is In the
second division. to be sure. but only
few games behind the league Leaders ana
i'm posit on TO jump to the front with
any kind of a squirt
C;rifith's boys this season do not De-
long in the second division and Will not
finish there II would not be al all sur
rrisine il tine team started this week
winning streak that will jump them right
up among the topnotchers.
The hitting slump apparent when the
club was in Chicago and St Louis Il
over. according to the Washington play
pitching. while the fielding is always up
TO the standard and better results are
sure to be forthcoming.
II is M to the fans to give the Ma
tionals the right kind Of support. lhose
two games tomorrow should draw Dig
throngs, and with a lot Of good. old
fashioned roofing the players will DO the
rest.
Be booster Come out ana Sc" for
vourself il the Griffmen are slipping
You may be agreeabiy surprised
The hall game scheduled at Nationa!
Park between the Nationals ana Ne"
Works YESTERDAY was called of AT 80
clement weather.
A. matter of fact the game could
b.ye heep pIsved, out the east wind. car
rvfns with it rain. completely soaked inc
grand stand seats. and the -N or more
spectators who stormed the nie sate
clsmorinc for admission would MOI nave
h..n made comfortable had it been de-
cided to stage battle
n,sn;r,.o, fans seem to know by in
.,i,ion when ball games are called on
nrobahIv because II has been the pohc!
~ the club in seasons past to postpone
all contests upon the slightest rroNoca-
ton.
In Detroit and Chica GO no game Is post
roned until the last minute. and then
only because weather conditions ACTUALLY
nrohih1t The result heinG that baseball
fans of those cities never think of stay
ing at home because Of a drizzle Of rain
or an early morning thunder shower.
They know that q game will he played II
the ground is not too soft. and In the
long run the mana cement is the sainer.
Take that Sunday game in Detroit
when the Nationals started West three
weeks aco. Rain fell until noon. Then
IL let up q bit but at . O'Clock q nasty
drizzle started. bat the game vas PLAYED.
Detroit won ! to and l3.o"o fans saw the
battle.
Connie Mack has sold Southpaw Herhie
Pennock to the Boston Red Sox. accord
ing to a press dispatch.
II memory serves. Pennock was picked
by the majority OF Quaker City sport
writers this spring TO be one of the lead
Ing twirlers In the American League.
Pennock opened the season by trimming