The Washington herald., 1916-05-30
Brilliant Batting Rally by Ma
tionals in Ninth Ties Count
with Mackmen, 5 to 5.
JOHNSON TO RESCUE
By WILLIAM PEET.


the count
Clark Griffith's peppery clan yester-
day obtained an even break with
Connie Mack's Athletics in the final
home game, after one of the greatest
tests of fighting spirit that has been
seen here in long while. the result
readings Nationals, 5, Athletics, 5.
Foster. Shanks and Judge played a
prominent part in the National vic
tory and thrills. and some more
thrills were handed the small crowd
present, held down considerably be-
cause OF the threatening weather.
Six hundred Shriners, from Rich
mond. were on hand, the guests of the
ball club, and in an effort to please
the Red Capped Masons" from Dixie"
the Old Fox sent Doctor Ayers to the
mound. Ayers formerly pitched for
the Richmond team, in the Virginia
hand by the visitors when he went to
the mound but the reception greeted
him by the visiting ball club showed
that Griffith had guessed wrong in
his selection.
After Witt had proved easy picking
Ayers passed Pick which was the uu-
doing of the Hillville moundsman, as
Strunk singled and Schang tripled.
giving the Athletics two runs. Sammy
then called into the fray. to make
his initial start of the season.
Rice on the Mound.
Rice held the Mackmen safe until
the eighth. only one hit being gathered
off his delivery. In the seventh after
two were down Oldring doubled to
right field. this being the only safe
crack gathered off Rice during the
six and two-third innings that the
little spitball finger worked. Nor
gan's costly error of Picks grounder
in the eighth was the undoing of the
diminutive moundsman.
Sheehan proved a puzzle to the Griff-
men for the first five sessions, Shanks and
Henry being the only ones able TO con-
meet safely with his delivery. Nabors
who rescued Sheehan. proved another
puzzle until that memorial ninth, when
Chief Meyers was called upon to do the
rescue act.
Connie Mack's best bet. Meyers, could
not halt the Griffmen until after they
tied the score. Jameson, who has been
hitting in the pinches. failed with the
necessary bingle with Foster and Morgan
awaiting on second and third to score.
AS the Nationals were compelled to catch
train for Boston Umpire Nallin called
the game at the end of the ninth.
Eddie Fosters big bat pulled the game
out of the fire and gave the Nationals
an even break. Grifith's clan went into
the ninth inning two runs behind. Ron
deau was retired easily, Witt to Mc1n-
mis-, but Moeller. doing the pinch hitting
act for Ainsmth, got on base with an
lnfeId tap This started the trouble for
Nabors, as the speed king Johnson and
Ray Morgan were both issued free trans
portation. filing the bases.
Chief Meyers made his second bow Of
this series to local fandom but he failed
to halt the Nationals as Foster con-
nected with the third ball pitched and
drove it through Pick and Witt. driving
in the much needed two runs which tied
the count.
In the undoing of Sheehan, when the To-
calls grabbed a one-run lead, Shanks and
Judge were present with healthy swats
Foster started the trouble for the visitors
with a single to left, Milan was given
base on balls and Jameson moved both
runners up with a neat sacrifice. Judge
caught one on the nose fdr a single, sCor
ing Milan and Foster and took second
on the throw in. Shanks followed with
double and Judge Tailed. Nabors then
came to the rescue of Sheehan and in
an attempt to catch Shanks off second
base he threw to center field. Hank NOV
ing up a peg.
Rice kept the MaCkmen guessing till
the eighth, when Witt singled to left and
started what proved to be a batting rally
for the visitors. With a double play in
sight. Morgan booted Picks grounder
and Strunk drove Witt across the pan
with timely single between Shanks and
Milan. Strunk took second on the throw
to the plate and Pick moved up to third.
With the score three all. Walter John
son was called from the bull PEN" and
after hitting Schang >en the hand he
famed Lajoie and McInnis on seven
pitched balls Here the hopes of local
fandom ran high. but Walsh was the
right man in the right place, as he
smashed one over McBride's head. scor-
ing Pick and Strunk. In an attempt to
move to second on the play Walsh was
caught off the bag, making the third out.
Sensational fielding by our dandy cap
tain,s George Mcbride. proved the real fea-
ture of this final battle on the home lot
until the 2Sth of June. The Grifmen on
three occasions had the first man in each
inning 10 get on with no one down, but
snappy double plays by the Mackmen
killed the chances of scoring.
WASHINGTON ABB r H BIB SB SH SO PO A Z