The Washington times., 1918-10-28
OPERATIONS PLAYERS GET OUT EARLY
AND STICK THROUGH TO WIN OF TITLE

Naval Operations, District base
ball championship winners of 1918,
ended the season with the title safe
ly m their grasp and a couple of
silver cups and pennants, because
they got out early and refused to
quit. The clark horse" which won
titular honors here, was composed of
Washington boys who were for the
most part naval reserve men whose
baseball experience was gained on
the sandlots of the city. The Oper-
stors started early and finished late,
= winning thirty-nine games, losing
thirteen, and finishing with two ties,
for a mark of .750. A number of
practice engagements were also won
by Operations.
No small measure of success is due
to the untiring efforts of Lane Lacy,
manager of the team, who worked
himself into a frantic case of the
Spanish hu before that disease be-
came SO prevalent. Lacy was up late
and early with his "temperamental
Operators was able to get out for
but half the title series, and then had
TO return to a sickbed for another
spell after the title was won.
Naval Operations had twenty play
ers during the season, but carried
fourteen throughout the bigger
games The strength Of the team lay
In its hrst-class pitching staff. and
the fact that its players hit through
out the year for a team mark of .3Os
Won First SerIe1.
Operations won the first series in
the Navy Interbureau League, and
was leading in the second series over
the Marines when the games were
called on When the Marine Corps
dropped out Of competition on account
Of quarantine regulations at Ouan-
tco, the Operators waited until noti-
ned that the Marines would be un-
able TO play OF either the Navy In
terbureau League finale or the chal-
lenge sent in by the Operators. who
wanted to defend their District Base
ball Association title won from the
War Risk Insurance nine
Rated as the dark horse" team otI
the title series the Operators bounced
up against the Navy Yard team for a
loss and were considered out of the
running. They finally. won out over
Navy Yard, and after dropping the
hrst game of the final series with
war Risk Insurance came through
with two victories and the title.
Lost One Battle.
In section ? Of the District games
they played nine games and lost but
one. Navy Yard was second with two
losses. In defeating the War Riskers
the Operators brought their total up
to ten out Of twelve wins.
In the post season series Army
Medical was beaten by scores OF IA to
and u to 2; Rex A. c. was trounced
3 to ? and to /: Navy Yard won Z
go and lost 4 to ], but was beaten
IN the playo1 by the Operators by
score Of to o, while Clarendon was
beaten 6 to ? and to 3. Operations.
counting the games with War Risk,
scored one more ruI than twice the
total made by opponents
In the final series War Risk took
the opener by 3 to /, but was de-
feated by to 4 and to o. The
detection of the Marines in the title
series was a source Of considerable
regret to the Operators, who had de-
fested the Quantico men twice run
ming and were expecting to come
through in another meeting.
Owen Was Strong.
In Lem Owen, the Operators had
one Of the best pitchers in baseball |
ranks in the city. Owen was the box
mainstay. and came through in fine I
fettle In the pinches in the title |
games. His record on the year was a |
good one, and he succeeded in defeat |
ing the Quantico Marines twice run
ming. Owen pitched a no-run-no-hit |
game on July IL against the Cappubs. |
On August 2s, against the Rex A. C., |
the Operators staged a triple play |
On September n, against Clarendon, |
Won Herbulis went in with the score |
4 to o against him. blanked his oppo- |
nents, famed the first hVe batters in |
two innings. and his batting for 600 |
In two trips up, won his game, s to 5. /
The Operators were general favor
ties, and well deserved the District /
ctle honorA The team expects to re- [
Organize next spring, when the sea
son rolls Ground, and can be counted /
h for . battie for the 1919 pennsnt l