The Washington herald., 1921-05-12
Nat. Mess Up Many Chances.

ed both Johnson and Courtney, the
balls the Nationals have been play
ing with in their games in the East
have had handles on them Today
the Nationals were simply lost and
placed on display the most amusing
Exhibition of fielding that possibly
has been witnessed at Dunn Field
in many years.
OF course. the wind helped in the
comedy of errors. II was one OF
the most bewiIdering gales that has
visited the park in several seasons.
ut caused balls hit high in the air
toward right center to fall close to
the right field foul line. 1t caused
pop flies to the center fielder TO
drop safely back of second base.
But the vagaries of the air were
not entirely to blame.
The air currents did cause three
erors and produce a few hits. but
most of the misplays seemed to be
due to the absence of the handle
on the ball When A player makes
five distinct efforts to pick up the
leather apple and fails, you cannot
name the wind as an alibi and get
away with il with A manager who
has played the game himself.
Wind Gives Mats Kun.
BY the same token, however.
Washington was saved shut-out
by reason of the gale: that is. the
wind and some eccentric base-run-
ming by PinCh-hitter Charity. The
latter was summoned from the
bench IN the ninth inning to hit
for Pitcher Courtney. He hit a
long drive to left. Left Fielder DR..
nE
coming to him in about the center
of his territory. He failed to take
the wind into consideration, and
by the time he had made the proper
diagnosis the ball was Ealing safe
ly in the corner of the lot.
The swat should nave been
three-base hit. but Cha arrity. after
nearly reaching second. happened I"
remember he had neglected to touch
first-cut il dead. as il wCre-so.
back he went and apolOgized. then
retraCed his steps to second. Joe
Judge followed with a tremC nd"us
drive to right that looked like
sure home run. charity thought
il was. anyway. and, putting his
head down, tore for home. He had
passed third and was well on his
way 10 the plate when he received
a
that the wind had blown the ball
back and Right-fieldcr Wood had
caught il.
Charity decided t" resume his
residence at the keystone sack but
never would have had a chance had
il not been for a blundeT on Woods
part Smoky Joe could have com
pleted an easy double play by
throw to second but cssayed to
throw to third instead. The wind
took hold Of the ball. however. and
into the duEout the ball sailed. NS
a runner was allowed two bases on
a throw into the cellar, Charity
after he had gone through the
formaIity Of tagging second. was
allowed to saunter home.
CoyeIesLie in Form.
1t was wonderful ball that Cove
leskie pitched. the spitball hurler
demonstrating that he was at his
best once more. His control was
faultIess-
There was a single to right by
Brewer in the second. double to
left by Picinich in the sixth, a
single by Shanks to left in the
seventh and Gharrity's double in
the ninth. Not base on balls did
the stingy Pole issue.
Practically every Indian, with tn"
exception of Evans and Coveleskic,
took part in the bomhardment Of
johnson and Courtney that produc-
ed sixteen hits. O'Neill and Gard
ner, each two with two singles and
a triple, were the two to cause
the Washington hurlers the most
annoyance. The others Were con-
tent with a single apiece with the
exception of Stephenson, who got
one real hit and a wind-single. Even
Ernest C'Blue") Jeanes, who took
Speakers place in center, inserted
Q double to right that sent two
Indians across the plate.
Walter Johnson lasted but two
innings. During that time the In
dians made seven hits and the Ma
tionals five errors Perfect field
ing would have allowed the Red
skins TO score but two of their
six runs. Only three errors were
charged against the Nationals the
rest of the route.
Right Fielder Brewer was the
most unfortunate victim of the error
habit. Had the ball been a red-hot
coal, the International League slpg-
ger could not have had a more tu-
multuous day.
He reminded the spectator Of Nick
Altrock engaged in his butterfly
chasing sketch. Frank. however, 4
had something on Clyde Milan, the
veteran National who is now play +,
ing left field. During the early part
of the game Clyde could neither
catch a fly ball nor stop a ground
hit. When he fnallyb did succeed in
-ach endeavor.. the round of ap-
plause he received from the fans
was almost as great as that be-
slowed upon the Hero who hits for
Q homerun with the bases filled.
Manager Speaker was hit with
pitched ball by Courtney in the
third inning. Luckily for Speaker,
he managed to get his right hand up
just in time, the ball glancing OF
the hand 70 the Indian managers
face 1t broN the skin in both hand
and cheek, bdt did not cause enough
injury to force Spoke from the
game