Evening star., 1924-10-10

Base ball in the professional
leagues ha" survived all its setbacks
1t has survived because the people
looked beyond the salaries Of the
players and believed that back Of
this desire TO make money lay some
thing finer and higher-loyalty to
the old home town and an ambition
to achieve the highest honors Of the
sport.
Representative of Ideals.
The Washington base ball team
has written this year golden page
in the history of the game. 1t has
come to represent the ideals for
which the fans have prayed. The
whole country has sensed this knowl-
edge, and that is why from one end
Of the land TO the other the most
remarkable demonstrations any sport
has ever known broke loose when
word finally came that the Nationals
had won their first flag. These dem
onstratlons have been renewed as
the Mats fought back at the Giants
time after time to even the world
series count. The greatest of all these
demonstrations in favor of the lads
from the National Capital were those
staged in the Giants own beloved
Polo Grounds
"ashington's base ball players have
SHOWN the inspiration Of the old
Christian martyrs. They have been
ready to sacrifice themselves and
their careers upon the diamond so
that Washington fans might drink
or the cup Of hard-earned victory.
Peck in Hall of Fame.
Against the picture OF marvellous
old Walter Johnson pitching his
az al "a
the confidence a loving public had
placed in him there will always be
placed in base balls hall of fame the
golden framed memory Of Roger
Pecklnpaueh, the shortstop east off
by the Yankees three long seasons
ago. Peck" found himself after com
ing to Washington and made of him
self the keystone to build up an in
field which will stand with the best
of them for all base ball time Peck
had earned his place of honor in the
series before an injury to his right
leg above the knee compelled him to
retire in the third game His going
had all but demoraIized his team
mates. The cup was bitter indeed for
Peck $ real understudy. one Thomas
Taylor. had but recently broken his
right wrist. 1t was necessary to
place Ralph Miller on third anditrans-
fer Bluege from third to short. This
arrangement left the left side of the
Nationals all but wide open Miller
proved clumsy of hand and brain and
a wea k3ing at the bat. Washington's
effectiveness was reduced by nearly
80 per cent. The big cog in the ma
chine was gone.
When the Nationals returned to
Was hington with their backs against
the wall. old Peck cast caution to
ha d.
hip to foot he took his place in the
sixth and crucial game The broken
club came back to life. Their old
pep and fight returned. Roger was
all over the place. He had five
chances in the field and each was a
perfect play. He had two chances at
bat and ratified off two hits-just one
half of the total that his club made
in all the game. He scored one of
the two precious runs that made the
margin of victory.
Play Saves Game
And then he made the play which
saved the game and cast him help
less on the ground. 1t was hard
run back and beyond second base
Peck made marvellous stop and
while still running away from the base,
twisted himself to make a throw to
Harris for a force out. The ball shot
straight and true to the basemans :
hand the umpire waved away the
oncoming Giant runner. and two We're
out in the ninth with tht Nationals
still their one run ahead. Roger col
lapsed.
His team mates rushed to him
tears in their eyes. The crowd was
torn between two emotions, the one
an eyultant cry of victory. the other
a wave of sadness that such game
fighter, giving his last drop to the
game had fallen like d Marathon
runner at his goal. Peck had saved
the series, but in doing so. he had
eliminated himself from the final
game-had perhaps made of himself