Evening star., 1925-10-02

Last year Washington did the
tougher tussling
1t IS strange. but true, that it i:
pennant winner than to first get a
side the pale tor. years gets the pen
Washington proved that conclusiyely
provided proof aplenty of this conte1
But having won its first pennant,
the club somehow feels it cannot af
ford to he beaten the next year and
really handicapS itself by embarking
upon its second tiastquest too greatly
Impressed by its own Importance and
responsibility. 1t feels that il must
repeat Il winner or acknowledge
that its previous success Was due tu
an excess of good fortune rather Than
superiority over the remainder OF the
league.
In beating its way To- its first pen
nant the club had nothing Ia lose.
In battling 10 repeat the club has
nothing 10 gain in the way of glory.
1t merely is surviving for a goal that
champion is expected to attain.
! do not believe the Washington
Club, as constituted last wear, could
have fought its way TO the flag this
year. Not that the 1924 club was
lacking III courage or was mechanic
ally deficient. Ii played brilliantly
and had a great heart. But teElpcra-
mentally it Was not fitted to over
come extra hazards encountered this
year
With the 1928 club. it simply was
q matter of trying for something that
few outside the club expected il to
get. Even with the players. il was
Il case of .if we don't win this sea
son, we have a chance To win next
year" The men were tightinS. of
course, hut not with grim detcrmiEa-
ton. Then the pennant chase was
q novelty.
What "a difference this year. Per
hapS those outside of base ball and
even some of those in the game who
never have been associated with
pennant winning club cannot appre-
ciate it. Eut we who have been
through the grind certainly DO.
There was no novelty to the affair
this season. 1t was all work and no
play.
Was Not O,ercanfident.
The club did not start the 1929
season CockSGr" that ii would bring
home the bacon again. hut with the
realization that if it did not il would
be considered one Of the bubbles Of
modern base ball. giistening III glory
for a moment. then--no more. Ii
started the season with the realiza-
ton that this years fight WAS TO be
a plugging. SlugginE struggle, with
all the glamour reserved for the team
that might threaten to overthrow II.
To embark upon such campaign
called for courage OF higher type
than that the 1924 Washington club
revealed. The club had to have court
age OF the bulldog type. The club
must never shirt. hut go into the
fight with everything it had, stick
10 the struggle when odds seemed
overwhelmingly against il and If hu-
manly possible be on II Ieet at the
finish
And that's just what the 1925
Washington club-one OF the great
est in the history of base ball, | be
lieve-did. 1t maintained it's high
standard of play. despite Affections
that would have caused less de-
teruined club to lose heart, ana
when it met with reverses that cost
the lead earned in midseason. it never
permitted its chief antagonist to get
any great advantage.
When the crucial stage of the
struggle was reached, the club rallied
nagnificiently and ended speedily one
of the finest fights ever Waged Tor
the pennant.
Fooled Some Handicaps.
we had our troubles in the nature
of injuries TO regular players during
the season. but even with patchy
lineup the club kept at its task
doggedly. Consider how handicapped
we were in July with Walter John-
son unable to pitch during four weeks
Of that month and Roger Peckin-
paugh and Joe Judge out of our in
field. And how later we were COM
pelled~to reorganize our team when
Judge was laid low by a pitched ball
in a Detroit game.
True, the Athletics, who battled so
brilliantly but futilely for the Anleri-
can League championship, had their
troubles, too. Preseason injuries
that cost them the services of Joe
Hauser and Fred Heimach were bad
enough, but the long absence of their
star pitcher. Sam Gray, following an
accident, was the worst blow they
suffered.
However, when they had their full
strength in the field in July and
August they We're unable to draw
far away from the Washington Club
that then was compelled to employ
faeely it's reserves.
! Only recently I Joined the Wash
fngton group of casuals. But the
middle finger of my throwing hand
that was spiked in a game of the
last series with the Indians is heal
ing rapidly and l will be quite ready
TO resume my job at second base be-
fore the bell rings for the world Sc
rieS.
Watch this Washington club in the
big October set. At every turn it has
proved itself wonderful fighting ma
chine with an abundance of spirit to
help it overcome all obstacles. And.
barring accident, it will be just as
wonderful when it encounters the
Pirates in the series for baseballs su-
preme honorS.
Arlington Athletic Club. winner of
the Arlington County series for the
base ball championship of northern
Virginia, is without an opponent for
Sunday. Manager Leo f. Wise, at
Clarendon S05-F3, would like to hear
from some strong District nine.
The Capitol Athletic Club will hold
It's regular business meeting this eve
ming a the Y w g o'clock