Evening star., 1926-06-12

header booked in Washington on Ju
The hold-over Champions fell to
ne 300 mark for the first time this
season when they We're defeated by
'the Athletics in Philadelphia on
April 81. They recovered slightly,
but dropped to the tifty-fifty mark
The second time by losing to the
Red Sox in Washington on April %.
Then followed three victories in "A
row over the Fohlmen, but the Ma
tionals went TO New York and
promptly dropped three III a row to
The Yankees. Thus, after the game
"f May /, their standing was 500
for the third time in the season.
Longest Winning Streak.
After that came the Nationals
longest winning streak of the season
10 put them well above 800. The
AlaclSs were trounced in Washington
on May 2. the next three days the
Red SoX were vanQuiShed in Boston.
on the way home a stop-over was
made in New York and the Yankees
we're licked and on May the stand
against the Western contingent was
Begin with a win over the White
Sox.
Then four of the next six games
eight games above the 800 point
and at the best winning percentage
they have held this year--6S3. Those
figures were against the clubs name
in the standing after the Browns
were beaten on May 13.
Only once since have the Champs
been as good as eight games above
The fifty-fifty mark. That was after
The triumph over the Indians in
Washington on May Is.
Right on the heels of this May Is
win followed the Nationals longest
losing streak Of the year-four games.
Playing in Clark Griffith Stadium. the
Indians vanQuished Bucky Harris
and company. on May IL and Is, and
the Tigers continued the punishment
on May 19 and 90.
Since May 1S the Nationals have
dropped 1913 points. Since leaving
home the night of May 80 they have
dropped 35 points. and that in seven
games on the road.
What the Veterans Think.
Veterans of the club will tell you
that it is games above the 500 mark.
. I'D not percentage points. that they
think about mostly before July l.
With an advantage of a dozen games
better than an even break at that
time a. club ought to be in the flag
fight to the finish, they contend. That
may be so, but can the Nationals get
such an advantage within the next
three weeks? That's something for
the club to think about.
Everything scheduled for Canadian
day in Cleveland yesterday happened
except the ball game between Ma
tionalS and Indians. Ii began raining
early in the morning. and when the
time for the clubs to take the field ar
rived a heavy downpour was in prog
'ress. All the players and the few fans
who iourneyed to Dunn Field got out
of their trip was a treat by the
Toronto Scottish Regiment. that
trooped to the colors, despite the in
clement weather.
This seems to be q jinXed tour for
che Nationals treasury. Three times
now rain has prevented action on big
days. Plenty Of money was lost by the
club when rain baked the double
header scheduled for Memorial day in
New York. Wet weather proved cost
ly in Detroit last Sunday, and had it
been fair yesterday probably the sec
ond largest crowd of the season would
have been out at Cleveland.
=. johnson Pitching Today.
Walter Johnson, who was to have
hurled for the Champs yesterday, was
likely to assume the task this after
noon. The offday was not particularly
pleasing to the veteran, for he likes to
get a thorough workout the day before
he Is slated to toll. and it was too wet
for him to participate in drill yes
terday.
Clark Griffith, president of the Ma
tionals. was TO Join his club here to-
day. Griff has been in Milwaukee in
conference with his scout. Joe Engle.
Joe has been casting about for some
talent for a club that is in sore need
Of rejuvenation. 1t is possible that the
Nationals prexy Is bringing word Of
some athletes unearthed by Joe during
his late travels.