Evening star., 1926-09-28

-NdIlO1dIS Ildu WHICH tICN
ftme here this morning for the
krec-game series with the Ath-
:ttics that will end the American
League season.
To get that third pace the Ma
tionals would have to grab both ends
Of the double-header that was to be
played this afternoon and take the
single game tomorrow. One defeat
or a rained-out game would keep
Bucky Harris and company from
the third notch.
And to avoid fourth-place tie
with the White Sox, the Nationals
must score at least one victory ii all
three games are played here.
In todays dual sketch. the Nation
ais were apt to depend upon the pitch
ing of George Murray and Al Crowd
er. Both of these hurlerS came di-
rectly to Philadelphia from Chicago
that they might avoid the three-hour
trip from Philadelphia to This town
this morning. Neither has worked
since early last week and they should
be in prime condition to tackle the
Mackmen.
For the final game of the year to be
played tomorrow. Manager Stan Har-
ris may call upon either Walter John
Of his mound corps. Both toiled last
Saturday in the double header against
the White SoX. Johnson was per-
hapS a tritie better than Covey then,
although he lost his game, while the
spitballer was relieved by Fred Mar
berry in the contest in which credit
for the victory went to the rescue
worker.
Have Done Well i'm Philly.
II the Nationals perform in this
series as they did in the earlier en-
gagements in Philadelphia this year,
they ought to score at least couple
of Victories here. OF the eight games
played in the Quaker City this year.
five We're bagSed by BuCky Harris
and company. But evidently the AS
of today are somewhat stronger than
the AS that the Nationals trOunced SO
regularly earlier in the season. Con
ME Mack'S bunch has been hitting on
all six recently and sweeping aside
practically everything before it,
1t Is to he hoped that the two-time
champions perform more impressively
here than they did in the West
throughout the season. The play of
tho club that hattled its way to the
American League title last year and
the year before was so Woefully weak
in the western part Of the circuit this
=
could not understand how the present
Nationals rated a first division berth.
OF As games played on the lots of
the western outfits. but p were gar
nered by the Nationals. And they
achieved n record that good only by
breaking even in the s engagements
decided during the trip that closed in
Chicago Sunday. Their first invasion
OF the West this year was the most
disastrous in seasons. But of IL
games played came their way. And
the second invasion brought burt 6 vic
tories in Il starts.
Tribe and White Son Rough.
Two Western clubs gave the Ma
tionals fine lckinCs. An even dozen
games We're staged in Cleveland and
the Indians took 8 "f them. OF tire
II contests hold in Chicago, went to
the White SoX. In Detroit, however,
the Nationals beat the Tigers times
in Is starts. while in st. Louis they
defeated the Browns I times in a
dozen starts.
But one annual series was wreSted
from n Western club. The Nationals
captured ] of 22 games played with
the Browns over the season. They
managed to get an even break with
the White SoN in the 22-game set.
but the Tigers won II Of % tits with
the holdover champs and the In
dams took 16 of 90 games. Not so
good for a club that had licked the
West deCisively in the two imme-
diately preceding seasons.
There was nothing particularly
pleasing 10 followers of the Nationals
in the last trip West of their club.
II left home for this final invasion
but a few games behind second place
and with chance toi gain that posi-
territory. Whatever hope the Ma
fionals had of getting that high was
blasted pronto however. when the
Indians took them in for four games
in q row.
Trip Cost Much Ground.
That put the Harrismen back into
fourth place and they could not get
ont of that while in Detroit. They
took four of the seven games played
with the Tigers. One of the three
Others was kicked away at the last
moment and the other two were pull
ed out of the fire by the Cobbnen
when il seemed Bucky Harris and
company had them sewed up. The Ty-
gers, with ninth-inninS rallies, twice
iolted the Nationals.
Tho Browns were somewhat easy
and the four game series was swept
hv the holdoVer champs. But 1t was
"A different story in Chicago. Two
of three engagements We're dropped
to the White SoX. AS a result, the
Nationals left the West with no eX-
traordinary hold on fourth place.
The trip did uncover n fine pitching
prospect Decatur Jones. 22-year-old
hurler. bought from Chattanooga, ap-
reared TO advantage in two of the
three games he started and may be
heard from next season. Ihe
western air also cleared Manager
Harris batting eye. After failing to
do anything with the fail in the hrst
right games, the boss OF the Nationals
came to life in the latter part OF the
Tyger series and began hitting
Havagely. -,
In only of the 10 games did
he fail to connect with the ball and
in each of his hitting tits he got two
ar more bingles. All told, he col
lected 20 safeties in the hnal ~
games Of the tour for an average OF
500
But the West did not help the
others TO any great extent.