Evening star., 1926-04-05

If the team must go to the middle
OF September with the pennant still in
chancery, the Washingtons may be
beaten out by no less club than New
York-provided the Yankees are up
there and still smashing the ball as
they are likely TO do from the start of
the season.
The Griffmen seem to have lost
some Of that delightful up-and,at-'e -'em
spirit they had last season and the
season before. The Washingtons have
been beaten In a world series and they
are now playing their games antici-
| pating breaks. which is about the
worst thing that a ball team can do
In 1924 and last year the Washing
tons greatest delight was TO get into
a fight where they had TO rally any
| time after the seventh inning. They
| pulled out game after game.
Seem to Expect Bad Breaks.
This year they play exactly as II
they were anticipating possible mis-
haps and when they find things break
| ing against them they don't rally aS
they once did. They've got TO get out
| Of 1t and get their noses a mile VI
| toward the sky and rear around
exactly as If they were the colts OF
| 1924, II they expect 10 lick this Ameri
can League bunch in 1926.
| Perhaps the strongest asset that the
| Washingtons have got is their ole
| pitchers. when once the old pitchers
| get tuned up for the race. Almost
| all the old boys can stand lot Of
hanging and crowding in the pitch
| erS' box and not worry over II. They
have been through the mill too often.
| A man like Walter Johnson, who /:
| in the best of condition this year. anC
! probably as ready to have gooC
| season as he was years ago. know:
when he Is not quite meeting his owl
! expectations, but doesn't worry abou
| II because he has been there before
| He never looked more like a bal
| player than he does this year. He Il
| every bit as likely to make recort
| in 1926 as he would have been &
| make one 10 years ago. johnson
feels good, too. When the old fel
| lows feel right they have certain
amount OF elation that will sustain
them. If Washington had two Waite,
| Johnsons, the pair would just abou
take the team along to the pennant
Bush Sould Be Winner.
Bush is tightly, but he is likely u
| go to a successful season with Wash
ington.
i Inc piICn6T WHO may SLdTI SlOWel
\ in 1926, and who, can hardly hope tC
/ be as successful as he was last seasor
| is Coveleskie. His arm Is tender like
! that of all spit-ball pitchers in tht
| Spring, and he may not win as many
| games as he did last year. But i
| he doesn't he will have more as
sistance. or rather the team will, from
! it's other veterans.
| Ruether never has seemed 10 b
better At than now. II he has finally
| got 1t out of his noodle that he can
get to the Giants he may be quite ;
| pitcher for Washington.
Marberry doesn't look right. HI
needs work and he needs control am
| If he doesn't have control he ism
of so much value TO the Washington
| Club.
A good amount OF winning shoult
be expected from Ferguson. He i
10 longer TO be rated as a novice, .an'
| a certain amount of winning ma.
come from Ogden. Kelly, too. look
good, but the real fight by this bal
| club Is likely TO be made with tn
| old-time pitchers in the box, and afte
the Fourth of July, when base bal
tells upon the men who can't srant
the strain Of desperate race.
Has Boost for Joe Judge.
The writer has seen no first base
man this Spring who plays his bas
with such ease and such polish a