Evening star., 1927-05-30

Y YNTIL the Nationals reallZe theN
have other rivals than tbs
4 Yankees in the American
~ League. they are not likely to
so very far in the flag chase.
Whenever Bucky Harris bunch en-
counters Miller Huggins' henchmen it
battles fast and furiously. Against
the other outfits of the circuit the Ma
tionalS have been remarkable mainly
for their lack of color. True, they
spanked the Red SoX severely, but so
did every one else at the time the
Nationals were rolling Bill Carrigans
tail-enderS around i'm the dust. But
the Red Sox have been fighting back
lately and may not prove such soft
victims in the four-game series here
that was to start with double header
this afternoon.
The showing of the Nationals has
been particularly poor against the
Athletics this season. During their
pennant-winning years. Harris ath-
leticS had the AS licked almost as
=. soon as they stepped on the field. But
it's different story now Seven times
5 have the Nationals encountered the
Mackmen this year and only once
have they gotten away with the big
end of the score. The 6-to-1 trouncing
they suffered in Clark Griffith Sta
dium yesterday was the fourth in
row plastered on them by Comics
venerable crew.
Griffs Lack Spirit.
II often is remarked that when a
ball club is not hitting it cannot play
its best game. Naturally not for hit
ting is as much a part of base ball as
anything else connected with the
game. But when a ball club is not
hitting, it can at least show some
signs of life in other departments of
play. And that the Nationals have
not done consistently this season. A
lack of spirit was especially noticeable
yesterday. At times, the club flashed
fire. but generally its performance
was without tone.
This lack of hustle on the part of
the Nationals. which has been noted
by base ball followers everywhere the
club has played this season, has had
much to do with keeping them around
the 500 point in winning percentage
from the start of the championship
race. Occasionally they have lifted their
heads above the halfway mark, but
just as often have dropped. The Sun
day socking showed them below the
$3.50 bar
This take-one-and -lose-one stride has
bCCI lilC ANSiliOIldlo SpGcC dIl OL lIlIS
month. OF the % games to date
played during May, they have won
10. lost IL and tied in 1. And while
doing this, they have batted for double
figures in but seven games. Their
hitting for the month has been at
.256 rate.
Four times this month they have
been held to five hits or less. But
four were CLEANED by them yesterday
off the left-hand pitching of Fred Wal
berg. and the lone run they got was
unearned. Only eight of them got
on the runway in the Sabbath setto.
Judges Triple Wasted.
Earl McNeely was hit by a pitched
ball ait the outset of the Nationals
initial turn at bat. He got no farther
than the second sta ation.. Muddy Ruel
was passed it'll one out inthe second
inning, only to be caught in a two
ply killing. There was one out in the
, seventh when Joe Judge tripled
against the right-feld' barrier. but
neither Ruel nor Topper Rigney could
help him.
: McNeely again got on base in the
eighth, walking after two were out,
and a wild pitch put him at second.
: Then Bucky Harris skied to Ty Cobb.
Goose Goslin bumped WaIberg for a
double after iris Speaker had been
retired in the ninth. He took third
after Cobb collared Judges long hoist.
:. then Ruel ended the fray with a
: grounder to Eddie Collins.
. Three Nationals got on the paths
in the fourth, when the club averted
: a shutout. Harris opened the frame
;. with line single to center, the first
hit off Walberg. Spoke tried to duck
a pitch and got a f1uky hit, the ball
striking his bat and rebounding over
Collins head to short center field. That
moved Harris forward a station. The
pair negotiated a dual theft as Coslin
let third strike go by, and when
Mickey Cochrane's wild heave went
. to left field, Harris. after accidentally
humping Sammy Hale severely enough
: to force the Mack third saclser out of
action. tailed.
Speaker who had reached third
when Cochrane threw poorly, was
nabbed at the plate when he tried to
count as Judge bounced the ball to
Jimmy Poole. Spoke argued loud and
long that he had beaten the first
sacker's throw to the final base, but
it appeared that Cochrane had Iris
well blocked off the plate. Then Ruel
put up puny pop that Cochrane
took in front Of the counting block.
Crowder No Puzzle. q.
That run did not disturb the Mack
men, for they already had banged AL
Crowder for good lead. AL Simmons
had little with which to battle the
AS, particular AL Simmons and Cobb.
OF the five hits made off the National
starting pitcher before he was yanked
with none out in the sixth session,
Simmons got three--a triple and two
doubles-and Cobb one, a two-bagger.
or the four passes Crowder issued
Cobb got two.
Two passes and a double by Sim
mons staked the AS to a two-run
getaway. Collins walked and so did
Cobb in the first frame, then Sim
mons clouted two-bagger to left-cen-