Evening star., 1927-10-02


tackle the Athletics in the
Il final base ball game of an
American League season that
has been far from satisfactory in SO
far as Washington fandom is concern
ed, yet not such poor one for a club
that suffered SO many miSf0rtuncS as
that led for the fourth successive year
by Stanley Harris
According to President Clark Grif-
fin, in this Windup of the campaign
the fans will 500 in action much Of
the new material from which Boss
Bucky hopes TO CLEAN talent for the
J93S edition of the Nationals. There
arc many recruit outtielderS ana in
1ielders as we'll as hurlors at hand
and the lineup taking the field this
afternoon against Connie Mack az
gr2CatIon probably viii. bear little re-
Scmbancc to that which carried on
the fight for Washington during the
greater part Of the season coming to
an end.
Manager Harris as we'll as the fol
lowers of the game here is eager To
learn what may be expected OF some
of the youngsters recently rcruited
by his club. Getting line on the
capabilities of this now talent now
is apt to prove helpful when Winter
swaps die dttCulplttl. II lHe IdplulN
growing squad of Nationals can be
pruned 10 some extent before the
club treks to Tampa next Spring
more individual training may he done
by the coaches at the 1925 condition
Ing camp than was possible when
such Il vast array of material had
10 be looked over at this years camp.
New Faces Due In Linc-Up.
And it is no secret that there will
he nCW faces in the Nationals lineup
next season. Some Of those who have
been accounted regulars this year are
6ue to retire from the game or have
their services transferred To other
clubs. lntiCid. outtield and catching
bnd pitching staffs are likely TO be
thoroughly G0nc over. although
neither Manager Harris nor President
Griffith has as vet intimated Just
which Of the present crop of regulars
Will he SupDantCd by newcomers.
Nevertheless, an oVerhauling of the
Talent at hand probably will result in
the organization Of a team little re- |
senbling that which bore the Wash t
lngtOn burden in the pcnnant contest |
this season.
1t cannot be said that the 1927 per- !
formance of the Nationals has been !
III
q number of supposedly good young |
pitchers carried over from last season. |
several hiShly-toutcd recruits on its |
roster and the Midwinter acquisition |
Of an outtielder, who had been one of |
The fielding and batting stars of the !
american League for years the Wash |
ington outfit was rated high as pen !
hant possibility and local fandom |
EiImpsed revival of the glory of the I
Tag winning seasons of 1924-25.
But many of the supposedly good !
Fourg pitchers carried over from the |
previous campaigns failed to fulfil ey
pectatIons. couple of veteran hurIers /
proved OF no V2luc to the club. the
tighly-tOuted phenoms acquired for
nfl"ld and outfeld trials never per.
iormed in an acceptable manner once |
me championship campaign got un. !
per way ANA the man who had bright |
tned the league with his fielding and |
hattlng with other clubs for wears was !
Ilf snort of being a marvel with the |
Nationals. For the fans. the owners |
ma the management. there were dis I
appointments all round
Failed to Fulfil Hope.
After being ballyhooed by the snort.
FlS press OF the country, the Nationals
Ell fiat when they bumped into the
tlS test. They began stumbling as
.ariy as their training season in
tloflda and Wabbled more when thev
entered the title race. When az.
founted all but hopeless failures they
p,anaged to brace and for a brief time
ahned to brightness the pennant
pane IN the hearts of their followers.
but as sudden as their revival was
Helr slump. With the season scarcely
fln1-
loIy and really are fortunate to be fin.
SninG the year in third place.
rom the time the players Assem-.
pea at Tampa, some of them report.
pig al the training camp the middle
pL FEBRUARY, the Nationals have had
eler troubles. Despite the seemin~IT
ne spirit developed in the squad dir.
pl5 the early days of the training
terIod. the men failed 10 put anv fire
3to thelf efforts in the preseason
fonteSts that We're staged as rnuch fn,.
uai.tice ana conditioning as for ex.
ploltioh purposes to help defrav the
expense OF the traininr ca,ni,,i,s,,
eppafentiy the athletes did not fr, tn
ttNeiop the will 10 win during TIM ex.
sIo4'i"h trays, instead treating tbcn,
Soiletnlhg not SO pleasant but Ia
BE- pnt up with. ~
men came series Of Injuries 70
payers that made it almost irnuossi.
c'c ior Manager Harris TO place the
t-h1e hne-up on the field two davs in
eucccsslon At one time IG of a total
p o5 players were not available for
sefIlce Among the casIals vero
waiter johnson, dean Of major league
pnchefs, who had suffered q broken
thkle when struck by a drive dur. |
.hs batting drill; Stan Coveleskie, who |
had been expected to be Of consider. !,
eoie help TO the club in hurting w9v.
iFls Speaker, whose bat was figured |
20 become 50 potent in the Nationals |
Intensive ard Sam. Rice, long rated
ps one of the best out0e,ders in tba