Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-13
DOC WHITE WAS ACE
OF SLABB|NG STAFF
His Injury Prevented Team
From Scoring Cleanup.
Western Runner-up.
By EDWARD A. FULLER, JR.

%HOULD central win the pub
lie high school base bal
y championship series, opening
Friday, the wearers of the
Blue viii be repeating triumph
they originally achieved way back
in 1897, when the schools staged q
diamond title competition for the
first time.
Delving into musty Star files, one
learns that Central won the champion
ship that year by defeating Western
IA to 8, in the deciding game. DR.. G.
Harris (Doc) White, now athletic di-
rector Of the District Public High
Schools, who was later to become crack
pitcher with Georgetown University, the
Phtllies and the Chicago White Sox
was member of the victorious Central
team, but did not play much in 1897
as he was hurt in Central's first game
with western, which ended in an 11-11
tie after 13 innings. Doc showed "phe-
nomenal" ability even in those days
and, according to The Stars reporter
Central would have won three straight
in the series had he not been hurt, as
the heaviest opposing batsmen could not
hit him.
Western Was Second.
Central won games, tied l and lost
none to win that first series. Western
was second, with 2 victories and / tie,
against defeat; Business was third,
with ! win and losses, and Eastern
was last, with no victories, against 3
setbacks. Tech had net come into be-
ing at that time.
Here's how The Star reporter re-
viewed the 1897 series:
The Central team was the strongest
In every respect, and consequently beat
out Eastern and Business with ease,
but was given hard fight for the hon.
ors by the Georgetown boys, who tied
with Central In the first game, which
was played over Saturday. If White,
the Central pitcher, who showed such
phenomenal abilities, had not been hurt
in the first game with Western, the
Central boys would have won three
straight games, as the heaviest batterS
of their opponents were unable to hit
him. The Central boys were handy with
the stick, fielded their positions well
and played together, hence their excel
lent showing. The following is the
line-up of the champions: Gannett,
catcher; White, Durdin and Haas,
pitchers: Tisdel (captain), first base;
Burbank, second base; Mckinney. third
a,
field; Cockrel, left field, and Washing
ton, center field.
Games. Wen Attended.
1.-THE western boys, who came out
second, had several weak places in their
nine. which cost them the champion
ship. Buck, Tanner and Gordon d.
vided the honors.
THE fielding and batting Of the
asxzN mas a
par. the superiority of the former team
being that it was stronger behind the
bat
THE games were well played and
well attended, and IL is hoped that, next
years season win be as great sue
cess
This is the first year that base BAN
has been given any support by the
schoolboys. and the first that series
OF games was arranged. As the project
met with such great success, and as the
pupils and friends Of the schools gave
such hearty support, yearly series of
base ball games for the high school
championship has become q settled
thing.
Leading players Of the other series
teams were:
Western-DuvalI, catcher; Buck (cap-
tatn), pitcher; Tanner. first base; Cor
don, second base; Mulligan, shortstop:
Buckley, third base; Burford, left field
Smart, center field. and Hudson, right
Business Cabin. second base; Ward,
nrst base; Bridaham, catcher; Wood
nurn, center field; Kipp, shortstop;
Kimmell, right field; Reach, third base:
Everett, left field, and Kingdom, pitcher.
Eastern-Clark, center field; Bur
roughs, third base; Smell, first base;
Licaroni. shortstop; Bell, right field;
COMBS. second base: Bradley; catcher;
Hand pitcher, and Buheler, left field.
Though the 1897 series was the first
formal competition Of the public high
paonShip the year before.
Describes Deciding Game.
NJ Hand, captain OF the Eastern
team, addressed letter to The Star
whic appeared in the issue Of June is,
1886, and was elf-explanatory
Describing the game in which Central
conquered Western to win the cham
pionship, The Star said:
The Central High School base ball
team won the championship of the
nigh school series Saturday by defeat
ing Western in a well played game.
The score was II to and the play
on both sides was spirited and In
teresting. The hitting and field work
va NA4C trui4Lc WEIC dQOut even. III
dividual playing was excellent. The
fielding Of Burbank and Gordon was
noteworthy. while the pitching Of both
Durdin and Buck was good, although
the former had little the best of it.
Gannetts catching was good, while
McKinney's batting, three dagger and
double, netting four runs, was also
q feature.
"A game was arranged between the
Eastern and Central High Schools to
have been played Saturday at IL o'clock
at Arsenal Park, but, owing to the
appearance of Central, the game
was forfeited to Eastern Eastern
waited for more than an hour for the
Central team. Unless q game can be
played Immediately the Eastern High
School will claim the right of cham
pionShlp over the other high schools.
Agreements to play existed with Bust
ness. but for some ungiyen reason 1t
never gave us a game. If team exists
at Western We would be pleased to play
it, but otherwise we will lay claim