Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-09

i one-half of the American
League season to go-so
they cannot be counted cut of the
pennant race merely because they
now are trailing the circuit-lead-
ing Athletics six and half games.
To overcome that handicap and
cop the league flag, however, the
Nationals must travel at 700
clip the remainder of the cam
paign, even though the AS fall
back to a 900 pace. That's eX-
pecting a lot of the Washington
club and a very decided drop in
the stride of the Philadelphia
club.
Unfortunately the Nationals thus far
in the season have not displayed the
telling punch or the effective pitching
the AS have displayed. Manager
Walter Johnson's charges have done
much better than average in pitching
way and their club batting average
generally has been superior to the
Athletics mark. But the Washington
club does not seem to possess the out
standing pitchers or the punch packed
by certain individuals at crucial mo-
mentS as does the Philadelphia club
i. The Nationals have their good bat
ters so far as averages go, but they lack
the Simmons, the F'oxx and the Coch-
rane that the Athletics have They
have their Fischer. their Marberry and
their Burke, but they lack their Grove
and Earnshaw. Two or three batterS
can make a ball club better than
average as ball clubs go and one pitcher
or two pitchers can make ball club
average in other respects a great ball
club.
The Athletics have Just the extra
material needed to carry them to dizzy
heights. 1t seems the Nationals, al
though gallant fighting band, do not.
THOSE AS now are six and half
l. games ahead of the Nationals. They
have picked three of those six and
a half game from the very club that
has been battling them for the SUI
premacy in the American League, the
Washington club. They have defeated
the Nationals Z times III IL games
played to decision this season. The
other three and half games, of course.
have been picked up at the expense
Of their six other rivals in the league
When ball club setting the pace is
able to pick up almost SO per cent OF
its advantage over the runner-up out
fit at the halfway point i'll campaign
it must be regarded a very formidable
club and one that will take a deal of
beating by its closest contender as well
as all along the line to be noSed out
at the finish
This Washington ball club is one that
deserves a great deal of attention. 1t is
good, it gives its best every game and it
should have great following to the
finish. There is no quitting i'll it. How
ever, it has a great handicap to over
come to find its way TO the American
League championship.
OF SO games played in Griffith
~ Stadium this season the Nationals
have lost but eight. Three of those
games were lost TO the Athletics. That
should show how the wind blows.
The third loss to the AS came yester-
day in the first inning of the engage
ment. The battering ram of the Clan
McGillicuddy fell upon the head of
Lloyd Brown, left-handed hurler of the
Nationals. in the first inning and there
after the home side was never in the
game
Four hits for as many runs were
CLEANED off the local southpaw before
he knew where he was. One of the hits
was Jimmy FoXX's sixteenth home run
of the year, a fine blow into the sun
parlor back of left field. That was the
Nationals death-knell for the game.
After that Bob Burke, who pitched
four innings following the second, yield
ed a tally in the sixth. Then Carl
Fischer pitched two runleSs innings and
Bump Hadley one. Pinch-batters elimi-
mated these two moundsmen.
Of Bob Grove. left-handed ace of
the Athletics, the Nationals got as many
hits as the visitors. made, IL. And
twice they filled the bass. But each
time two were out and Grove bore down
In his customary manner and everything
went blooey.
WITH good single by Bishop and a
w bunt that Brown messed up suffi-
GENTLY to count for a single, the
AS were away to good start. Coch-
rane. trying to sacrifice, hunted a foul
to Bluege. but Simmons tripled and
Foxx hit his home run. With two out
in the second session, Bishop singled
and Haas tripled for another score. Of
Burke in the sixth Miller doubled, Dykes
sacrificed and Boleys single scored
Bing.
The Nationals did all their scoring
in the sixth. when Grove suffered a
temporary wild spell. He walked Kuhel
and Spencer. Hayes picked up Burke's
bat and drove a single to certer That
scored Kuhel and when Haas kicked the
ball Spencer made third. Mver struck
cut and Manush lofted to short left.
Crcnin, though. drove single to center
and sent two more runs over.
1t was unfortunate. though, that those
two innings with the bases full went
by. In the first of them Myer grounded
harmlesSlv to Grove and III the second
Manush foul-tipped for third strike.
Ccchrane muffed the ball. but recovered