Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-20
BY ]. ED GRILLo.

coming of Griffith is eagerly lookeS for
ward to by local patrons Of the game
for the reason that he is expected to set
tie many mooted questions pertaining to
the local team
Griffith, of course, will not be in a
position to say just what his lineup will
be, for he will want to- see his payers
go through the spring training stunts be-
fore he will make any selection, but he
is sure to throw some light on his plans
and make known his ideas regarding the
team. Interest in the new regime is
greater than it has ever been on any
former occasion when a new manager
has taken hold here.
The public seems to have been inn
pressed with the statements made by
Griffith anent the developing of young
sters, and If he will follow this liue of
work he is sure to become decidedly popu-
lar here.
While it is plain, Of course, that Grit
fifth will not have lot of star ball play
ers to select his team from, 1t is be-
lieved that there will be lot of improve
ment in many of the players under his
largely experimental for the reason that
he is sure % supplant all or at least a
majority of the veterans with young
blood, and time alone will tell whether
this will benefit local conditions. The
great trouble with the manas en1ent of
the local team heretofore has been that
much has been sacrificed for the: sake Of
winning a single game. Victories having
been rather scarce here as a rule, the
teams leader has never dared to take
much Of a chance experimenting. He has
usually played what on the face of it
seemed to be the strongest lineup, and
this naturally has given the old players
positions on the team. and thus prevented
the development Of youngsters.
Griffith. however. does not propose to
follow this plan. He will put young play
ers in several positions, and keep them
there until they have proven beyond ques-
ton that the work is too much for them.
But If they give the slightest indication
game, regardless of how many games
may be lost while they are being de-
veloped- Grimth proposes to work for
the. future. He says he does not care
If he can develop. couple of good ball
players who will fl the bill the following
season, and this plan seems to be the one
local patrons of the game have yearned
for
That both Moeller. and Foster Of the
Rochester team stand chance to hold
their own here. is proven by the official
! Eastern League averages, which show
this pair to have been decidedly active
Moeller played in 16l games. scored IS
runs and made lO2 base hits for an aver
age Of .299. He stole 30 haa,es made %
doubles .ss, u triplss and home. Euns: Foster
many more games.s no il ali. He scored
IS runs. made 152fbase-hits and sto.e 81
bases, FOR Batting average Of .2SS He
made 20 doubles. N-ttsples and home
runs. Spencer. who halls from the same
club. played l49 games scored II runs
and made 1877 hits. He did not cut much
Of figure with the extra base hits. how
ever, for he got but 8 doubles, triples
and home runs. His batting average
was 1857.
It does not always follow that a PLAYER
Will do worse when he goes into the big
league than he did IN the minors. It
frequently. happens that his batting i'm
proves In the big show. but nearly all
OF the three Rochester players will prove
satisfactory If they can keep up the pace
with the Nationals they set in the East
ern League.
The suggestion that Jack Flynn might
be developed into a third baseman Is we'll
worthy OF consideration. II there Is one
spot on the team where Ii Is weak 1t Is at
third True, Ray Morgan showed remark
able Improvement there during the few
games he played last fall. and he m y
he creates the impression that he needs
more experience. Flynn has had a taste
Of the big league campaigns, AM as he
has been played on third on occasions
and made good. he might develop into a
star there. Flynn has the size and each,
and II he shows enough to warrant a
trial there he would make a great man
for the place.
That Mathewson like all pitchers. has
an occasional off day goes without say
Ing, but 1t is questionable IL any of the
stars ever got so severe pummelng 3
did Matty In ST. Louis one day during
the summer of 1910. Here is what lap
pened him:
Matty started to pitch for New York
Johnny Lush worked for the Cardinals.
Neither team scored in the first inning,
but Matty was accorded the grandest re-
ond round. Steve Evans, first man up,
was baff1ed by the fadeaway and struck
out. Steve bears the reputation among
ball PLAYERS of being the sweetest hitter
In the Cardinal club. Naturally MattX
felt pretty good after tanning the re:
doubtable Evans and began joshing
Roger Bresnahan. who followed Evans at
the plate.
Here's one YOU couldn't hit with a
plank chirped Blk Six. as he hung the
ball on string for the duke 1t was
a SLOW hoater over the middle of the pan.
bresnahan raced out and cracked it to
center field for a single. Hauser. who
never has any trouble smearing Matty's
I q
/ Mike Mowrey hit with the runners and
splashed one-spot to right field, scoring
Bresnahan and putting Hauser on third
base.
Matty began looking serious about this
time and uncorked everything he had in
stock. Fletcher, who was playing second
base. booted Lush's roller and Fred Mer-
kle 5uggied the throw. Mowrey ambled
home on the double miscue. Higgins
pulled single to right, scoring Lush
| Ellis walked and Matty looked appealing.
ly In the direction of the New York
bench. He wanted to be taken out of the
| box, but Johnny McC;raw made him sticl
and take his medicine.
Rebel Cakes added insult to injury by
smashing single to right. scoring Hug.
! gins and Ellis. Honey sent Cakes over
!, with q slashing drive through 3 idweiI
and Evans. batting for the second time
| slugged Matty for single to center field
counting Honey. Bresnahan brought h.
round to q close by hammering the bal
The Cards walloped Matty for six clear
/ safeties and one scratch hit.
| Miscues by Fletcher. Merkle and Bird
we'll and the free ticket to Ellis pro
longed the agony. Eleven batsmen facec
Matty during the slaughter, eight score
and one man was left. Matty says him
self that 1t was the worst :n..ing he eve
Clark Gr.fYith has made friends by hi
departure from Cincinnati. where he wa
| being kept in the dark as to h futur
and from where he left to accept tn
| Washington Job at time when his re
cials of that club. All over the two cir
cults Griffith is being commended for hi
stand. Here is what Sam Crane says o
him. - Z.