The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-09-29
ATLANTA CLUB
AFTER SOME OF
GRIFF'S PLAYERS
Manager Billy Smith Interviews Old
Fox with View of Strength
ening His Team.
THREE MEN NOW DRAWING
SALARY MAY BE LET GO
Nationals Pssfpects of Finishing in
Second Place Are Very Bright.
Other Gossip.

Billy Smith, manager of the Atlanta
Club of the Southern League, and a per-
sonal friend of Manager Grifith's, slip
ped into town quietly yesterday after
noon and had several long talks with
the Nationals boss.
Smith has tough proposition on his
hands and is looking for baseball talent.
He would like to relieve Griff of several
young pitchers and any other talent the
Old Fox can hand him, and while the
result of the long discussion between the
pair was not made public, it is under
stood that some of the players obtained
in the draft and possibly one or two now
wearing Washington uniforms may be
found with Atlanta shortly after the
Southern League season opens next
year
Griff has already purchased First Base
man AgIer from Atlanta. and Agler will
be given a trial next spring
Unless the young man looms up as
wonder, there will be no place for him
on the local club as Chick Gandil is
n the big show. Therefore it looks very
much as il Agler might be returned TO
Atlanta The writer believes that at
east two pitchers and one outfielder at
present on the pay roll of the club will
)e turned over to some class IA club
or development next year, and the
chances are that Griff's old friend Billy
Smith has been offered first crack at
he players.
Asked if-he would train in Atlanta next
spring Griff emphatically replied: No,
have already decided to return to Char
lottesville-I expect to take a big squad
to West Baden for week and then we
will all go to Charlottesville"
As the Philadelphia Athletics won both
games of a double-header from the New
York Yankees yesterday. and the Ma
tionals only captured the one against
Boston, the Mackmen gained one-half
game on Griff's team. Five games re-
main of the 1872 schedule, and with
two-game lead it looks very much as If
Washington would finish in second
place. Remember, fans, the Nationals
will be playing the New York Yankees
when the Athletics are stacked against
the Red SoX, and Washington has al
ready won the first game from the beam
eaters.
\ crowd Of probably 1900 fans turned
out yesterday to welcome the Nationals
home. despite the weather, which Tinted
more of football than the diamond
game The writer cannot remember
when Washington has turned out such
a throng during the past five years SO
late in the season, and this in itself is
nice tribute 10 pay TO Clark Griffith. who
has given the Capital the best ball club
in its history.
The fans here do not quite appreciate
how hard Griff has worked to pull Wash
ington out of the joke class and give the
Capital a ball club worthy Of respect.
If washingtonians could hear what the
fans of other cities say about Grif, how
they flock to hotels where the Nationals
stop on the road just to shake hands
with the Old Fox and congratulate him
on the success he has achieved they
would appreciate him better.
With any kind of luck next year Wash
.ngton will be fighting for the pennant-
Only one or two changes are needed, and
the aggregation will measure up to any
team in the league, and TO Clark Griffith
belongs every bit of credit. .
Boston will never beat New York IL
they do not play better ball than they
put up to-day" casually remarked To-
cal fan to his friends as he was leaving
the ball park last evening.
Quite true, friend. but Boston can play
better ball than was shown yesterday;
Furthermore, they most likely fwill. 1t
must be remembered that Larry Gard
ner, the clever little third sacker. was
out of the Red Sox' lineup, and that
had he been in the game, possibly the
two grounders which were handled poor
ly by Engel might have been converted
into put-outs. 1t must also be remem-
bered that the Nationals as they are 60
ing right now can give any club in the
world a stiff battle. and that Cashion. de-
spite his wildness, had lot of stun on
the ball.
It would not be fair to Judge the Bos-
ton club by the exhibition it put up yes
terday.
Horace Fogel's statement that the New
York Giants won the National League
pennant because the umpires threw
games their way is just as absurd as 1t
is ridiculous, and the National League
should get together quickly and tell Mr..
Fogel just where he gets off,
In the American League several UNI
pires are made the targets Of abuse by
managers, who claim that the men them
selves are inexperienced and therefore
incompetent. but that they are honest
nobody questions for second. The same
holds true with the National League
and for a person ike FoSel' TO make such
absurd claims the thing should pass un-
noticed by all fair-minded fans Fogei
has been called a "sorehead'' by Nc
Graw, and the title fits him.
Owner McAleer, of the Red Sox, is
here with the Boston club, and Jim has
unbounded faith in the ability of his
team TO beat out McGraw's New Workers.
for the worlds title.
Paul Shannon. of the Post, and Tim
Murnane, OF the Globe, are also travel
ing with the Red Sox,- and these well
known experts cannot see anything to it
but Boston. WILLIAM PEET
Dunn After Derrick.
Jack Dunn. the Baltimore manager, is