Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-05
By ]. ED GRILLo.

Special Dispatch 10 The Star
ST. LOUIS. Mo. June 1.-The Nationals
record on the present trip now stands six
won and seven lost. a showing most cred
liable to any ball team. and that after
losing FIVE of the first seven games
played.
III the team can keep up the present
squirt il may hold better position in the
race when il arrives at home than 1t did
the day IL left, though it still has its hard
est test before It, Games are not going to
come as easy in Chicago. Detroit, Cleve-
land and Philadelphia as they did here.
becaus the club will be up against much
stronger teams. and yet if the kind of
ball that Griffith's men have been playing
continues these strong teams Will have
their hands full beating them.
The improved showing OF the pitching
staff since it came west was the one
thing lacking in the games in New York
and Boston. but as Johnson. Hughes,
Groom and Engel are all working we'll.
Griffith has nothing to fear from this
source. The teams good hitting contin-
ued again yesterday. though hard luck
prevented it from giving Walter johnson
an easy lead At any time. One-handed
stabs by the Browns with men on the
bases which prevented scoring. enabled
the tail-enders to make IL rather inter-
esting for the Nationals. though let ii be
understood that johnson worked hard
only in spots.
Johnson did not pitch near the game
that he did in Boston last Thursday. not
withstanding the fact that he had four
days rest for this one. 1t is a question.
in fact whether Walter is helped any
so far as effectiveness Is concerned by
these long lay-offs. He seems to show
better form when he is worked more
often. though. of course, the rests are of
general benefit to him and will be sure
tn prolong his career as a pitcher. Crit
fifth does not want to work Johnson hard
unless he has to, for the very good rea-
son that he Is hopeful to some daw have
team which stands chance for the
pennant. and only then will Johnson be
pushed to the limit. He figures 1t would
be poor policy to rush johnson through a
campaign In which he can only hope to
plains why he is so careful in using him.
For the first time in many days Dan
Moeller failed to get base hit yester-
terday. and by strange coincidence Fos-
ter. too. went hitless. This pair have been
OF the greatest value in an offensive way
during the trip. and their failure to con-
meet with Powell for base hit yester-
For all that. both of them hit the ball
hard. but were unfortunate in not getting
it into the right spot. Mcbride. how
ever, was the hard luck hitter of the
day. He got a single, which did much
TO help win the game, in the second. and
twice after that drove out line drives
which We're caught. Hogan captured one
of these and Laporte the other, the latter
turning his into a double play. as Nor
gan. the star batter of the day, was on
first.
Jack Knight Is worried about his fu-
ture. He figures that Griffith is not
going to carry him, and he got the i'm
preston from some source or other that
ii was Griffith's intention of leaving him
In ST. Louis. 1t seems that Stovan asked
knight how he would like to play here.
and knight Immediately took 1t for grant
ed that Griffith had made an EFFORT to
trade him. When Griffith was asked
about the supposed deal he said: There
is nothing in that rumor / have not
spoken to a single soul connected with
the st. Louis club with reference to any
trades. and / really don't know that they
have a single player that / would want.
Knight has not been OF much service to
us this spring, but l believe he is good
ball player for all that, and / am not
worrying about him just now. or
which would help US should bob up. I
shall not have any hesitancy to let
knight GO but as I said before 1 have
nothing on just now which means that
he Will not De Win US
Raw Morgan led every one in the game
with the stick yesterday. getting two
singles and double in four times up.
But he also made wabble which put
Johnson in hole in the eighth. kri-
chell had made a single in this inning
and Powell had popped out when Nor
gan allowed an easy grounder from
Shotten's bat to roll through him. "A
wild pitch followed, with the result that
the score. There seems to be no doubt.
however as to Morgan's ability to hit,
and there is also no reason why. after ne
has played second for a while. he should
not be able to master the position.
The difference between the Washington
and ST. Louis teams was so great in the
series which closed yesterday that II
the same league. Compared OF the Browns
the Nationals look like championship
team No slower aggregation than 81.
Louis has ever graced a major league
diamond and there is not much of a
chance OF StovaIl making a reputation
as manager with the present OUTFIT.
Incidentally Stovall seems TO have been
affected by his promotion, for he is not
hitting at all since he took the job. while
previous to that time he was easily the
best ever in the lineup OF the Browns
Stovall. in his desire to make improve
ments Is constantly making changes In
his team though there seems TO be no
IMPROVEMENT as a result. He has changed
Pratt and Iaporte from intield to outfield
positions but the desired result, seems
not 10 have been attained. Just now the
team is badly handicapped by the fact
that all OF its catcherS barring triger.
who il really too old for work. are Grip
pied and the result is that opposing
teams are finding il no difficult matter
10 steal bases.
Griffth has Cashion working with a spit
ball and considering the fact that he has
only been at IL for few days he /:
showing up pretty well in practice. The
trouble just now is that only some of tn,
balls on which he tries to use the moist
ened delivery break. but there Is a grea
Improvement in his control. and il h
comes through IL will make wonderful
change in the Nationals pitching
strength
Grin is looking for an opportunity Z
give Musser chance 10 pitch a game
lie is satisfied with the youngsters nat
ural ability. but somewhat doubtful as I
his control. and II he had been blesse
with a better start on the present tri
Musser would have been used in on
Of the games in ST. Louis. The chance
that the first time Musser is used
will be in a game which has been los
wnen he will be allowed to finish.
II has to be a decidedly wild throw I
first when IL gets away from Gandil. II
seems able TO reach in most any directio
for the ball, and some Of his catches al
as good as even a Chase could handl
Though Gandil has been hitting as we
"a could be hoped for he Is far frol
satisfied with his own stick work. II
contends that he ought TO be getting mol