The Washington herald., 1912-06-26
With Groom and Johnson to Do
TwirIing, Griff Expects
Pair of Victories.
VAUGHN REPORTS TO CLUB
ny WILLIAM PEET.

owing-to the rain yesterday the game
with the Boston Red Sox had to be called
on and a doubIe-header is scheduled for
the Concrete Coliseum this afternoon. The
washington pitchers are Walter johnson
and Bob Groom, while Boston will prob
ably work Buck O'Brien and Joe Wood.
Double-headers this season have proved
the real link for Grih's Climbers. Up to
date fiye dual sketches have been on the
boards and the Nationals have lost every
game. New York. started the procession
when double-headers were scheduled on
consecutive days, four games went to the
HiEhlanders. In Boston the following
day double bill was on the menu and
Boston grabbed both. The Philadelphia
disaster last week Is still fresh in the
minds of local fans. It will be remem-
bered that the Athletics captured the first
game OF the double-header In the Quaker
City last Wednesday thereby breaking up
the Nationals winning streak, and add
ed the second game, also winning both
combats. played on Thursday.
Manager Grifith does not believe in
any such thing as a jinx, and declares
that past performances count for
naught. He is confident that with Wal
ter johnson and Bob Groom in form to-
day the Nationals will easily win both
games against the league leaders.
Griff stated last night that he believed
the Nationals were about out Of their
recent batting slump and that the club
would once more start hitting. He feels
confident that from now on his young
sters will put up the brand OF baseball
which swept everything before them out
West Il is hoped that Grin has the
right hunch. for II they do put up such
an exhibition Boston can never beat
them in a million years.
Jim Vaughan, the big southpaw OBJ
tained from the New York Yankees at
the waiver price, reported yesterday and
will be out in a Washington inform
this afternoon
Vaughan says that he could not win
games for the Yankees for the reason
that the club never made any rUns be-
hind him, but he thinks that the Nation
ais will be able to help him out a bit
give Manager Griffith the Dest he has
in him.
Griff himself believes Vaughan is a
first7class pitcher, and says that he has
not been handled right.
A whole lot will depend upon what
sort Of a showing Vaughan makes the
first game he works for the Nationals.
Buck Becker, the local boy, who was
sent to Montreal and later sold to the
Atlanta club of the Southern League, has
refused to report Becker told Boss Grifr
that he could not stand the climate down
South. and wanted to be transferred to
one Of the Tri-State League clubs.
Griff told the writer last night that
Becker was the property Of Atlanta and
that It would be up to them.
In the meantime Becker is in town and
will not go South.
There Is just a possibility that Sunday
baseball will be tried in Washington
while the club is home. GrifI himself
favors it, and as there is no law against
Sunday games IN the District, there is a
chance that the experiment will be tried.
A dispatch from Cleveland referring to
Barney Petty, the pitcher Washington
obtained from St. Louis. reads as fol-
lows: Cleveland almost had Barney
Petty once and II it had taken him on
baseball history in the American League
might have been different. Because
Cleveland lost a ball game in st. Louis
once, Petty became a member Of the
Browns and kept the same Cleveland
Club from winning at least two PEN
nants.
Back in 1903 Bill Armour managed
the Cleveland Club, and a friend told
him Of a young pitcher named Petty,
who was working for an independent
team in Missouri. He brought the
youngster around and asked that Ar
mour give him a trial The Maps had
a double-header that day with the
Browns.
IF We win the first game, I'll let
you pitch the second" he told Barney
after seeing him warm up. The Maps
lost so Petty did not get a chance.
Armour owned a slice Of the Dayton
Club at the time and recommended
Petty TO his partner and Barney was
willing to sign at $125 per month, but
Dayton could not afford to pay that
much, having a poor season.
So Petty went to Cedar Rapids and
was picked up by McAleer for the