The Washington herald., 1912-06-13
HUGHES OR GROOM
TO FACE THE MAPS
In OPENING GAME
Boss Griffith Will Send Long Tom
or Sir Robert to Take First Of
Series with Naplanders.
IN WAKE OF THE NATIONALS

special TO The Washington Herald.
Detroit, June 12.-Manager Grifith, Of
the Grabbing Climbers. will send either
Long Tom Hughes or Sir Robert Groom
to take the opening encounter from the
Maps tomorrow in the Ohio city, as he
figures that either Of these star mound
performers is capable OF maintaining
the winning streak OF the Nationals.
The work of the team here to-day
against the Tigers was simply wonder
full as johnson had the game we'll in
hand throughout and the boys cut lose.
Germany Schaefer, coaCner extraor-
dinary, was the star performer OF the
day, causing Jennings more than one
sick moment with his noisy coaching from
the third base line.
Should the Nationals take to-morrow's S
game, il is more than likely that Engel
viii be started again Saturday, bringing
johnson in the Sunday battle.
In all three Western cities where the
Nationals have thus far shown this trip
the fans. players. critics. and others
have not taken Gr.T's youngsters seri-
ously, declaring that It will be only a
question Of a short time when the club
VIII lose as many games in a row as
they have now won.
Hughey Jennings. OF the Detroit
Tigers. said to Grin after Mondays
game:
Your club will be down next to last
place. where Il belongs, about the Fourth
Of July as the men are playing beyond
their speed"
Boss Grin cannot see i this way at
all. He admits that his pitching stan
is not the strongest in the league, but
says that II Hughes. Groom. and John
son continue putting up the article OF
ball they have the past two weeks his
youngsters will make the necessary runs
behind them to win three-fourths Of the
games. Grin says:
They look for my youngsters to blow,
do they? Well, take Il from me, they
won't blow. I expect them to improve
as the season advances. II I had a lot
Of old men on my club, Il would be dif-
ferent. But with so many youngsters,
and everybody out there fighting they
will get a whole lot better as the days
go by"
Even in New York and Boston. where
the Yankees and Red Sox hammered
the Nationals pitchers all over the lot,
Grin's youngsters were hitting the op-
posing twirlers almost as hard and scor-
ing nearly as many runs.
glance at the Nationals Hne-up
fails to reveal a single player who Is
rot fast on the bases. 1t has been the
base running Of the Nationals more than
anything else during the past two weeks
which has paved the way for runs
Both Henry and eAinsmith are fast big
meH, as Is Alva Williams. The pitchers
do not count in the reckoning. Chick
Gandil has stolen several bases since he
joined Grins forces Morgan is speedy,
as is Eddie Foster. while George Mcbride
-
Take the Outheld, Shanks, Milan, and
MOeller. This trio always makes a pitch
er worried when any Of them get on the
bases
The principal reason why Jack Flynn
was not kept longer was because he was
a slow runner. GriR Is a bug for
speed Like McGraw, he demands good
hitters and fast base runners. and even
II a fast player does not hit as hard as
a slow man on the bench. but manages
TO sandwich in a few hits once in a |
while. urir chooses the player with the !
most speed.
The case Of Jack knight is significant |
Of this. knight by his past perform |
ances looked like a much better hitter
than Ray Morgan, but knight is warm |
ing the bench and Morgan is covering
second.
knight is not in the best physical con-
ditiOn. and has not been able TO do
himself justice. but he is gradually |
into form. and will be mighty !
valuable to shove into the game in case |
gets hurt.
When Grin first put Morgan on Sec |
ond. the kid said to him: u never
played that bag before, and l am afraid |
you will be sorry you tried me there, |
10 which Griff replied: Nonsense You |
call yourself an infelder. don't you?" |
Morgan said he did. Well, then, YOU |
can be taught to play second, and l pro- |
pose to teach you" the Old Fox added.
Morgan looked like joke when he was |
irst tried on the midway bag. but little
~ little he grew accustomed to the place, |
and as Grif kept him in the game the /
roungster showed a lot of batting /
strength nobody credited him with, and |
Morgan to-day shows up better on sec
md than Jack Knight. besides he pos
'esses a better arm than the lanky New |
Yorker.
WILLIAM PEET