Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-09
BY J. ED GRILLo.

d GO 01N4AxS0-
1t is perhaps fortunate for the Ma
tionals that they are to open the season
in Philadelphia, where the Athletics, from
all accounts, are not in the best possible
shape to defend their title. If reports
are to be believed, Coombs is the only one
Of Mack's veteran pitchers who is in good
form and there is but little chance of
Fence breaker Baker being in the lineup.
What little chance there is for the Ma
tionals to beat the champions looks bet
ter at this time than it is apt to later in
the season, SO that it may prove a for
tunate thing that the locals were assign
ed to open the season against Mack s
team.
So far as condition is concerned. the
Nationals have nothing to fear. The
teams hitting has been miserable. but it
often happens in base ball that a club
comes into its batting stride overnight
and that is what Griffith expects his team
to do any day now.
1t is not at all unlikely that the spring
series between the Cardinals and Browns
in st. Louis will be discontinued. 1t is the
general impression that neither team is
DoucHlSQ luSSc SdulcS, Dut III AdSt lhdt
they are handicapped for the champion
ship season by reason of the strain that
these games which are considered Of i'm
portance, place upon the players long
before they are ready for real work.
One writer in speaking of the series
says:
"Score another black mark for the
spring series. as conducted in St Louis.
-;xl, .f fI,n LOFT
day, it is a safe proposition that II
either Manager Bresnahan or Manager
Wallace gave his unprejudiced opinion OF
the matter he would say that his team
has been done injury by the battles just
fought. Furthermore. he would be in
favor of doing away with the series
under present conditions In the future.
And as for the unprejudiced fan. re-
view Of the series is enough to convince
him that the prospects of the st. Louis
teams in the big league races have not
been improved by the preseason games.
which local followers of the game have
displayed in 10, these many years will not
falter now that Griffith has taken upon
himself the task to build UP a fast
take lot of time and necessitate lot
of chances before Griffith can accom-
plish his object. 1t has been proved in
the past that the system Of trying to
DullQ I'D a team mere Will the QlSCdTUS
from rival clubs cannot be a success.
Grifflth is on the right track, but he
needs the support OF the so-called fans,
for time alone can bring results. There
will necessarily have to be many dis
shouldered by the teams
patrons. for 1t is not to be expected that
a consistent loser can be. changed to a
winner overnight, but the theory is cor
rect and it will bring results in due time.
Reports that Griffith has hopes of Sc
curing MarsonS. the Cuban outfielder, from
the Cincinnati club are not based on facts.
There is no doubt that Griffith would well
come this yOungster into his fold, but he
knows full well that such a deal is out of
the question. Marsans could not be gotten
out of the National League. for he is |
established there as being a good ball
player, and good ball players arc not al |
lowed to slip from one ma or league into
another very often.
Neither is there much OF chance for !
Gandil, the Montreal first baseinan. COM
ing here. Griffith was after him last fall, |
as was the Chicago National League club, |
but neither deal went through. Griffith is |
in no better position to make a deal for
Gandil now than he was then, for the 1
players that are wanted by that club can
not be spared. |
1t is not often that Connie Mack breaks !
into print. but when he does ii is usually |
worth while to read what he has to say. |
Z
many young players of ability fail i'm /
major league company comes in the fol- |
lowing utterance from the leader OF the |
worlds champions:
Its easy to find good mechanical ball
players. but it's hard to dis /
cover those with a necessary supply /
Of gray matter and real moral |
courage. The player who makes good in i
a pinch is the winner. l don't mean the I
buffer who bats the umpire and brow /
beats his opponents, but the fellow who
has the nerve and the backbone to meet
every emergency. The bulldozer. as a
-ule Is yellow, while the PLAYER who be-
raves himself and brides his tongue is
lead game. Rowdies in general are not
liIck thinkers That's why I've always
,teered clear of them. Intelligent play
RS know how to curb themselves when
Inder fire and for that excellent reason
hey seldom lose control Of their think
anks."
There is not chance for Jack Johnson
o appear before any of the clubs I'm
New York state. The athletic commits
ion which controls the sport has put the
.olored champion under the ban for the
eason that he is barred in England, and
he commission is decidedly anxious to
make some sort of arrangement with
he British body which looks after the
,oxing game whereby they will recog-
lie each Others rulings.
There has been lot OF talk about
Johnson being matched to meet one of
he many aspirants to his title, but such
match cannot take place in New York
Ind il is doubtful il there is a spot in