The Washington herald., 1912-06-24
With R elidble SouthpdW
I'll Win Pennant" Griff.
Nationals Boss Securing Bushes
for Real Left-hander May
Get Gardin.
By WILLIAM PEEP

By WILLIAM PEEB
Give me a reliable left-hand pitehef
and I will win the American League
championship in a walk. Even as my
team stands now, have a chance to land
the honor; but with q real southpaw add
ed to my stan would feel sure Of it."
The foregoing statement wes made by
Manager Clark Grifith to the writer, and
spoken in all sincerity. For this reason
Grin is securing the bush leagues for a
dependable southpaw.
Most Ieft-handers," Grin continued,
ARE erratic and as changeable as
March wind. The real frst-clasS south
paws in the big leagues can be counted
upon the fingers Of one hand. They are
Nap Rucker,- Vean Gregg, Rube Mar
guard, Doc White. and Plank. Rube
Benton, whom had in Cincinnati, has
the earmarks Of a great southpaw. and
some day I believe he will make them ali
wake up and take notice"
II was sorry TO have lost out on big
Rixey the Virginia pitcher, but l have
my eye on several other young south
paws, and II could get hold Of a good
one right now I would win the pennant
in a walk"
Bert GardIn. Of the Roanoke club. Of
the Virginia league, a left-hander, may
wear a Washington uniform next sea-
son. Manager Grlffith has made the
Roanoke club a handsome offer for Gar
din's services. but the club refuses to let
the youngster go until after the 1872 sea-
son closes.
HeinIe Schultz, the crack sOuthpaw Of
the Savannah club. Of the South Atlantic
League, is another finger whom Grin
would like to get for a try-out, but Sa-
vannah wanted more money for him
than Griff believed the pitcher was worth.
1t is understood that negotiations Will
be opened again later, and Schultz may
come 10 the Capital
To-day's game at the Concrete Coli
scum against the Boston Red Sox Will
demonstrate more than anything else
whether or not the Nationals have fully
recovered from their recent slump.
Boston is at present leading the league
and Jake Stahrs team is going like a
house afre, showing a lot Of pep in
practice and looking more like cham
pIOnship club than any team Boston has
possessed in recent years.
II Grf's youngsters can show the
kind OF stuff against Boston manifested
during their yhiTlwind trip through the
West the Red Sox are in for a good
beating, as none OF the Boston pitchers
will be able to stop Griff's kids and the
lOgdl MI 4tlo dAN JUST ADS--N44Ae -A-AN
real form.
Waiter johnson will pitch to-day II he
feels able TO work, II not, Barney Petty
will go against the Bean Brigade; twirl-
ing his first game as a National before
home crowd.
Although the Nationals captured the
two remaining games OF the series
against the worlds champs last Friday
and Saturday. the writer does not be
Iieye that Griffs team has quite pulled
itself out Of the recent slump. but the
fans will be able to learn for themselves
whether or not this is true after wit
Messing to-days game.
As a rule, a batting slump usually
lasts more than A couple OF days. and
during the Philadelphia series in the
Quaker City neither MoelIer. Foster.
Shanks. nor Morgan hit up to the stand
ard established in the West. Gandu
was the only consistent performer and
he cannot be expected to come through
with two or three safe drives every
day.
To-day's game and the Boston series
will demonstrate whether the Nationals
are back in their Western form.
The Boston Red sox also made great
record during its recent Western inva-
sion, and are just as confident as the
Nationals that the club which beats
them VIII win the pennant. Boston opens
up a four-game series here to-day. The
club arrived in town last night after
playing an exhibition game in Balt-
more. The Red Sox have won eight
straight. and look forward to boosting
their lead at the expense Of the Nation
ais, despite the fact that the last time
they played here Washington won three
out OF four.
Buzz Foster spent Sunday with friends
IN Atlantic City. The midget has been
bothered with a sore throat and cold
during the past few days, and believed
that a trip 10 the shore would do him
a lot OF good.
1t is not at all unlikely that Grin will
start Joe Engel against the Boston Red
SOx in one OF the games here this week
Joe has yet to make his debut before
a home crowd, and as he held the slug
ging Red Sox down to four hits in Bos-
ton Decoration Day, the youngster Is
confident he can better this record the
next time he stacks up against them.
The Red sox are prepared to show a
lot Of pep and spirit in their practice
here, but II is doubtful II they can make
a better showing than Griff's kids, for
there is not a better looking or smoother
working inheld in the league than the
Nationals, and the crowds have shown
their approval IN no uncertain manner
all around the circuit.
Says a well-known Philadelphia base
ball writer in his paper yesterday: Four
straight wins jumped the Athletics from
fourth to second place in the American
League Pennant race, a change OF places
with Washington; but the two defeats
that followed sent the champions back
again and Clark Grifith's men once more
stand out as Bostons most dangerous
opponents. That this situation win con-
tinue for any great length Of time does
not seem probable. although It might as
well be recognized first as last that the
Nationals are going to make themselves
felt in the years pennant race. The fact
that they were able to beat CoOmbs in
dicates that Cy Morgan should not be
blamed too much for his two reverses
against the same team.
Grifith was unable to pitch johnson
against the Athletics in this series, and
that is the one man who is likely to
heat the ChamDiOns even when thay are