Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-17
JACK KNIGHT WILL JOIN THE
NATIONALS HERE MARCH 28
CONTINUED from First Page.)

Continued fl
very next inning, when hit and run
play was on, he hit to right field for a
couple of sacks. Foster is so fast on
his feet that players VINO know MIN Well
say that he is never at his best until
the real warm weather sets In.
Akers looks like one Of the youngsters
who will be retained by Griffith. lie
appears to be a nnlshed pitcher, and the
TACT that he knows how to work batsmen
appeals to Grlttith, who was himself a
pitcher of intelligence in the past. Akers
is still overweight, nor Is his arm what
1t should be, but ne gave q splendid ex-
hibition in the three innings he worked
Today.
lie mas terrific speed with a little mo-
ton, uses a knuckle ball effectively and
appears to have perfect control. During
the first two innings that he pitched ne
struck out four of the six men who faced
him.
Eoehling also made a splendid showing
and it would not be at all surprising II
he was retained as one of the left-hand-
ers Griffith intends to carry. There Is
only one thing against Boehl1ng and That
is his size. Grifrith fears that he is too
light to stand the strain, though his ply
steal condition is believed to be the re-
suit of recent illness, from which ne
was only convalescent WREN he reported
here. There is no doubt about his a'bil-
ity to pitch, however, and he fields MS
position like a veteran. OF course II
takes more than three innings to prove a
pitcher ready for fast company, but this
kid has caught the experienced eye OF
Griffith and he stands a chance of wear
ing a Washington uniform the coming
season.
In the eighth inning Rixey went to bat
in place OF McMorris. Virginia's center
fielder and made base hit. 1t was no
ticeable. however, that McMorris con-
tinued to play center field after this In
ming and upon inquiry it was learned
that the colleeians had made an error, in
that they thought Rixey was batting
for Grant, the pitcher. OF course the
play stood, for the game was virtually
over at the time.
There is so much difference in the work
of Bill Cunningham that it is hard to
recognize him as the player OF last sea-
son. Not only is he much faster on MS
feet. but he goes to the plate with a fot
of determination. and incidentally he Is
pounding the ball hard. His three-base
hit today was easily the hardest hit ball
of the game. 1t was liner to LETT CEN
ter. which did not travel over ten feet
high all the way to the fence. There is
no estimating what a difference it will
make in the team il Cunny keeps up
the pace he has set this spring. He Is In
even better form than he was the rail- ne
Joined the team. and there is no question
that condition has made this change.
Monday Grifith's second team will
tackle Virginia. and it goes without
saying that the struggle will be for
blood. Virginia naturally will consider
1t humiliating to be defeated by the sec
ond team, while tine youngsters are
anxious to have it on the regulars by
bea ting the colegians.
johnson may do some of the pitching
for the Yanigans. who will have Spencer
on first, Sheer on second, Gagnier at
short, Morgan at third, and Long, Walk
er and Sharks in the outfield. This is
fast bunch and the college boys will be
busy beating them.
Today was the first time since the team
has been here that the pitchers did any
curving Hughes. whose arm appears
to be especially strong this spring, start
ed the hooking right from the outset ana
the coliegians could do nothing with him.
Akers followed suit and Boehling also
used his curves From this out the pitch
ing is sure to be better and batting prac-
tice will not be nearly as soft as 1t mas
been. The pitchers are now rounding
into form and they will use everything
that they have in practice in order to
train the batters' eyes.
Jack Ryan did the umpiring. and he
acquitted himself WELL He stood be-
hind the pitcher.
fun out of ii. While at second base In
the seventh he dared the pitcher to try
to catch him mapping and Goodhue nnai-
~ whirled around and made bad throw
TO center field on which Schaefer scored.
in the eighth after singing he pulled the
DELAYED steal on the collegianS and on q
wide throw came all way home, where
he stopped long enough to make speech
TO the spectators in the grandstand, ex-
pressing his regret that the home boys
had become nervous.
Any who figures that he can take lib
critics with Schaefer's throwing arm is
going TO make serious mistake. In
the third inning Mcclure tried to gC
from first to third on a hit into Schaef-
er's territory and Schaefer threw him
out by feet. making an accurate throw
after getting the ball way from him with
great speed.
What a difference it makes in bal
team when it is working with system
in vogue was demonstrated today, wher
the team used a code Of signals in which
Griffith had instructed them. There Is q
chance TO make this q splendid inside bal
team. and Griffith proposes to make the
attempt With three fast men like Milan
Schaefer and Moeller to lead of with
there Is a real chance to pull of some
clever stuff which was formerly inpos
sible because OF the lack Of speed. The
rlay of the Nationals was smooth today
There were no false starts, and ever!
player seemed to know what the othel
fellow was trying to do, and as a result
they stood a better chance Of protecting
themselves than when every man playet
for himself. as they did in the opening
game here.
Any college team which beats Virginia
this year will know IL has been in a bal
game. Coach Rigier has gathered abou
him q very clever set OF youngsters, VIII,
ALL. H. Co.