The Washington times., 1912-05-20
Leave Thursday for Months S
Tour of All Foreign
Fields.
BY SENATOR"

The close of the first long home stay
OF the Nationals comes this week. The
Detroit Tigers, or some team represent
ing them, are due here tomorrow for
three games-Tuesday. Wednesday, and
Thursday. Thursday evening at Z
o'clock Manager Griffith will take his
young athletes to New York, where Ave
games are to be played In four days.
The Highlanders are waking up now
with the return of some of their Grip
pies to the lineup, and these games
may be the hardest of the trip. With
Ed Sweeney holding up the receiving
end Of the battery duties, Russell Ford
Is again the mound terror of yore He
will probably be pitted against Walter
Johnson,
From New York the Nationals Jour-
ncY to Boston, where four games must
l." played in two days. On May % there
will BE- i doubr-header, and on thu
next day. Memorial Day. they will he
tusy morning ani afternoon with Jim
my McAleer's Red Sox.
Red Sox Powerful.
Despite their two defeats at the hands
CT the White Sox, the Boston players
are among the strongest in the league,
and the Nationals will do we'll to break
even. An Improvement in the pitching
stan would come close to landing the
american League banner in the Hub.
The Nationals will leave Boston for
st. Louis at o'clock in the evening of
Memorial Day. spending the following
dey and night on their special car. This
lrip ci,mes to an end on the morning
Of June /. and will very likely fnI a
bunch Of tired athletes glad to shake
c1 their train fatigue under the covers
Four games EACH are scheduled in st.
Louis, Chicago Detroit, and Cleve-
land before the team arrives home
laastirg lust one day. June 1s. On June
II 4. four-day series will open in Phila-
d"lphia. Two postponed games are II
le, played or on that trip with the
Athletics.
Pitchers Are Problem.
His pitchers are worrying Marager
Griffith on the eve Of this long jarnt
through the league. To date Only Wal
ter johnson has been reliable. Bob
Groom has suddenly weakened in the
last tcn davs after starting the season
in wonderful form. Dixie Walker has
hcen doing NOR. or less in-and-out
work. Tom Hughes looked good at the
opening of the season, but has not. quite
Buck" Becker, the pride OF the
Navy Yard, and the teams lone south
paw, has yet to prove his worth.
Jerry Akers is promising, but untried.
Carl Cashion's wildness renders him
almost useless on the mound, though
his hitting and fielding is good enough
to keep him on the team.
Joe Engel, the former Mt. st. Mary's
all-around star, is getting better every
day, but he is much too green to op-
pose the big league teams with a fair
chance of winning.
Paul Musser Is another green lad
who shows promise, but is handicapped
by lack of experience
Will Need Five.
At least five pitchers who can take
their regular turns in the box are
needed by Griffith. and he knows II.
Johnson, Groom, Walker, Hughes, and
one other will probably be the dope for
the long trip, but the weakness of
some OF these twirlers may allow
Akers, Musser. and Engel their oppor-
tunity to learn how 1t feels to face a
big league slugger.
Engel is almost ready for his initial
experience. Manager Griffith has
shown great skill in handling this
youngster. He makes him work always
for. control. discarding speed and curves
nth is sure that the boy will one day
be a star OF the big leagues, but that
he is not yet ready to take his place
In the ranks.
1t was Griffths intention to use