Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-29

"CIICK' GANDn REPORTS TO
GRIFFITH AND PLAYS TO-DAY
New First Baseman Pleased With His lob
and Is Confident He Will Be Able
to Make Good.

miliar with the splendid work he has don.
Tor the Nationals, and his every move
| ment Is closely watched during the game
He continues to hit the ball well. and
there Is now no danger Of his good hitting
having been flash in the pan. IL
Date, none Of the third basemen who have
played against him appear to be in hi:
class, all things considered.
When Moeller gets back into the game
1t Is going to be a real battle between
Shanks and Walker as to which is te
play right field. Both have been doing
good work, and there Is little to choose
between them to date. but Griffith ex.
poets to give them both chance in right
On many grounds right field is sun
field, and 1t remains to be seen which one
of the two youngsters can play the sun
best. Walker seems to have mastered
Old Sol fairly well. and it will not be an
easy matter to beat him out Of his Job
unless Shanks should show superior
ability with the bat.
Critics in other cities do not hesitate to
say that the Washington team looks
stronger this spring than 1t ever has be-
fore. John B. Foster. editor of the
game. said yesterday that notwithstand-
ing the fact that the Nationals had lost
four of the five games they played in
New York the team seemed well bal
lions higher in the race than it ever had
before. This, in fact, seems to be the
consensus of opinion among base ball
men.
Austin Howard, the Washington boy
whom "Grif" secured from Atlanta, will
join the Scranton team of the New York
State League within the next few days
Howard has been instructed to report to
that club at once. Buck Freeman OF
fg m n thQt
club. had a long conference with Crit
fifth yesterday. as a result of which the
deal ives closed. Howard was to have
gone to Richmond, but he hesitated about
reporting there, and when he finally
made up his mind the Richmond club re-
fused to accept him.
Unlike most star pitchers, Walter John
son never balks on doing anything that
he is asked. Griffith informed him yes
terday after the game that he would
probably have to work again Thursday
and Johnson said he was ready to work
whenever called upon. Just how good
questioned, but 1t Is believed that since
he has been allowed to take 1t easy all
spring he will not be handicapped by
working out OF turn once in a while
Johnson saves himself in the games in
which he gets good lead. When he had
the Highlanders to yesterday he be-
gan to loaf until he got some men on
the bases. when he would cut loose. In
this way he saves his arm good deal.
Clyde Milan seems to be in his batting
stride at last Milan is hitting the bal
now as he used to when he was at his
best and most any kind OF pitching seems
not to bother him. Clyde figures that he
will wind up the season with even a bet.
ter average than he had last season, not
withstanding the fact that he got very
poor start In the spring. With Milan hit
ting as Of yore and Foster keeping up hi:
pace. not to speak Of Schaefer. the team
has at least three hitters who are danger
Gus at all times.
Quinn and warhop. both pitchers, who
in days gone by, have proven stumbling
blocks for the Nationals. were given Sc.
we're drubbings yesterday when the Ma
tionals beat the Yankees. 8 to 3.
Quinn did not last two innings. be-
ing retired under fire In the second
after Johnson had hit for three bases
Shanks opened with a hit and Foster
drove him to third with a double. Both
scored on Milan's single. but when
Milan tried to take third on Schaefer s
two batters failed to do any damage
In the second Mcbride hit safely and
after he had been forced by Ainsmith
Johnson hit for three bases. scoring
himself on Shanks long sacrifice fly to
right. Hits by Knight and Milan and
on McBride's bunt, gave the Nationals
another brace of runs in the fourth
and they got two more In the fifth or
Milans triple. Schaefer's single. a put
out and McBrides second hit. That
ended their scoring.
The Yankees got men on the bases In
every inning on Johnson. but In only
two did they score. Their first tallies
came in the seventh. when Johnson hit
Dolan and Streets single and Daniels
double brought home a brace Of tallies
They scored again in the eighth or
Cree's triple and a base hit by Gard
ner. The score tells the rest of 1t. The
aC0ro.