The Washington herald., 1913-03-28
johnson MAY BE
under HANDICAP
Nationals Twirler Does Not
Take Kindly to Home Plate
Elevation at Local Park.
GEORGETOWN GAME OFF
Onsnilg Exhibition Contest Not Play.
ed, Owing to Sloppy Field.
Other Gossip.
By WILLIAM PEET.

By WILLIAM PEET.
Walter johnson and other pitchers oil
the Washington club do not look with
favor upon the new arrangement Of the
diamond at National Park, and are san
guine as to what the answer will be.
In view Of the fact that the Griffmen
last season hit the ball hard and timely
at the Cleveland park. where the pitch
ers box and home plate are on a dead
level, the Old Fox last fall decided that
a slight elevation of the home plate
might accentuate batting on the part of
the Climbers, so he ordered Ground
keeper Fitzgerald to raise the plate and
both batters' boxes about one inch, which
Fitzgerald has done.
When the Nationals worked out yes
terday afternoon. Walter johnson pitch
ed to the batters, and when he returned
to the dressing room said: Gee whiz;
the home plate looked to be about ninety
feet away. / don't know whether
can twirl good ball here this season Or
not" The other pitchers, especially the
youngsters, agree with johnson.
Manager Griffith makes the claim that
johnson can pitch just as well with the
home plate elevated as with the pitchers
box four or five inches higher, as was
the case here last season and in previous
years; also that the other fingers will
soon become accustomed to the change
and will not only twirl good ball at
home. but be more effective on the road,
as, with the exception of Cleveland, the
various American League parks have the
pitchers box on top Of a young mountain
The present arrangement at National
Park naturally seems a bit strange to the
Washington fingers, but they will soon
become used to it. as Griff proposes to
hold morning practice daily the next
three weeks, when every member of the
twirling staff will be ordered to go against
the batters.
If, as Griff figures. his own slabmen
can do effective work with the home plate
elevated. the opposing pitchers will nat
urally be at a great disadvantage. and 1t
is, of course, possible that in the long
run the Nationals will come out the big
end of the horn.
The idea Of elevating the home plate
is entirely one of experiment calculated
TO help the Nationals II Griff learns
after thorough trial that his club is
not aided by this scheme he will likely
order a change and go back to the
pitchers mound where the finger is
shooting down to the batters instead Of
up at them.
Johnson does not seem to think that
the elevation of the home plate will help
him materially. but he admits that he
cannot definitely tell until he has worked
against opposing American League clubs
Owinn = heavy rain yesterday
iesday. the diamond at
vas in such poor shape
;-E: exhibition game against
.5-rr---- va yersity had to be called
diverse W.. ar conditions did not in
'.~-z~a g5.r practice of the Wash
sasJ-a ulP-. or Gri1 had the pitchers
No. .- ral morning underneath the
nd stand. and late in the
eld had dried out suffi-
cIenus = It of batting practice in
the open. also the hitting of flies to the
Cutfielders.
The high wind which swept over the
turf completely dried up the big field
before sundown. and ground conditions
today will be well nigh perfect.
Victor Bickers. the Buffalo semi-pro.
believes that he will only remain in the
New York State League one season, and
is confident that Manager Griffith will
have him back with the Nationals next
fall
81 have unbounded confidence IN my
own ability said Bickers last night 81
knew when I was signed last winter that
lacked the necessary experience to
make good with an American League
cluD rlSIt OH the reel, ana tne tlme /
put in with Manager Griffith at Char
lottesville convinced me more and more
of this fact There is a vast difference
between semi professional baseball and
the big league variety. But 1 know
have the stuff and am going to work
o make good with Wilkes
~
.. es the Capital for his home
ig X. morrow night, and will re-
TcFt go sbarre April
:, ~ .a pinion of the club doctor |
tbaT Eat-r John Henry. who threw |
oul Q. the lgaments of his right |
k~Ue T1G own in Charlottesville last |
"~nA. g. 10 was sent home Sunday, |
9 o''c b. zt to don a uniform in a few |
'ays. -aT at the injury was nowhere |
roar 80 go 'us as first supposed.
Accor.'~ % the physician, Henry will |
'r r sne to go behind the bat before |
%# many weeks old
In the box score of the Richmond
Phillies game played in the Virginia
capital yesterday the name Of Ayres
appears. Ayres pitched the last four
innings and allowed but five hits be-
sides striking out five.
Ayres was purchased by the Nationals
last summer and refused to report in
claiming that he would
not play ball until he had graduated
next June.
1t was reported in several of the Wash
lngton papers that Ayres had been sus-
pended By Manager Griff1th, but evi-
IDENTIFY such Is not the case, else he
would not have been permitted to work
against the National Leaguers yester-
day.
Manager Griffith could not be seen at