Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-06

Barring, perhaps, two or three right
handed pitchers, it would not be at all
surprising if the Nationals pitching
staff next season consisted almost en-
tirely OF southpaws. Griffith has come
to the conclusion that left-handed twirl-
ers do not need as much natural ability
to make good in the big leagues as do
right-handers, and he figures that II
the proper effort is made II will be
easier to find suitable material of this
kind.
He has instructed all his scouts to keep
sharp lookout for left-handed pitchers
He wants to pick up all OF them that ne
can find in the hope Of getting three or
four southpaws on his team by next
season
Youhave often heard 1t argued" said he.
that left-handed hitters are not puzzled
by left-handed pitchers. but you bet
they are. There are a few left-handed
hitters who hit southpaws occasionally.
but all of them must admit that they
are handicapped under such conditions.
What is more the right-handed hit
tiers are mostly helpless against a left
handed man who has anything. / want
a whole staff OF left-handers for mine
in the future and I propose to scour
the country from one end TO the other
for them. My scouts are looking every
left-handed pitcher in the country over
for me now, and when fall comes ! ex-
pect to have every train bring left
handler to Washington. ! think / have
Boehling and Harper, but l want a lot
more of them"
In the final inning of the afternoon
game yesterday, with the bases full and
three runs needed to tie Dan Moeller
hit up a high fly to Hartzell. Every one
of the players on the bases was at a
loss to know how many were out. and
instead of running for the plate. as
is always done when two men are out.
the base runners held their bases. or
course, the ball was caught and ended
the game, but mad IL been muffed moth
ing would have been gained, for Hartzell
could have tossed the ball to either
base and got his man. AS a result Of
this blunder Griffith had several of his
boys on the carpet after the game and
made it plain that 1t is not good base
ball for player not to know at what
stage the game stands.
Just why 1t is that the umpiring in the
American League Is so unsatisfactory
this spring is a Quandary which none OF
the players nor the managers can solve
But me fact remains that players and
managers alike agree that never in their
experience have they seen so mucn IN
competent unpiring as this season None
be giving satisfaction. while most OF the
veterans are not officiating in their best
form.
Jympiring is a most important feature
of the game. Under existing conditions
1t is necessary for the manager OF a
team to dope out the umpires as much as
he would manipulate his pitching STAN TO
the best ADVANTAGE McGreevy. for In
stance. will never umpire q game OF ball
behind Walter Johnson again II Grimth
can help 1t. Any time that II IL Nc
Greevy's turn behind the bat Johnson
will not be pitched. GrifIlth holds. and
ne has Johnson's word for 1t. that In q
game johnson pitched In Washington
against Philadelphia McGreevy missed
This absolutely Handicapped Johpson and
he was driven out Of the box. 6cGreevy
tosctnG him 10 Ont the centss Of the plata