davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06

a slight margin on the best Of former
Highlander teams in three of the four
departments. with some prospect of
exceliing even in the fourth. Since
there are only three other clubs in the
American League of recognized class
Boston. Philadelphia, and Washington
there is no reason why the Yankees.
given an even break of luck. should
not finish among the first four. And
Chance, though he claims nothing,
rather fancies that third place Is not
too high a mark to shoot at
Cree and Wolter. both forced out Of
the game last season with broken
bones-Cree's wrist was broken by q
pitched ball and Nwolter fractured a
leg sliding into a base-are thoroughly
sound again. Cree's wrist has mended
perfectly and still works smoothly.
Neither his throwing nor his batting
seems to have been affected in the
least. VOTERS ankle was badly
wrenched when his shin bone was
snapped, and that injury has caused
him more real bother than the break.
During the entire training siege he
had the ankle wrapped In a Gibney
brance for each workout. 1t slowed
him up slightly, but 50 strengthened
the joint that he expects to start the
season practically as good as new"
Cree and Wolter are both splendid
fielders, clever base runners and heavy
hitters. Both are normally 300 men.
with Cree very apt to exceed $40.
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06
There Is, Of Course, a Chance
that the Club May Atone
for Lack of Hitting by STRAIT
egg and Speed = Players
Brimful of Confidence.
BY WILLIAM PEET.

When the nifty Nationals take to the
field against the New York Yankees in
the opening game of the American
League season here next Thursday, the
Griffmen viii present front 20 per cent
stronger than the club which wound UP
the 1872 campaign in second place.
This may seem a rash statement to
make, but after looking at the situation
from every possible angle the dope is
correct, providing, of course. no injuries
or sickness crop out before the Jump cries
Batter up next Thursday.
The fact that the Nationals will start
the 1913 season a perfectly trained, speedy,
fair batting outfit. better than last sea-
son by good margin, cuts very little
ice with the average Washington fan.
What the fans want to know is "Will
Griff's team win the American League
pennant if not, where will they finish?
With nothing on which to base a COM
parison except the known strength Of
rival clubs last year and the glowing
newspaper accounts of mighty deeds in
training camps this spring, the question
is hard to answer.
Only two ball clubs in the American
League last season had it on the Ma
tionals the Red SoX and the Athletics,
and one of these was beaten out by an
eyelash for the second place honors the
day before the curtain Topped. 1t is
therefore reasonable to suppose that
these same teams will cause the Griffmen
the most trouble this summer.
New York. under the leadership Of
Frank Chance, Cleveland and Chicago
are probably stronger than in 1912, but
none of them can be classed with the
present Washington club either i'm attack
or defense.
Having tried out a big bunch OF new
material this spring. Manager Griffith
lost little time in announcing that, while
he would retain several of the recruits
in the hopes of developing them. he was
perfectly satisfied to stand pat on his
1912 second place gang. There was really
nothing else he could do.
There is bound to be whole lot OF
son. and if the breaks come Griffs way
he figures that, barring injury, the Ma
tionals have just as much right to claim
the championship as the Boston Red Sox
or the Philadelphia Athletics.
Connie Mack. the taciturn leader of the
Philadelphia Athletics, made the state
ment last season that no matter how
good a hitting ball club mana ger gath
cred around him, without first-class
pitchers little could be accomplished.
Truer words were never spoken. Lack
of real pitching cost Mack the pennant
last year
Manager Griffith believes that this sea-
son the Washington club is as we'll for
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06
STOVALL DECIDES ON
FINAL MAKEUP OF
ST. LOUIS BROWNS
No Change in ln6eld, But Out6eld |,
in Doubt-Younssters Behind
the Bat.

Manager George Stovall. the Browns
skipper. has picked his entire team. with
the exception of one player. for this sea-
son. The squad, which numbers twenty
five, including himself. is made up of nine
pitchers, seven infielders, five outfielders,
and four catchers. The infielders who are
sure of their berths. not including Stovall.
are Brief, who will act as his boss under
study at first; Derrill Pratt, who has the
job Of covering the keystone sack cinched
Dee Walsh. Bobby Wallace, Jimmy Aus
tin, and Fred Graf.
At short. Dee Walsh will have to fight
III out with Bobby Wallace, with the call
favoring Bobby. Although he is far from
being the Wallace Of old, he is still sew
eral notches ahead of his younger rival,
both in fielding and batting. II the st.
Louis lad can improve his only weak
spot, which Is his cloutng. he. may yet be
the Browns regular short fielder before
the season is over.
The honor of holding down the far cor
ner will again go to Peppery Jimmy Aus
tin, with Fred Graft as the substitute
third sacker. From what Graft has
shown during the training trip, he IS
worthy of thorough trial before being
released to some minor league club.
Two of the outfield positions have been
will be fought for by four candidates
Bert Shotton has the job of guarding
center field cinched. while Gus Williams
has a lease on the right fielder's job. The
fight for the other garden will be between
Johnston. Compton, Walker, and Sloan.
Stovall states that he will carry his
entire catching staff, which numbers four,
from the beginning of the season until
the end, as he has four very classy catch
Ia A.
get away.
Alexander and Agnew, the Pacific coast
star, will do the bulk of the receiving
with Crossin and McAllister acting as Sec
ond string receivers to the above named
two.
George intends to carry nine box ar
lists during the coming season. which Is
two over the regular amount generally
carried by major league club.
Three of the nine pitchers viii be south
paws. These are Earl Hamilton, who was
one of the few pitchers who was able to
pitch a no-hit game last season; Carl
Weilman, who stands six feet Ave and
one-half inches in height, and Walter
Leverenz, the side-wheeler from the Los
Angeles club
All three Of these are looked upon oy
Stovall as good enough to take regular
turns in the box this year
Following Is list Of those who will sur
vive the AK:
Inflelders-Stovall Brief. Pratt. Wallace.
Walsh, Austin, and Graf.
Outfielders- Shotton, Williams, Compton.
Johnston, Walker and Sloan.
Pitchers-Baumgardner Hamilton. Lew
erenz, Mitchell, Adams, Allison. Napier.
Weilman, and Stone.
Observation-Disclosures. Agnew. crossin.
McAllister.
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06

much to be said of the Climbers: Under
the coaching OF such wise general as
Clark Griffith the Washington team not
only possesses unbounded confidence in
its own ability to win but will seldom
overlook an opportunity TO pull off So
called inside baseball" Many a game
was won last summer by the Nationals
in taking chances and surprising the op-
position. Griff like Hughey Jennings be-
lives in the old adage Nothing venture
nothing have" and has taught his play
ers whole lot of smart baseball tricks,
OF which the local public knows nothing.
There Is, of course, the possible chance
that Washington will win the pennant
A fighting chance as 1t were-and it was
for this reason more than anything else
that every member Of the club last win
ter saw to 1t that only the simple life
was lived.
No excuses can be offered in the mat
ter of condition. for the Nationals are
physically fit for the strenuous campaign
which opens next Thursday.
OF the newcomers little is expected
Pitchers Dent and Drohap have shown
nothing but promise thus far. Dent is
always a late starter, and II is possible
that he will be in shape when the club
needs his services the most II so Griff
can shake hands with himself and say
I'm lucky guy"
The writer believes that Dent has the
makings Of a major Lacquer Drohan, too.
has chance, but until this precious
pair Is in shape, no real line on their
ability can be obtained.
Pitcher Jim Shaw. the young Pittsburg
collegian. may also turn out to be a sur
prise. His work last summer attracted
the attention of several big league scouts
and he was besieged with offers
Boehling and Gallia are sure to be car
ried until May 20 and during the interim
may show just cause why they should
draw wages from the Nationals strong
box
In the infield Joe Gedeon and Rebel
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06

Williams will have little chance to show
what they can do unless one of the regu-
lars is hurt or down with illness.
The Cubans. Acosta and Calvo are to
be retained simply because Griff believes
that some day they will be great ball
players, and he wants them to pick up
all the baseball knowledge they can
from the bench this summer.
From the standpoint of outside base
ball writer's, practical baseball men and
others, the Nationals are the puzzle club
Of the American League in the dope on
the 1913 pennant chase. The Nationals
are not a puzzle to any one man, but
when the opinions of many men in the
baseball world are taken they are found
10 vary so widely that the result Of the
whole of them is very indefinite.
There is no universal opinion among
the outsiders as to what the Griffmen
will do. There are those who think, WASH
ington will win the pennant, notably
baseball experts In Cleveland, where last
year the Maps were outclassed by Griff's
youngsters nearly every time the team
locked horns in the Forest City.
There are those who think the Ma
tionals will slump badly and be lucky
to finish in the first division. There
are also those who concede them a place
in the first division without an argument,
but refuse to let them have a chance at
the pennant because of the known
strength of the Boston Red Sox and the
Philadelphia Athletics.
When Manager Griffith piloted his club
to seventeen straight victories last June
a big hue and cry was heard that Wash
ington was going beyond its speed, and
would soon blow and finish in the ruck."
but the club did not finish in the ruck.
neither did it blow in the strict sense of
the word. although slump was notice
able.
The statement Washington was going
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06
MUCH IS EXPECTED
Of JOE BIRMINGHAM
BY THE NAP FANS
Cleveland Starts Coming Campaign
with High Hopes-List Of Play
ers to Be Kept.

The Cleveland Maps. under the direc-
ton of Joe Birmingham, will start the
1913 season with high hopes and whole
lot Of confidence. In years past the Maps
have started out in just such hopeful
manner. only to finish several notches
lower than Forest City experts had
picked in the spring.
The big twenty-five of the 1913 Maps
has been practically decided upon. Mana
ger Joe Birmingham hasn't named them
in so many words of mouth. but reading
between the lines of this, that, and the
other that Joe has said, we have been
able to get a pretty good line on the
select list. Some of the boys were dead
cinch bets for their jobs-Larry. Turner,
Gregg, and few others. But to a man
up a tree it looks as if the Cleveland
club will have the following twenty-five
players on its roster when May l rolls
around. the date set for all big league
clubs to prune to the two dozen and one
number.
The pitching staff will include three
southpaws-Vean Gregg, Willie Mitchell,
and Norman A. Cullop. Finis Wilson,
the other offside finger, with the Maps
in the South. will probably go to Toledo.
New Orleans, Portland or some other
Class A or Class IA club. The right
handlers will include Fred Blanding,
George Kahier, and Bill Steen as sure
things, Cy Falkenberg a probability, Jim
Baskette possibility, while Roy Walker
and Abb Peddy will probably draw their
pay envelopes elsewhere than Cleveland.
Coming down to the infield we
find Doc Johnston at first base, Ma
poleon Lajoie at second. Ray Chapman
at short, and Terry Turner at third.
Roger Peckinbaugh for Chapman at
short, or Larry at second, and Ivan Olson
for any one of the four inf1eld positions
This brings us to Ward Mcdowell and
John Clancy, the two youngsters who
have been doing creditable work all
spring Both may figure in the deal for
Falkenberg. Going over the list with a
fine-tooth comb our deductions follow:
Pitchers, Gregg. Mitchell. Cullop, Fall
kenherg, Blanding. Kahler, Steeh, and
Baskette walker, Peddy, and Wilson
to go); catchers. Carisch, Land, C'neilI.
and Bassler Shields and Belts to go):
outfelders, Birmingham, Jackson. Ryan,
Graney, Leibold.' and Beall; inielders,
Johnston, Lajoie. Chapman, Turner. Oh
son, Bates, and Peckinbaugh CLANCY
and Mcdowell to go.)
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06

with the White Sox picks the batting or
der for the opening game as follows:
Rath, 2b. Davy Jones, IT,
Lord, BIB. Weaver, -.
Mattick, Of. Schalf, e.
Collins, RI. Walsh. p.
BortOn, Id.
1T will readily be noted,'' adds the
scribe, that this doesn't differ materially
from the aggregation that crushed the
hopes and aspirations of tie prominent
Cubs last fall. The only changes will be
the return of Capt. Harry Lord to third
base and the entry Of Davy Jones at left
field.
This prediction is made after an ex-
haustive 90 research into the subject
For the benefit of our readers, however,
we'll state further that it was the
simplest thing in the world to figure il
out. It's one place where it's practically
impossible to go wrong.
las you all know, the chief fights have
been for third, short, and first. The
above remarkable lineup and batting or
der does not contain the names of Zeider,
Berger, and Fourier. They probably
will do a lot of playing on the regular
squad during the season, but we hardly
believe they'll start out on opening day.
AS far as letting any of this trio go, you
might as well try to get the South Side
Park from c. A. Comiskey as any Of these
three players.
In the scrap for third sack. Lord has
been playing like he used to when he
was the pride and ornament of the posi-
ton at Boston. He told the writer some
weeks ago he planned to get in shape
gradually and not take any chances.
I'm a veteran player now and can't
be expected to wade right in like some
of these youngsters" he said. Today he's
batting and fielding in sensational style
again and seems due to make some carp
ing critics (who always must have the
term carping applied to them in articles
of this kind respond to the three bells
and back water.
Weaver appears sure of starting at
sbortstop, if only for his last years repu-
taNon and experience. The writer hon.
estly doesn't believe he has 1t on Berger
to any extent, but the fact he held tine
position last season is going to help him
out. Then, too, he has shown better
form even than in 1872 is hitting nicely
and as always is fielding brilliantly.
Fournier has 1t all over Borton as q
after. but lacks Babes finished style in
fielding to date. jacques L. a much I'M
proved ball player, and is the kind that
is game and quick to learn. So you can
rest assured he's going to be In the thick
of the fight quite frequently.
Both Jones and Ping Bodie have been
making strenuous efforts to get on the
regular outfield, but Mattick's place seems
assured, and Davy Jones may pull through
at the start. at least. Ping is still over
weight, but plugging hard. He is deter
mined to stick on the team, and 4 paying
strict attention to business
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06
CHANCE SAYS YANKS
WILL FINISH UP In
THIRD POSITION
Much Depends Upon Whether Hal
Chase Can Be Developed Into
Second Stacker.

Were Hal Chase in anything like
perfect physical condition or at all
likely to open the season playing the
game he is expected ultimately to de-
velop at second base, there would be
no hesitancy on the part of any of
the Gotham scribes who followed the
club through it's training siege in Ber-
muda to predict a first division berth
for the Yankees this year. There is
no doubt as to Chase's ability to play
the position to the very highest stand
ard once he acquires the knack of
taking throws and putting the ball on
the baserunner without exposing him
self to the danger Of injury. But there
is considerable uncertainty now as to
whether he will gain all this knowl-
edge in time to be Of any great de-
fensive use to his people in the inn
pending campaign.
On Chasess success or failure will
pivot the fate Of his club. Barring that
one position, second base, the Chance
outfit looks stronger and faster than
any New York American League team
since George Stallings landed the Hill
toppers in second place back in 1910;
in several respects it is a better club.
The entire infield has been made over
since then: three members of the quar-
this year. And both infield substitutes
are players who were in the minor
leagues most or all of last season. The
outfield-with Birdie Cree, Harry VOL
ter, and Bert Daniels and Jack Leli-
Welt doing bench duty-is about the
same, though Lelivelt was with the
Rochester International Leaguers until
last fall.
The pitching staff bears some slight
resemblance to the 1910 hurting corps,
with Russ Ford and Jack WARRIOR sup
plemented by Ray Fisher Ray Cald-
well, and George Mcconnell of the vet
eran brigade, and Ray Heating,
brought up from Lawrence. Mass. of
the New England League toward the
close Of the. 1912 race; Al (Heinie)
Schulz, late OF Savannah, and probably
George Davis. the William College
phenom.
Sweeney the Mainstay.
The catching staff, as staff, Is not
SO well rounded as when Stallings had
the club, and there may be trouble
there should anything happen to big
Ed Sweeney. The Cook County giant
IL in better condition now than ever
before at the start OF the season. He
Is faster, hits better than he usually
does at this time of the year, and his
throwing to the bases has been uncQm-
monty strong. and accurate. Bob Will
Jams and Charley Sterrett. his under
studies, are not in the same class. how
ever. They are good second-string
men, but lacking in more than one Of
the many little things that are essen
tial to catching greatness. Sweeney.
however. expects to do practically all
Of his clubs backstoppiEg this season.
On paper. the Chance encourage has
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06

Athletics and Red Sox Teams
Picked to Pass Grifmen in
Race for Gonfalon-Club
20 Per Cent Stronger than
In 1912.

not even Griff himself. knew what the
speed of his players actually was. Shanks.
Morgan. Foster MoeIIer, and Gandil were
virtually new to the league, and had not
played long enough to establish any rec
ogniZed speed in comparison with the
players on other teams.
Griff was also what might have been
called a stranger to the American League
as he had spent up until 1912 three years
in the older organization. but the Old
Fox and others know just how far the
Nationals can travel.
There is plenty of fight In the local
club. the youngsters have passed through
one big league campaign and the expert
ence gained will stand them in good
stead during the coming summer.
Although admittedly not as good a
hitting team as either the Boston Red
Sox or the Philadelphia Athletics, there
is the chance that Griff's pitching staff
will carry him to the front. AS it stands
now on past performances. Johnson.
Groom and Hughes will. IL they twirl as
good bali as was the cast last year,
keep the club up in the race, and with
Joe EngeI and Carl Cashion showing to
good advantage thus early Griff seems to
be about as well fortified as any club
in the league.
The Nationals infield is weak only in
one position, second base. Morgan, who
will start the season at this position. Is
faster and better fielder than the vet
eran Frank Laporte. but the last named
is a slugger of repute. Chick Gandil at
first measures up with any in the league,
not excepting Hal Chase, while Mcbride
is steady, hard working shortstop, who
knows the game, and at third Eddie Fos-
ter should be 20 per cent better than
last season, by virtue of his experience
in 1912. The writer believes that but one
club I'm the league has anything on the
Nationals infield. and the team in ques-
ton is the Athletics.
In the outfield Milan has been a star
for the past three years. Shanks is a
weak hitter. but wonderful fielder.
Moeller is also a big help to the team.
and when he is going well Is a great
run-getter and timely hitter.
Washington fans by this time know the
merits of each one of the Nationals. also
wasting space by going into detail. Suf-
fee to say that each and every one OF
the veterans is in splendid shape physi-
caily, chock full Of confidence, and anx-
ious for the season to start.
As has been stated in the foregoing, the
Washington team of 1918 looks like good
bet for third place, and only the greatest
luck imaginable will land them on top
next October-still one never can tell.
stranger things have happened.
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06
Johnson to Pitch Opener.

Walter Johnson and his young
battery mate, Eddie Afnsmfth,
VIII be In the points for the
Nationals when the "umps cries
"Battef upv' ut the opening
game Of the season here next
Thursday, and ~ Walter hes
shown nothing but terrible speed.
perfect control, and q baming
curve during the early seas0n
games, It will be safe to lay .
small-sised bet on the Gri2men
to win the opener.
The New York Highlanderu,
fresh from Bermuda, where the
team trained. are said to be In
perfect condition. Ii II not
known Just who will oppose
Johnson, but Slim Caldwell or
Spftball McCOnneIl are said to
be the men Manager Chance has
IN mind.
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06
rctworth sIu9Gers Defeated.

The Oakland a. c. won its first game
of the season by defeating the Petworth
Sluggers, by the score Of to Z. The fea-
ture of the game was the hitting Of Cot
tlieb and Keane, the fielding Of CisseE
and Stewart. Teams wanting games with
winner, averaging fifteen years. address
Charles Keane, 1877 Tenth Street North
west
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06
PREVIOUS RECORDS
OF THE NATIONALS

Below II printed the record Of
Washington clubs since the Cap
itaI has been represented In or
gained baseball;
PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS
IEAGITLr
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06
WHERE THE OPENING
GAMES WILL BE PLAYED

New York mt Washington.
Philadelphia at Boston.
Detroit at st. Louis.
Chicago at Cleveland.
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06

The statement Washington was going
beyond it's speed was absurd on the
face Of it, for the reason that nobody,
The Washington herald., 1913-04-06
White SOX PLAN TO
START team that
WHALED THE CUBS
City Champions Aggregation Full Of
Fight-Ed Walsh to Pitch the
Opening Game.

A Chicago newspaper writer travelling
with the White Sox picks the batting or
der for the opening game as follows:
Rath, 2b. Dayy Jones, III.
Lord, BIB. Weaver, -.
Mattick, Of. Schaf, e.
Collins, RI. Walsh, p.
h