The Washington herald., 1913-10-03
BY WILLIAM PEET.

The Nationals are not dead sure Of fin
ishing the season in second place just
vet, and can by dropping three games to
the Boston Red SoX wind up the 1913 cam
paign in third place, trailing by one point
the Cleveland club, but the Maps will be
forced to win three straight from the St
Louis Browns.
A violent thundershower. which de-
Iuged the Capital half an hour before the
time set for starting yesterdays game,
caused the combat TO be postponed, and
81 double-header is scheduled for this aft
crnoon. the first game starting promptly
al la o'clock.
Manager Griffith last night announced
that Joe Boehling and Jim Shaw would
do the pitching for the Climbers, but he
may change his mind and send Walter
johnson against the Red SoX in order to
make sure of second place. as the winning
Of one game will decide the issue.
Dutch Leonard, AndersOn/ and
Charlie Hall are the pitchers selected by
Manager Bill CarriEan to oppose the
Climbers. Anderson is a youngster Pur-
chased from the New England League
and is right-hander.
Walter johnson. the Nationals great
pitcher, signed his 1914 contract yesterday
after a SHIRT conference in Manager Crit
iith's office While the figures were not
made public, it is understood that the
contract calls for 81, ,00O and it is for one
year only.
There never has been any doubt as to
JUhnson's coming to terms without any
friction. Manager Grirrith is a liberal
manager when his players deliver the
goods. johnson himself realized from
the start that Griffith would give him a
square deal The Old Fox signed Wal
ter at the pitchers own figures.
Griff would like to have landed his star
10 a three-year contract, but johnson
objected. and there was no further argu-
ment.
Washington now possesses not only the
greatest pitcher in the world, but also
the highest-paid mOundsman, for it is
doubtful if Christy MathewsOE, the New
York Giants veteran, draws the amount
the Nationals will pay Johnson next
year
Washington fans believe that Johnson
is worth every cent of the $4,000 he will
receive next year. for the big fellow
never shiTks. always keeps in shape, and
in addition is one of the biggest draw
ing cards in organized baseball
johnson has been with the Nationals
since the fall of 1907. His record for the
season now drawing to a close is Sc vic
tories and defeats, the best mark he
has attained since casting in his lot with
the major leaguers.
Fifteen members of the Washington
baseball club will leave for New York
On the midnight train Saturday to play
exhibition games Sunday and Monday.
Pitchers Boehling, johnson, and Engel.
and the three catchers, together with
Germany Schaefer and Nick Altrock and
the regular infielders and Outfielders, will
be in uniform.
Tho anna Sunday will ha 1llaEad
an all-star cast composed of minor league
and veterans of the majors who make
New York their home.
Monday the Climbers will play the
Brooklyn National Leaguers in Hartford,
Conn.
Walter johnson will pitch a game in
Schenectady, n. Y, next Sunday, pick |
ing up little soft money. He is to join |
his teammates in Hartford, Conn. Mon |
day, and has agreed to be in the lineup, |
probably holding down one of the out |
field jobs for few innings
Local sentiment regarding the outcome |
OF the worlds series leans toward the |
New York Giants, and a number OF even |
money bets have already been recorded. !
Until this year the American Leaguers |
have reigned favorites among Washing |
ton fans, but for some unknown reason |
the bugs this year have switched.
Says William G. Weart, in the Phila-
delphia Evening Telegraph: 1.-The show
ing made by Macks young players at |
Washington should be very gratifying to |
the tall tactician and the clubs follow
ers. Efforts have been made this season
to educate a number of young players.
and these do not appear to have been
wasted. More time and mental and phys
ical energy have been put upon lot Of
raw recruits at Shibe Park this year than
the public is aware of. Some idea as to
how valuable the instruction has been
could be seen in the performances of the
youngsters against the Washington team.
The exhibitions given by the juveniles
should aid Connie considerably in form
ing his training plans for 1914