Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-23
BY j. ED GRILLo.

BYJ. ED GRILLo.
specia Dispatch 10 Inc star.
ST. LOUIS. Mo-. Angus: 23:.-Thanks 10
tie ability of the Boston Red Sox to take
another fall out of the Cleveland Maps,
tie defeat which the Nationals suffered
yesterday at the hands of the Browns did
ne: affect their chances 10 finish in sec
o, j place. The Boston victory was de-
cidedly timely. coming. as it did. while
Roy Mitchell was shutting out the Grill
men. Every now and then team ike
the Browns will present pitcher who
can't be hit, it will play good ball behind
h.g.i and that was what happened yester-
da-. But the defeat of the Maps pre-
vented the Nationals from dropping any
fartner behind the Birmingham crew. and
that is a source of some consolation. to
So the least.
When it comes to having tough luck,
put your bets on Boehling. He can lose
games that he ought to win about as
easily as any pitcher that ever lived. Or
dinarily he would have won yesterdays
game. but the breaks were against him.
tho Browns getting their runs without do
ing much damage to his delivery. While
Mitchell gained a shutout. though he was
hit much harder than the score would in
dictate. But that is base ball and is re-
srurs:5le for the games popularity. Be-
caasc Joe Engel has three victories over
tho Browns to his credit. Griffith has de-
cGed TO work him in She final game TO-
dar. He viii probably he opposed by
Baumgardner. who has shown good form
in his last few games
There will have to be revival of good
hi tho ,~t of ft,n llvc '
victory is to be gained. but Engel is
really the only available man. for the
very good reason that Griffith wants 70
send Johnson against the White SoX III
the first game of the series there SUI
day. He figures on pulling away far
enough from Callahan's men in that
series To not be annoyed by them in the
future. and will then center his guns in
an effort to beat out the Maps.
When ball team is not hitting. as
was the case with the Nationals yeSter-
day ii never looks impressive. Failure TO
hit robs team of it's opportunities to
pull something. and it was q rather or
dirary performance which the Nationals
presented.
There is chance for the Nationals to
secure Williams, the sensational pitcher
Of the Sacramento club of the Pacific
Coast League, who. the other day, won
his eighth consecutive game. Manager
Griffith received wire from the coast
club this morning making proposition
for which it is willing 10 turn Williams
over. There is cash consideration and
the Sacramento club wants Gallia,
Gedeon. Tommy Long and Outiielder Bill
Allen of Montreal. both of whom belong
TO Washington. Griffith does not look
upon this proposition favorably. He is
vi ling to give the cash and Allen and
Long. but he does not propose to part
with either Gedeon or Gallia. He wired
his reply to this effect Williams is a
from all accounts is a remarkable pitch
en-
Griffith. however. believes that the time
is not far off when both Gedeon and
Gaiia Will prove their worth to the Ma
tionals and he will not part with them
II do not propose to break UP my pres
ent combination under any conditions.
Gedeon and Ga!lia will make good for us
one OF these days ard i don't propose to
let them go. This fellow Williams may
make great pitcher and I would like
to have him, but I won't take any
chances Of weakening my present combi-
nation. is the way Griffith expressed
himself.
TIE deal for Williams. therefore, still
hangs fire. but the proposition Griffith
has made to Sacramento is his ultima
tum, he says, and. as there are any num-
Der OF CLUBS after Williams. il is cues
,'onable whether Griff's proposition will
be accepted not. The Sacramento
club is under obligation to Washington.
because Moran and kenworthy were
turned over to it last fall.
Paul Musser. who. after being let out
by Atlanta was sent to Des Moines, is
leading the Western League pitchers with
seven wins and one defeat. Griffith pro-
poses to recall Musser this fall simply
because OF his experience with Billy
Smith, the Atlanta manager. 1t was
Smith who turned back Joe Boehling last
summer because he said he would not
do. Smith also had Demaree. who is now
winning for the New York Giants, and
let MIN go, and Griffith thinks that on
thls dope Musser may make a pitcher,
for Smith also turned him down.
Roy Mitchell is one of those pitchers
VINO makes the opposing batsmen gnash
their teeth. To watch Mitchell pitch
creates the impression that ii is only a
matter of time when his outfielders will
be chasing their tongues out He be-
longs to that class of twirlers who are
apt 10 send the batters back to the bench
Nowing that he hasn't thing, yet is
never hit hard. Mitchell's success is
largely de 10 the fact that me has per-
rect control. He is able to put the ball
just about where he wants to, and it is
this proclivity that makes him effective
Mitchell goes through ball game
without ever turning a hair He pitches
as II 1t was batting practice. and yet it
Is but seldom that he is hit effectively
A good change of pace and g. repertoire
or peculiar curves coupled with fair
speed give him great advantage over
the batter. and he really made the Ma
fionals look a bit foolish in Yesterdays
struggle. What few balls were hit hard
were usually right at some Of the tielders,
and this was particularly true on two
occasions when the slow fielding Browns
made double plays with two men on.
An both occasions the ball was hit hard,
but IT was right at the fielders In that
way the plays We're made possible, and
lending rallies were nipped in the bud.
Once this happened in the fifth, when
Morgan had singled with one out, Shanks
being the victim of sharp drive to
Balenti. Again in the seventh. Moeller
started off with safe bunt, but Foster,
usually clever man on the hit and
run play. drove speedily to Balenti. and
aeain double play resulted
Joe Boehlings luck was lust the on
posite OF that of Mitchell 1t is true
mat he was hit safely eleven times hnt
flve OF these hits were Of the scratch
Nanety, never getting out Of the infield,
and II was these that did all the dam
age.
incidentally Boehling got the worst OF
the umpirtng to an extent which proved
fatal. 1t was in the third inning that
It happened.
Boehling had struck out Johnston hut
Agnew got hit to right. Mitchell flied
10 Milan. and Shotten sent a high hound
or to Morgan, which he beat to first In