Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-22
GROOM'S EXCELLENT FORM
MAKES BRIGHT PROSPECTS
Team Should Make Splendid Record in Re-
naming Games Away-Ought to
Sweep Things IN St. Louis.

I showing in the race, are displaying the
| effects of this encouragement in their
work. The team merely goes through
the motions Of playing ball game and
work. There is no trouble at all for
one to take nap in the stand while
the Browns are playing. The crowds
are small, and those who come do not
have many occasions to get enthusiast
tic. Besides the rumors that have been
current that George Stovall is to be
let out have not had tendency to
make the team or Stovall hustle. so
that nothing but a fluke should make
the Nationals lose any one OF the three
games here.
If nothing happens John Henry will
nave the biggest year of his career in
the present season. Henry has caught
as many games if not more than any
catcher In either of the major leagues.
and he is by no means showing any
signs Of growing stale. For months
Henry has done all the catching in
games that Johnson has not pitched and
that program will be continued unless
something happens which would force
Ainsmith or Williams to do his work.
Henry has prospered under the strenu-
Gus duties he has had to perform and he
is In better fettle now than he has ever
been before. 1t is questionable if, when
all things are considered. there is a
catcher in the league who compares
w iii Tic lOIlucI Amherst man. f1cnTy
has developed wonderfully in a few
years and is now believed to have as
much judgment in handling pitchers
as any of his brainy rivals.
There is considerable disappointment
among the st. Louis fans at the an
nouncement made by Manager Griffith
when he arrived here that it was not
his intention of working Johnson in
the series here. walter is very popu-
lar with the patrons of the game here.
and it was figured that he would be
pitted against the Browns Saturday,
when he would prove big drawing
card. But Griffith is particularly anxi-
and he proposes to work his three star
twirlerS in the series there next week,
expecting that with Groom. Boehling
and Engel he will be enabled to make
So far as known Spencer, the outfielder
secured from Petersburg early in the
spring. will be the only outfield recruit to
be added to Griffith's team next spring,
yet there is a chance that Ryan and
Kahoe. both of whom are out scouting,
may dig up something in the way of
gardeners. After August 26 no players
can be purchased from the minors. 1t
used to be that August 20 was the last
day. but the majors have been given a
siX-day leeway Of which they are sure
to take advantage, in hat they will keep
their scouts out longer than heretofore.
Griffith. by the way. heard some fiat
tering reports about Williams, the pitch
err he purchased from Helena. He is re-
ported to be an immense fellow with arms
longer than Walter Johnson's. He is said
to be very green, however, and will need
a lot of coaching before he will be up to
the major league caliber But Griffith
wants this kind of pitcher, going on
the theory that if he gets one before
he has been overworhed he will last
that much longer.
The greatest advantage that the Ma
tionals have over their rivals is their
ability to steal bases PLIERS on other
clubs are really rare occurrences, while
there is hardly ever game played by the
Nationals in which one or more bases
are not stolen. The base-stealing pro-
clivities are not limited to Milan alone.
by any means There is not a man in
the lineup, barring the pitchers. perhaps.
who is not apt to steal successfully
against any of the catchers, and it is this
fact which gives the Nationals scoring
chances even when they are not hitting
as they should. 1t was a stolen base
which gave the Nationals their first run
in the second inning yesterday, and it
was Gandil who pulled it, thus being in
position to score when Shanks came
through with hit
Shotten's triple in the first created the
temporary impression that Bob Groom