Evening star., 1914-05-16
MAPS WILL FACE
i JOHNSON TODAY
Griffith's Crack Twir|er to Be
Opposed by Fred
BIanding.
BIRMINGHAM STILL HAS
HOPE FOR CRIPPLED TEAM
Predicts That Several Clubs Which
Are Leading His Will
Falter.
BY ]. ED GRILLo.

posing pitchers IN tHe lifSt game 90 t4le
Cleveland series today. Judged on hls
performance against the White SoN Tues
dav, johnson has resained his form and
can be expected 20 perform as usually
araiosr the Maps Blandirs, too. has
been successful this spring, ana the
chances are that q pitchers battle VIII
taEe place.
manager birmingham has been decided
Is unfortunate this spring because oil
rh, many accidents his players have
encountered. and his team IS not YET
in It's best condition. But he believes
That in du,, time the Maps vii! he hsht-
ing with the leaders.
.our pitchers are just beginning 10
rol5d into form" said Birmingham at
the Raleigh this morning. and now
look for my team 10 make forward
strides. There are several cinps III lioiis
of Ss now that Won be tnert "iIe'i
the season advances. OF that l am sat
isti.d The Detroit club is the only one
we have seen that seems to ne iii!ins
at lis best. Jennings team IS soins
tine. but il may not be abis 20 hteF W
the-pac. 10 the end vi the season
Three out Of four from th,. White
Soy is the best showing the Nallohals
have made 10 date. There appears u
be 4 vast Improvement in the general
Disving Of tho Griffme.1. Though there
is a shortage OF pitchers Just At present
because OF the disability Of Joe BoehhhI
and the prevalence OF sore arms ,.H= a!iioL.S
the Youngsters who. under coAaltloi4s'
might he given a chance,
ON what the Chicago team showed III
the series here. il is the weakest ;tssfe
CATION the Nationals have raced ltlis
Snrine CalIahan's team does not look
10 have a chance TO finish in the iIrst
division Its early squirt was due 10 the
fact that its pitchers were IN spienala
form, but the team as whoie does NOS
display much class, especially as at pres
ami made up with that infeld badly Grip
pied.
Hal Chase is not the ball player he was
a few wears ago when he had the rept-
tation Of being the best first basernan III
the game. The former New York star
has gone back at an alarming rat" anu
is row only an ordinary performer III
the position where he formerly starred;
In the series here Chase played poorly.
being charged with no less than seven
errors in the four games, and most Oh
these were made on comparatively easy
chances There was perceptible failins
of in ChaSe'S work last season ana ne
seems to be going even worse this sprihs.
Eddie Cicotte failed TO SHOW his usual
form Yesterday. Last Sunday he pitched
q perfect game Of ball against Detroit,
shutting out the Tigers In / TO game.
But Cicotte failed to fool the Nauonals
Yesterday and was forced to retire under
fire in the third after three stralShe MUS
had been made off his delivery.
-
Joe Engel seemed to be III Dettef .orIh
yesterday than ne has been for some unle'
but luck was against him and ms own
error in dropping Gandil 5 assist at hfet
base gave the Sox a brace OF runs IN the
second inning after two hands We're out
Fngel undoubtedly would have finished
M game. had il not been found advisable
10 lat Schaefer hit for him in the last
ba1T nj this inning. Shaw, who TOOK his
nI:,ca pitched a splendid game of ball
!tfrer he st.adied down during the latter
ir,ni6Ys of the contest Shaw had pitched
SYN innings Wednesday, but did not
se.n. 70 b.. atfected by the fact that he
batT baG t,,r cn, DAYS rest This young
~r.r is coinr 10 be one of the teams
,,,.irsta,. an the rubber whe. n, is
l@trs,i in regular turn and gets = little
,,,orx. txn..rienc.. for lie has :i world of
"iri+
NIfr4p Iia NOT stay III his batting
slurnI very long. After failing TO get
y iii. off scott in tie same Thursday
he came right back Yesterday with
two singles ami Incidentally added
eaother stolen base. This promises TO
NJ. = great season for the champion
h,cs steaier
..-
,-,,. : . married. in,nroyernent in
unIyara Sbanks' hitting. The Nationals
~, tieider is ranidIv ,1.yeIopine into
- ;,;,,orS on