The Washington times., 1914-09-25
'lHNSON SAVED TO
BATTLE JUAGALEERS
ter Contest for Third Place Is
Now Between Tigers and
the Nationals.
BY THOMAS KIRBY.

Bv THOMAS KIRBY.
rLEVELAND, Sept 25.-Clark Grif-
r. is happy today over the fact that
J., now sincerely believes that his pre-
i .tion as to the success that would
|l .ompanv the Nationals in the West is
@ come true.
lark Griffith is happy tday over the
; fact that he now sincerely believes
! a his prediction as 10 the success
} Il would accompany the Nationals in
/, West is to come true.
ne Griffmen are now in the throes of
a bitter life battle with Detroit for
/ 4 place. and if the team is able to
b / III" form that it has shown in the
nalOrity of its games in this section.
..-e should be no reason to doubt its
2 Uity to hang onto that position to the
( e.i of the campaign.
ne games that have been won by the
q ifs since they left home have been
4, to the fact that the pitchers have
u lallv remained steady while the men
" o were expected to hit during the
2 alter part of the season have finally
, lSht their real stride. The result Is
{ at the Nationals today are presenting
I De- most formidable offensive machine
: ~ have shown during the whole OF
: year
1andil is now hitting better than he
+ s AT anv other time since the close
q last season. while the majority OF the
{ er men are showing more life and
c n in their general play than since
: midseason days when the activity OF
+. Federal League agents served to
{ tract the Washington players from
: air real work and resulted in the de-
4, lOpment OF a most slovenly spirit
rriffith has never been willing TO con-
q. ie that Detroit had a better team
n Washington and he has kept ham
} Ting away ali the way. with the re
; : that the team has apparently
, lCht its third breath and IS now
, lily playing high class baseball.
. was thought that Walter Johnson
r Cht be used against the Maps this
= Ftarnoon. but Griffith decided this
lrrning TO make a shift and is holding
twiriing king for Detroit on Sun
Jay. which means that the hefty HEAVIER
~ be back in line for one of the games
+ IN the Athletics when the Nationals
I'm home for couple of days be-
Tore going to Philadelphia and Boston
to round out their season.
Ii is a rather odd occurrence when g
W ashington team can land n couple or
games in one day, but yesterday they
a achieHed this ambition by twice stop
ag Cleveland and this despite the fact
at Joe Birmingham shifted and
lifted in a desperate plan to stop the
lb that wrecked his ambitions last
tumn by stopping Cleveland in five
g .Ccessive starts when the Maps had
hat appeared 10 be glorious chance
stumble over line ahead of the
ckian crew.
n spite of all the early season re-
IT'S that unless Joe birmingham made
cd this year he would be dethroned
g pilot Of the Maps. there has ap-
.s-ently been g change Of sentiment here
q il is today said on the best of au-
.nritv that ne will be retained next
ason. However. the boy manager Is
, have greater authority than in sea
Ms gone by.
The Cleveland Maps today constitute
house divided among themselves
7erc are Two distinct factions. On the
hand there are the men who are
al to Birmingham and who are Civ
z him their best services; on the other
Ie there are veterans who do not
'rk that Birmingham has ever Gueli-
u through experience TO handle a
aior league club and they are at
.npting 10 bump MIN. While neither
narliP Sumers. nlagnate. nor Joe BirTn-
. CHAM. manager. is willing 10 ADMIT,
is said among those who should know
AT Birmingham is next season 10 be
'othed with sufficient authority to dis
ysa Of the mel Wh" Will not distinct
be loyal 10 the comparative young
..r who IS now directing the destinles
the club here.
One Of the things ihat should help the
-arionals in their coming series win
elruit. is the fact that ir trying 10
, nd back the Athletics and hang on to
@ Boston Red SOy. the Tigers have
arricanl burned up their pitching
-. As matters nov stand. tho Griff-
On should either face a collection Of
o. . 0unger element Of the Jennings
lection or bat against experienced
r1 who have so far extended them
IS that they should not be as ef-
.,,yc against the Washingtoniars 5
y v ould be had Griffiths : forces pre-
9ed Instead Of trailing the two teams
. q. are now far IN the van IN their
sariDnS with the other entrants "t
30 Johnson loon.
,or Jackson injured his ankle IN the
al game here with the Athleucs and
A. missing from the lineup yeSter-
- lie may play today
I'rder the most discouraging OF "IF-
instances in the matter OF atmos-
,reric conditions the Nationals made
nc Maps look Ike a band OF minor
~aCucrs yesterday. II was one OF those
=. dismal afternoons and the crowd
- SO small. Wondering less than 49,
rat there was little enthusiasm.
IN the first Esn. the Maps w"re away
ret with y two-run cad. but IN the
lf,h John Henry came through NTH a
-iT,lc that drove in three. after Gandil
N Foster had successfully worked the
'oubIe stoaI. This ~in"hed the game. as
nav who was the last of four pitchers.