Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-04-27
BEN SPENCER IS
SOLD TO MINORS
Rochester Club Obtains One
of Griffith's Young
0utfielders.
JOE BOEHLING TO FACE
BOSTON RED SOX TODAY
Beginning Tomorrow Team Plays
Four Games in Philadelphia.
Base Ball Gossip.
BY ]. ED GRILLO.


regularly for while with the Nationals
last fall, has been sold to the Rochester
club of the International League.
Spencer will leave to join that team at
once. The sale of Spencer is but the fore
| runner of several other deals which soon
will be made affecting some of Griffith's
young players. Spencer is sure to make
good in the International League. He is
good hitter and thrower and fast on
his feet. The going of Spencer leaves
Griffith with three utility outf1elders,
namely. Acosta, Paul Smith and Lee.
though the latter is not apt to be used
for the reason that he is still in need Of
| experience.
the Red Sox this afternoon, and it is most
likely that Foster will oppose him,
although Manager Carrigan said this
morning that he might use Leonard
his sensational left-hander.
Batting practice was resumed by the
Nationals this morning. AS early as Q
o'clock Grifith had his entire squad in
action. and there was no let-up until
nearly noon. Griffith is anxious to have
his team get into its batting stride,
when he predicts it will start a winning
Stredk. OT WHdt HlltlHS Tie lCdlil loS
done to date it is remarkable that It
has a percentage of 500. and this fact
assures forward strides just as soon as
the hitting begins.
It is very likely that Walter johnson
will open the series at Philadelphia to-
morrow. Walter has been doing a lot
of work since he pitched the opening
game here against Boston, and he ought
to be at his best the next time out. Four
games will be played in Philadelphia, and
Griffith would like nothing better than
to win a majority of these. During the
past two seasons the inability Of the
| locals to win from the Athletics has UNI
doubtedly prevented them from winnig
| the pennant, and Griffith hopes that the
| will be more fortunate against the cham
pions this year, hence he purposes to
pitch his best twirlers against them.
| The defeat Of Walter Johnson by the
Red Sox on opening day seems to have
| had discouraging effect on patrons OF
the game here. The impression seems to
| have been created that the Nationals are
not going to cut much of figure in the
| race and yet they have a percentage OF
| 500 in the eight games played. are on
| even terms with Boston and half a game
ahead of Philadelphia, the two teams
| figured to be their greatest rivals in the
present race.
1t speaks pretty we'll for the team, to
have broken even in the games played
| when it is considered that it has been
] hitting far below its standard. The hit
ting is sure to improve, and when 1t does
victories are going to be more numerous.
| With any sort Of offensive support in the
games played nearly every one of them
/ would have gone on the right side of the
ledger.
| After playing the next four games In
Philadelphia, beginning tomorrow. the
Nationals return to their own grounds
| for twenty-three games. New York
| comes here the end of this week and then
the Athletic drop in for four games, after
vasion all but st. Louis playing four
| games, the Browns being slated for but
| three. At the end of this stay at home
the Nationals go to Boston for five games,
one being a postponed game from the last
trip and then make the rounds of the
! western cities.
| 1t will not be long now before Crit
fifth will have his pitching staff SO ar
ranged that it can work In regular order.
Johnson, Boehling and Ayers have al
ready shown that they are in form. and
1t is UP to Griffith to select a couple
more from the rest Of the corps. All OF
the youngsters still have a lot to learn
and they are being given instructions
every morning.
Jim Shaw. for instance. demonstrated
In Fridays game that he did not have
the proper motion to hold runners on
second base. He was baff1ed when the
runner at that station would get lead
This morning Shaw put in an hour or
more working on this play under instruc-
tons from Schaefer who acted as the
shortstop covering the bag behind the
base runner. Stunts of this kind are in
dulged In every morning with the young
pitchers who are greatly handicapped
because Of lack of experience on some
plays.
| The American League race has tight
| ened up considerably during the past few
| days and there is now little danger Of
any team obtaining big lead in the PEN
Inant struggle. The teams are gradually
I rounding into their real form and some of
those which have been showing excep-
I tional speed are sure to begin to drop
back where they belong. The Maps. for
instance, have begun to win their share
| of games, while Chicago is not showing
up quite as formidably as It did during
the first few days of the campaign.
| There is some doubt about the Athletics
getting a good start, however. Connie
Mack admits that neither Bender nor
Plank is ready to go the route. and he
lis not blessed with any sensational young
sters Joe Bush, who created somewhat
Of a sensation by beating the Giants In
the worlds series last fall, is not showing
much this spring, SO that the chances are