Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-18
GRIFFITH WILL END
''B0NEHEAD" PLAYS
Says He Will Fine Every Man
That Shows He Is Not
Thinking.
SHAW HAS GONE BACK
INSTEAD OF IMPROVING
His Failure to Comprehend Signals
Yesterday Cost Dearly.
Other Gossip.
BY J. ED GR1LLo.

CLEVELAND, Ohio, June 1s-'In the
future when any of my players pulls the
bone plays that have characterized our
work for the past week or so it is going
to cost them dearly" was the announce
ment made by Manager Griffith after yes
terday's game. "A player Is not to be
blamed for errors or failure to hit, but
when he shows signs of not thinking it
is time to give him something to think
about, and that is exactly what 1 propose
to do.
I'VE have played the worst ball 1 have
ever seen during the games in Cleveland,
principally because we have displayed
no judgment in our work and have look
ed like a team that was just starting
been entirely too much Observation-Disclosures
are going to be plastered right and left
whenever players overlook signals and
do the wrong thing
There is no doubt that the Nationals in
the games in Cleveland have given some
OF the worst exhibitions ever presented
by major league ball team Just what
has caused this sudden change is beyond
conception, and there is not a chance for
another victory to be added to the teams
record unless there is a great change in
its general work.
Walter Johnson is to pitch the opening
8 me against the Tigers today He may
be able to turn the tide, though If the
team does not show Improvement in its
playing even he will be unable to score
victory.
Jim Shaw, instead of improving, has
gone back at an alarming gait He seems
to have forgotten what he knew about
pitching, and is cor stantly getting his
team in bad. Yesterday he missed the
four occasions. and base hit resulted
each time because the infield, figuring on
play, was out of position to handle the
, ball. The most fragrant error in this
| respect came in the sixth inning, when.
with man on first and second, the pitch
! out signal was flashed to Shaw. Instead of
keeping the ball away from the batter.
ne laid 1t in the groove. and Olson hit a
sharp grounder toward short which, if
Mcbride had been there. would have re-
suited In double play: but Mcbride,
after having signaled for a pitch-out
went to cover the bag, and it was only
by a remarkable effort that he returned
In time to prevent the ball from going
into left field. though he could not make
throw to first. That play filled the
bases. and resulted in brace of runs
Ordinarily the eighth inning would have
produced several runs for the Nationals,
but poor judgment held them scoreless.
Gandil opened the inning with single
Shanks had three balls on the pitcher,
who showed every sign of being wild, and
then popped out a fly to Olson. Morgan fol-
lowed with a walk. and then, while Ain
; smith was at the bat. allowed himself to
be caught Off first base by throw from
O'Neill. which resulted in Gandil being
run down between second and third.
This Is the kind Of plays the Nationals
have been pulling lately, and to a certain
extent accounts for their slump.
| Collamore walked FIVE and If the Ma
tionals had used little more Judgment
at the bat and not hit at poor balls he
would have walked twice that many.
| Shanks got into his batting stride
again yesterday. getting three clean hits
in four trips to the plate He also got
one of the two steals of the day, but had
but one chance in the outfield.