Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-27
BY j. ED GRILLo.

Walter Johnson and Joe Boehling Will
make their initial appearance of the sea
son in a ball game on the local grounds
tomorrow afternoon. Manager Griffith
announces that his two star twirlers Will
face the Phillies at that time. He pre-
diets that both Johnson and Boehlins
will display high FORM as he considers
both of them about ready to do their
best work.
Griffith is well satisfied with his team
condition. I'VE are as good now as could
be expected and within the next two
weeks we ought to be right on edge and
be able to play our best ball he said
Our pitchers are all in good form. but
the youngsters need a let-up to allow
them to regain their strength. Neither
Shaw nor Bentley was at his best yes
terday The constant work is beginning
to tell on them and I will rest them uI
from this out and they will be all right
within a few days. l am confident that
get a good start in the race. / am salts
fed that our pitching will be strong and
the team will play up to its high stand
ard
Griffith said he had given orders to
10 stay away iioHi tiC DAAA PeAA n
for an entire week. He does not want
him to don a uniform, and thus figures
that he will be ready by the time the
season opens. He admits that he does
not want to start in the campaign With
Mcbride out of the lineup.
The Vets and Colts played another
game this morning. the outcome OF
which was favorable to the regulars.
These games are intended to help the
teams batting and also to give the pitch
ers control of the ball.
Jim Shaw showed in the game yester-
day that he has acquired a splendid mo-
ton by which he holds base runners on
first. On several occasions he had the
visiting base runners running back to
the bag when he was pitching to the
plate. Bentley, too has acquired this
feature of the pitching art and both
should be very proficient in this respect
before the season is over. 1t helps a
pitcher more than d little when he can
hold runners close to the bases and, in
cidentally, it gives the catcher much
better chance if thefts are attempted.
Griffith's players are putting in about
six hours day at the ball park just now
They report at $50 in the morning and
work until IL and are back In uniform
at half-past 1 for more practice. Then
comes the game in the afternoon. This
strenuous work will be kept up until g
few days before the season opens, wher
there will be a let-up in order to put the
players on edge. There will, Of course
be no morning practice during the first
tionals will be on the road, but as soor
as they return to their own grounds reg
ular morning work will again be in order
until the real hot weather sets In.
That the Nationals are in no danger o
nj Ia In n mt "a "a inf
to do themselves Justice was proven b.
their excellent showing in the game yes
terday with the Phillies. There wa
| nothing about the playing of the Grif
men that would indicate lack of condi
| ton, and the fact must not be over
looked that the opening of the season Il
still about three weeks off. Incidental.
it was plain that the locals were in su
perior trim to that of their opponents
the Phillies. team which has spen
seems to have failed to get much prac
| tice.
1t is questionable. in fact. If the Ma
tionals have ever been in better form
| this early in the season. though the
were handicapped by inclement weathe
during their training period at Charlottes
willie. There is still room for improve
ment, but with almost three weeks t
put OH the finishing touches the Ma
tionals are sure to toe the mark as wei
/
| rivals.
| The showing of Jim Shaw and Jacl
| Bentley against the Phillies yesterda.
! surely seems to bear out the prediction
that Griffith will be well supplied witt
pitching talent the coming season.
is, of course, true that the PhiilieS ar
not yet in their real hitting form, blu
for all that the work of the two youn:
pitchers was excellent and both ar
sure to improve as the season pro
| crosses Neither of these youngSter
is out of his teens. yet they handl
themselves in manner that woul
suggest a brilliant future
Furthermore, neither Shaw nor Bent
ley is a weakling at the bat. The
are apt to come through with bas
J hit at any time. In fact, Griffith ha
a corps of good hitting pitchers tn
year. which should prove of grea
help to the team. In addition to Bent
LEY and Shaw. there are Walter JOIN