The Washington times., 1914-09-24
Richmond SouthpaW Hopes to
Have Permanent Cure in
Time for 1915 Campaign.
GRIFFMEN BRAVE RIOTERS
All Are Pulling for StaIIings' Lads
to Land Flag in Older
organization
By THOMAS KIRBY.

CLEVELAND. Ohio. Sept. 24.-Grif-
fifth today received a telegram from
Joe Boehling notifying the manager
that the southpaw has decided to under
60 an operation for the troubled knee.
This means that Boehling will not ap-
pear in uniform again this season, but
Griffith understands that the proposed
operation will bring about permanent
cure for the knee which did so mucn
to make Boehling ineffective this year.
Griffith and his henchmen were glee-
fun as they heard the report of the
National League games of yesterday
and there does not apepar TO be any
one in the Washington camp who be-
ueves that ans club but the Braves
will annex the pennant in the parent
organization. The Nationals finish in
Boston, AMI if the schedule makers ar
rage matters to the satisfaction ol the
Washington players the worlds series
will open in Boston the day following
that on which the American League
season is finished with the Red SoX
against the Griffmen.
Clark Griffith is out as leader of a
PROPAGANDA for the elimination of the
spit ball from the American League.
The contention of the Washington
manager is that the splitter makes for
d poor fielding game, and he thinks that
Ban johnson should give orders to his
umpires TO have the practice of pitchers
applying moisture to the ball stopped.
Griffiths ire has been aroused through
the action of the head of the league in
barring the emery ball. 1t will be re-
called that when Griffith was at New
York he had pennant almost within
h grasp when Jack Chesbro, in the
decid ng game of the campaign, used
the splitter and roller was hit to Jimmy
Williams at second Williams grabbed
the ball in the damp part and made
wild heave that cost New York the flag.
Since then Griffith has always fought
the spit ball, and, on top of the ruling
against the emery ball. thinks that he
has a chance of inducing his fellow
nagnates to see the application of all
foreign substances be prohibited.
After the ruling of Ban Johnson
against the emery ball, it has developed
that Ed Foster was one of the original
three men who knew the secret of this
form of delivery.
During his short trial with the New
York Americans, Foster was the
''roomie" of Russell Ford. who discov-
cred the ball. With Ed Sweeney. Foster
was the only man living to whom Ford
ever told the secret, and Foster never
breathed the facts 20 any of the Grif
men when today he told the secret.
Ford found that by roughening the
surface of a ball he could make it
slide or float up to the batter in a
most dazzling way, and in order to get
away with it he had a small piece OF
emery paper fastened to the heel of his
glove. No one ever learned of the
trouble in hitting Ford. but finally the
same idea struck Fred Falkenberg. who
came back from the minors and made
a great record in Cleveland. Falken-
berg. however. improved on the Ford
plan by having the emery paper attach
ed 20 his elbow by an elastic strip,
and when he applied ii to the ball he
would let the rough paper slip up his
arm.
Griffith suspected there was some
thing going on when Falkenberg pitch
Cd. and each day would insist upon eX-
smining the hall. But he could find
nothing wrong, whereas had he turned
Up the pitchers Sleeve he would have
found the paper that WAS causing all
the trouble for the hitters.
Included on the roster of the Ma
uOnals there are no men who have at
tempted to perfect either the spit ball
or the emery ball. Griffith thinks the
splitter is too injurious 10 a pitcher. and
Il was not until Foster explained the
trick that he understood exactly what
tic emery hall consisted of.
] Ilf lftliliS dlllbIiS liit -NdllbldlS Is
that in the final analysis it will be the
club TO which II will be up to decide
- hat team in the American League will
go this years pennant
Admitting that the Athletics still re-
tain commanding lead. Griffith thinks
tina: il will be the coming short series
al Washington and Philadelphia that
will decide the outcome. II the Mack
ian forces can route the Griffithian COL
lection il means that the worlds series
VIII once more be staged at Shibe Park
while II the Nationals should be able
10 present a sufficiently stubborn front
N stop the Philadelphians there would
sIll remain a chance for the Bostonese
70 stumble across in front.
We are going to give them every
thing we have" said Griffith today
"Dt course. we have not been able to
break even with the Athletics thus far.
hat in the two games in Washington I
intend to hand them Johnson and Bent
ley and. if this pair can stop them, look
out for Boston having both sides of the
nE1l lFc nriE r,11 -, hot ~i+