The Washington times., 1914-09-03
Survival of Fittest' Is Rule
Which Will Govern Retention
of Men in Line Up.
Bv THOMAS KIRBY.


-be fact that unless there is animated
boIstering up along the line. the Ma
tionals will fall TO the lowest position
they have held under the present man
aeenent Clark Griffith today served
notice on the whole Washington base
hall COLONY here that from now on re-
tention Of positions Is merely matter
of the survival of the fittest
He said that past regulations would
not guarantee players, and that he will
not hesitate to force present regulars TO
give vav before others available. The
rise of Detroit and the decline OF
Washington has aroused Griffith to
pitch he has never before reached TINS
seasan. He points to the fact within
the last few days two names have
temporarily disappeared from the resu-
lar roll
The substitution of Milan for Shanks
vas not unexpected. but the outheld
was not alone in the changes. The dis
surprising Morgan was left at home
to work out with the others in Wash
!ngton, and as Schaefer also remained
in the Capital, hanks must substitute
either in the in or the outfeld in case
of injury during the series opening
today The Yankees will probably be
without the services of Birdie Cree. who
was injured in running into Cook in
yesterdays game.
Any time a club is able 20 score three
victories over Walter Johnson m three
tries il is a most unique achievement.
That's what the White Sox narrowly
missed doing in the series which closed
yesterday, for had il not been for the
timely wallop Of Gandil in the ninth,
when he drove IN the two runs when
all hope seemed gone, johnson would
having beaten him Saturday and Mon
day.
The game Of Yesterday was featured
by another horrible exhibition Of UNI
piring. In the first inning, with Dem
rnitt on third. Schalk put a short fly
to left. Demmitt appeared TO leave the
base fully stride ahead OF the catch,
but the run was allowed to count. even
despite the vigorous protest Of the
Washington players John Henry vas
nnslly ordered from the lines for the
afternoon. so vigorous did ne dispute
the right of the umpire to a!lo" the
thing TO go through
In the third inning, with johnson on
second. Foster lined 10 Weaver. who
threw to third. Chill held both OF his
ha nds low. sigrifyins that the pitcher
mad reached MS base in safety. but then
the umpire waved him ont, and once
more the Nationals went on the Nerhao
rampage. .-,
second. Mcbride was trying TO 6uht,
Connollev called ball on the Washing
ION captain and Schalk, the Chicago
receiver, went fairly crazy. claiming
that Mcbride had tried 10 shove the
ball. The sum total Of the dispute was
the Punishment OF SchaIk from the
field.
To Bob Roth. the ncw CHICAGO out
Helder. went the credit for making the
fielding feature Of the daT With
Moeller on first III the seventh. the hit
and-rrln was started The combination
of Moeller and Foster is perhaps the
strongest on the circuit in this parti"s-
lar pla-. and the hit 70 right was ideal
bu, Roth made a perfect h@ave t.
third and cut Moeller down with a
yard TO spare.
GandH had a great day on the Of
fense He made TWO singles md a triple
besides stealing a base and drawing a
base on balls.
While the desperate fght Of the
Giants II repeat their triunps OF the
past by anneNlnz another NauO:al
League pennant Is attracting the great
est attention here. the struggle of the
Yankees to make thu best showing since
Frank Chance has been in chargr is not
forgotten. They are ALREADY talking
here about the New Workers landing
one. two. three in the American League
next year. But. then. y0u must r.
member that next year is some littI.
ways off. and New York people are
disposed to consider everything off d.ar
old Manhattan island out in the prov
Incee
Demnitt, the man ahead Of Weaver.
scored on the lUke: Weaver latcr fol-
lowed him in on q double BY Collins
and then Collins crossed the plate when
Mitchell dropped q fly of FournieI's
II was the rank generalship and the
mechanical misplav by Mitchell thai
were principally responsible for the
extra session and the draw, for up Ia
that time the count was even, and the
Nationals appeared TO have as good a
chance as the other fellows
After three Intellectual efforts TO stop
the White Sox who cleaned up each or
the previous games by the margin Of a
lone run each day. the Nationals yester-
day succeeded in escaping once with
out a defeat yesterday when the final
appearance Of the Chicago team in