Evening star., 1914-07-16
BY J. ED GRILLo.

While it is true that the Cleveland
Maps have made very poor showing on
their present trip and seem safely anchor
ed in last place, it is not assured that
they will lose every game they are
scheduled to play here this series 1t is
not good policy to count victories be-
fore the games are played. Those Maps
might upset calculations and prove more
troublesome than is expected There is
an old pugilistic adage which says
Train az hard for d chump as for a
champ" and that applies in the case of
the Maps. There is a chance for the
Nationals to better their standing during
the stay of the Clevelanders here. but
the games will have to be won out on the
ball field as the mere claiming of vic
tories does not affect the percentage Ia
Bile. incidentally it will he necessary
for the locals to put forth their best eff
forts and not take it for granted that
the Maps are beaten.
Though ii has been Grifiths system of
late to work Walter Johnson with two
days rest. it is likely he will change his
method today. Griffith figures on using
Jim Shaw against the Maps today. and
he is apt to work Harper and Bentley
also in the series.
Johnson has been showing his very best
form ever since the inauguration of the
two-day-rest system and it may be
mistake to allow him to rest longer.
After several wears experience Joe En-
gel seems at last to have gained the
form that was hoped for and he must
now be considered one of Grifiith's pitch
ing assets In the recent games in which
Engel has worked he has displayed
enough to warrant the prediction that
hn yx-iv7 of fh.sS Itt
is worked in. Yesterday he called
OH to stop the Tigers with man on
third and first and one out. EnSel ac-
complished the feat. He did more-he
went through the remainder of the game
without allowing run. had but one hit
charged against him and worked himself
out of several tight places. His control
was not of the best and this fact caused
him to fill the bases in both the sixth
and seventh. Yet he was not scored on.
Griffith's Judgment in carrying Engel
until he developed seems to have been
indicated. for on what Engel has shown
OF late he can be used at any time and
stands a chance to win.
Joe Boehling is not the consistent per-
former this year that he was last. He
has pitched some brilliant games this
season. but 1t seems that he does not
repeat. usually following a good game
with one i'll which he is not effective. 1t
might be policy to let Boehing pick the
day on which to pitch. He no doubt can
tell whether he is in form after warm
ing up.
Howard Shanks is rapidly establishing
a reputation for being one of the great
est left f1elders in the history of the
game. His fielding this season is moth
ing short of marvellous. Shanks attract
ed a lot of attention in the American
League last season by reason of his bril-
liant work in the field. but he is even
better this year. There is not a fielder
in the American League today who COM
pares with Shanks when it comes to
playing left field. He covers more ground
makes some of the most remarkable
captures Of flies and incidentally is never
at a loss to know where the ball should
be thrown His capture of Stanage's
short fly in the sixth inning yesterday
when the Tigers were threatening was
wonderful piece Of work. He covered a
lot of ground and then was forced to
slide forward to reach the ball.
For the next month the members of
Grifhth's team will be greatly interested
in their batting averages. for the player
who leads the team in that time will be
the owner of a diamond-studded fob
which the firm Of r. Harris & Co. has
donated
The player who from July Is to August
Is. inclusive, has the best batting aver
age will be presented with the fob. This
includes all the players on the team. the