The Washington times., 1914-10-08
GR|FFMEN PREPARED
TO GO HOMEWARD
Few Members of Nationals Plan
to See Series Between
MaCkmen and Braves,
By THOMAS KIRBY.

The majority Of the Washington ball
club is in town today. ready to depart
to their respective homes
Few of the Nationals will see the
worlds series. Clark Griffith will be a
member of a party that goes over to-
night. but most of the players will miss
the set, preferring to get back home
and recuperate from the effects of the
campaign which they have just finished.
Hundreds, and probably thousands. of
dollars are changing hands in Wash
ington through the fact that the Ma
tionals yesterday landed the game that
meant third place to them. Through it
they smashed the hopes of Detroit,
where the boast has been made all sea-
son that II the Tigers could not finish
first they would not fall below the show
money.
The Gridmen dropped lower than they
have for two other seasons. still the
fact that they got over in third place
is a lasting tribute to the team. Having
travelled with the players for practically
a whole campaign, We are ready to say
that no team ever worked against such
odds and did so well. There was hardly
week that some discouraging aspect
did not appear.
While 1t will not be generally admitted
by those higher up. it Is true that the
Federal League had no small effect on
the Nationals. Agents of the outlaws
were bounding the best players the club
had from the start OF the race. They
were making offers to men that would
naturally tend to distract the interest of
these athletes. They landed none, but
tho result was shown in the work of the
men on the field.
Then came injuries. When Milan frac-
rured his jaw the club was deprived of
the only regular who was then hitting In
the select 300 class. Joe Boehling was
eliminated from consideration through a
floating cartilage in his knee. This
meant the passing of the pitcher whose
work last season was one OF the sensa-
tions of the league.
Up to the time the club went West on
Its second trip, every man hdd VISIONS
of playing in the worlds series. me
players thought they had team that
would by its general balance be able TO
hammer down the supposedly weak
Philadelphia pitching staff, and thereby
offset the superior offensive strength
Of the Athletics. The tour proved d1sas-
trous, and the psychological effect was
most noticeable. Gandil was taken Ill,
and for while it was thought this
might prove permanent. johnson was
not winning, and had not been winning
with his accustomed regularity since
the ca ampaign opened. The fight with
Jack Sheridan in Detroit deprived the
team of the services of Morgan and
Ainsmith at the time they were most
needed.
But In the closing weeks the team
rallied better than was generally eN-
pected, and through the fact that the
Younger pitchers-particular Bentley
and Shaw-showed the form that 1t had
been expected at Charlottesville They
would be able to hold all season, the
Grifmen commenced to battle off oppo-
nents whose work up TO that time had
appeared TO indicate that Washington
would be lucky to escape a second d.
vision berth.
Griffith never gave up hope. and
through his driving methods worried
himself until it was most noticeable in
him physically. He was on the lines
every day shouting and yelling cncour-
agement to the men he was leading.
His regard and their reward was third
place. no small accomplishment when
you recall that the Athletics have what
Is pretty generally considered the great
est offensive team that was ever culled.
and the Boston Red Sox' the other team
10 finish ahead. constitutes one OF the
best balanced aEgregations since the ex-
pansion OF Ban Johnson's sphere.
All this talk that the Athletics hold
an advantage because Of their ability 10
steal the battery signs Of rivals is the
pure3t rot True the presence of Harry
Davis and Jack Coombs Oh the coach
ing lines day after day would appear TO
give justification to the feeling that the
Mackian batters were profiting through
having flashed back to them advance in
formation as TO the intention of the
pitchers. Still to anyone who has any
knowledge Of the present intricate code
that is in use in the major league will
simply laugh at the idea.
These signals may be changed by the
slightest shift When the Nationals
thought the Athletics were stealing
signs they would simply make change
between pitched balls and this naturally
ruined any chance the Philadelphians
had of getting an advantage over the
pitcher.
If the Athletics win the world s series
which they should on al! dope-it will
be because Trey have the better ball
club and not because they will be able
to fathom AN =; set of signs that George
StaIlings dcvises for his batteries.