Evening star., 1914-04-07
Griffith to Decide Before Season Opens on Ball PLAYERS He Will

weather, and week OF warmth will
bring them around
There are few pitchers who can do
themselves justice when it is too cold
to raise the perS&iration, and Walter
Johnson is one OF these and Jim Shaw
another These twirlers, like most others,
are at their best when the hot weather
prevails. that their recent showing in
Cincinnati must not be taken in Judging
their form.
Emil Meuse the outtieIder. and John
Mumford. the pitcher who have been
sold to the Elmira club of the New York
state League. will leave Thursday to
OF the Nationals. is managing that club,
and Manager Griffith has confidence in
Conroys ability to develop this pair OF
Youngsters. both of whom have shown a
!ot or ablhty in their training work.
Meusel is undoubtedly natural hitter,
but he has played ball for only a short
time and has lot to learn. This is
also true of Mumford, and next spring
may find both of them back in the local
fold
Doc Ayres and Jack Bentley will most
likely be used against the Alexandria
team this afternoon. Both are said to be
in good form and have instructions to sc
at top speed against the amateurs.
George Mcbride returned to the lineup
Yesterday and played his position in his
usual brilliant manner. The rest Nc
Bride has been forced to take does not
seem to have handicapped him in the
least and the chances are that he will
play regularly hereafter. The return of
Mcbride is going to make wonderful
difference in the Nationals showing.
That infied is always better balanced
with Mcbride in the game.
Though Harry Harper was pitted
against a semi-pro team yesterday; his
feat of striking out eleven men in five
innings is nevertheless remarkable. Har-
per has developed more than any of Grif-
tith's Young pitchers. and there Is every
reason for believing that he will he of
much help to the team during the coming
campaign. HarDer'S control also has i'm
proved. and yesterday he walked but two
men during the period he ofticiated Still
being in his teens. Harper is sure to i'm
prove with time. and if he does. the
chances arc that he will be one of the
most efficient southpaws in the league
within year or so.
Despite the fact that both of the games
the Nationals played in Cincinnati were
defeats. the team looked better than
at any other time this spring. The
pitching. however was not up to the
standard, the cold weather hampering
both Johnson and Shaw. The difference
in the teams showing was due to the fact
best efforts. something which they have
not done in any of the previous exhibi-
ton games That the team is not vet a t
its best stands to reason. because 1t has
not had the benefit of warm weather.
But present indications are that from
this time on the weather will be of the
right kind and by the end of the present
week Griffith ought to have his squad
fit to do itself justice.
1t is questionable whether these exhi-
bition games with college ard amateur
teams prove beneficial to the Nationals. 1t
is next to impossible to get major league
players to become interested in such
contests and they usually loaf through
the innings in listless manner. At
this stage of the training season the team
would make rapid forward strides if it
could be playing against teams of some.
where near its own strength. but of
course such a schedule is not easily ar
ranged The local exhibition season will
wind up here Friday and Saturday, when
the Boston Braves come here. and this
team should put up the kind of ball that
will help to put the Nationals on edge.
Sunday and Monday Of next week the
Nationals will play in Providence. and
Tuesday the season opens in Boston. Four
games are scheduled in Boston and four
in New York before the team returns
here to open the season April %.
The Cardinals of Alexandria will be
the attraction at the local park this aft
ternoon. The game is called at 8 o'clock
The Vigilants. who played the Nation
ais Yesterday, obtained but one hit dur
ing the game. This was made off Paul
Musser. Harper. who pitched five in
nings. was not hit safely and struck out
eleven men. Griflth's team loafed
through the nine innings. The score: