Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-23
ATHLETICS COME
HERE TOMORROW
Mack's Team to Open Series
Against Nationals With
DoubIe-Header.
GRIFF'S MEN HOPE TO
RECOVER LOST GROUND
Walter Johnson Will Endeavor to
Win One Of the Two Open
ing Games.
BY j. ED GRILLo.


having encountered the most protracted
losing streak of their recent history. the
Nationals are going into a series Of
Games. beginning tomorrow, by the re-
suit of which they hope to get back into
the good graces of the fans.
The Athletics will be the visitors and
they will open at Washington with a
doub1e-header Wednesday. Walter John
son is to pitch one of these games and
it is more than likely that Joe Boehlins
VIII pitch the other. Griffith promises to
throw his greatest strength against the
champions, in the hope of making up
some or the ground lost on the trip
which closed yesterday. He also intends
to pitch johnson in the final game of the
series in Philadelphia Saturday Johnson
apparently was in better form in the
game he pitched Sunday in Detroit than
he has been in some time, and it seems
to be the general opinion that he is at
last rounding into form and will be
able to wrest at least one Of the two
games from the Athletics. The team will
arrive IN Washington at 4:4O this after
noon
Had the Nationals been able to get
as good as an even break on their west
ern trip they would now be leading the
pennant race by a comfortable margin.
Even though they lost eleven of the six
teen games played in this section, they
are far from being out of the race There
Is comparatively small margin Sepa-
rating them from the leaders and, in
view of the fact that victories have been
decidedly scarce of late. this is re-
markable state of affairs.
1t is'a safe guess that in the future
the teams showing will he much i'm
proved over what it has been since it
left home. Griffith believes that con-
ditlons will change. and that the team.
which in former years was never very
successful at home, will be hard to beat
on its own grounds this season. He
looks for a long winning streak now.
Though Joe Boehlng has not Been
successful on the trip he has. never
theless. pitched brilliantly of late and
is now giving every evidence of being
back in his best form. His work in
the game yesterday. when he relieved
Doc" Ayers, was little short of mar
Vicious. and, If he retains his present
form. he can be relied upon to prove
a stumbling block to the Athletics in
one or two of the games he is slated
to pitch against the champions.
1t was asking good deal of Doc"
Ayers to face the Tigers again yes
terday for the second time in three
days. The average pitcher needs more
yet DOC" showed to good advantage
and with little better luck would
never have been in danger. Stanage's
double in the seventh. which put Ayers
In bad. was nothing more than a duke
hit. Ayers was wasting the ball, which
was feet over Stanage's head, yet he
hit it against the left field fence Four
hits were all that Ayers allowed. and
he would not have been scored on had
1t not been that every one Of the
riy Voc fNr avfr hos
triples and double decorating their
records
Howard shanks came very near injur-
ing himself seriously in the seventh in
ming yesterday, when he gave chase
for Burns long fly into his territory.
The ball was hit high, and Shanks,
when he got where he thought 1T would
nearer to the cement wall in left than
he figured, and as result bumped
into the fence with his head. The
blow stunned him for an instant. but
he continued in the game. He is not
apt to suffer any ill effects as a result
of the mishap.
The teams fielding continues to be
brilliant, and it will. no doubt. again
have to be admitted when the campaign
is over that Griffith had the best de-
fensive team in the race. There also Is
some improvement in the stick work. and
this is sure to be even better when the
team gets home, where it can have the
benefit of a few mornings of batting
practice. The pitchers. too, seem to have
rounded into form. In fact, on the
whole. the pitching on the present trip
has been of high order. and had the
team been able to do any timely batting
many games would have been won.
Ayers and Boehling held Sam Craw-
ford in check today, and for the first
time in many moons the Tigers great
slugger went through a game htless.
Crawford has been Jennings mainstay
with the bat this spring. The veteran.
after fifteen years or more of continuous
major league base ball. appears to be
in better fettle this year than he has
been in many, notwithstanding the fact
that he made the long tour around the
world last winter. Crawford. by the
way, is much more popular around the
circuit than Cobb, because the fans rec
ognize that he has been one of the most
remarkable players the game has ever
developed.
Though Chick Gandil has Just seen
his third season in the American League,
he is now generally recognized as the
best first baseman in the circuit, and the
jumping Of Hal Chase has by no means
affected this opinion. Gandil Is most
wonderful fielder. 1t is questionable, in
deed. If there ever was his superior. Day
in. day out. he makes remarkable pick
ups and stretches enormous distances
in handling the throws of other infield-
ers, and yet he does it so unostentatious- |
ly that a majority of the spectators do
not notice it. But talk to some of the
players of the other teams If you want |
to hear real praise for Gandil. BY them |
he Is considered in class by himself. |
Mc1nnis has many admirers, and is I'M
doubtedly star. but because OF his size |
there are lots OF plays made by Gandil |
which would be impossible for the Phila-
delphian.
Two days ago Manager Griffith notified I
Connie Mack that a double header would |
be played in Washington Wednesday. |
Mack replied that he would prefer to |
have two games played Thursday. to |
which Griffith would not consent. Late
last night Griffith received a telegram |
from Ban johnson advising him to play |
two games Thursday because Mack's |
team could not arrive until Wednesday |
at ITO o'clock. Griffith replied that he |
had advertised the two games for We'd
nesday and would play them.