The Washington times., 1914-06-06
Youngster Looks of a Size to-
Suit Manager Griffith and
He May Have Chance.
TEAM HAS NARROW ESCAPE
Griff Says Quarter of a Million
Dollars Worth of Players
Saved by Late Train.
By THOMAS KIRBY.

ST. LOUIS, June Soto Nye, youth
tul utility player from Springfield High
School, Joined the Nationals yesterday.
He was not expected until after his
commencement. Nye was recommended
by Billy Smith. Of Atlanta. who saw
hin. work in 4 game in Illinois.
The newcomer seems to be large
enough TO make a player along the type
Griffith desires and the manager eI-
poets to have a reliable line ON his ca
psbilities by watching him in practice
in the West
In telling St Louis scribe about the
fortuitous escape from the train wreck
in Indiana yesterday Griffith today said
that a quarter of a million in baseball
brain and Drawn was probably saved
through the fact that the Washington
train was late.
st. Louis is proverbially hot, but
this time the Missourians. apparently
have started out to set new mark in
this respect. Nothing the Grifmen
have experienced since last summer
has approached the humidity that was
encountered when the squad of thirty
detrsined last night. Even the most
loyal OF the native sons are complain
ing about conditions, and il is not
IIiIpEOO6oe IndI Ile neat may
have a most important bearing on
the series between the invaders and the
aeciimated Browns
This place is fairly surcharged with
wild-eyed enthusiasm over the improve
ment in the Browns and the prediction
is made that the crowd today will be
the largest since the opening of the
season.
The defeat II, the sacood lama - n.
troit yesterday was the first setback
Branch Rickey's clan experienced in
seven starts. The impression gained
from meeting the critics is that the
strongest sort of a feeling pervades the
city that the two teams that finished
one. two will be the only ones who will
lead the Browns next October.
st. Louis fans are giving most of the
credit for the spurt OF the Browns TO
Manager Hickey. declaring that he has
iustilled fighting spirit in the men
that In past years was almost always a
minus quantity in the clubs sent forth
Houndered around into the limbo Of the
league They point out the fact that
practically the same opportunities were
open to George Stovall.
However. next TO Hickey, it is CIar-
c:9re Walker who is lauded to the azure
'SsIker will be recalled as Wash
lEGiGn discard, who ssne eark after
O.. .mS tosseu 10 the AmerI..tn Assoc q
ton. The latest figures show Walker
showing around the .35l mark in bat
unE. and he has driven in more counts
than any other PLAYER in the collection.
One who claims TO know, and VINO
has no affliation with organized base
cal! said oday that the last paid At
tsndence at a Federal League game
IN this city was below 200.
The pcstponement Of that final game
in New York cracked Griffithian twirl- |
ing order in compelling the use of
Johnson in the opener: However, GTIf-
fifth hopes to have his high trump work
ur ia the closing contests before de- !
Il oil Is encountered
After the Nationals had reflected upon |
that wreck of yesterday for a few |
hours they commenced to realize what |
q close cal they had in escaping what |
might have been a catastrophe. Had |
our train been running up to schedule, |
the officials say it would have crashed
into the freight this side of Indianap-
oils, and It would have been a lucky
ball club IL several men had ever lived
70 record the experience.
AS II was. the trip from New York to
this sweltering settlement occupied
twenty-eight hours of interrupted traV-
bring club Up TO scratch for the Open
ing intersectional battles in prime con-
dition.
Griffith is fretful lest the intense
heat here may seriously affect some
OF his younger pitchers here it will
he recalled that at Boston jim Shaw
save way under the glare. Monday il
will be Bcehling. with Ayers and Shaw
following in order. The pitchers, IN
the whole, have been going along so
smoothly that Griffith is worried over
this feature more than any likelihood |
Of some Of the regulars showing the
effects OF the miserable conditions for
an Eastern team.
without attempting TO start any long
y inded arguments over the Federal
NOV ement. il IS rather interesting TO
note in passing that Garry Hermann
mas just said that the ten-day clause Is
essential to tie life of baseball. On the
"iher hand. many of the managers have
stricken the CLAUSE from the contracts
hy which they are now holding their
players. This may be worthy of con-
sideration by those who are TO blame
gy assuming d self-satisfied attitude
las; winter and allowing the Federals
- get a dying start before they came
10 their senses.
Fanatics here who remember Wally
Smith as Cardinal a couple of years
sgo are anxious to see him perform
during the present stay. Smiths home
is here.