Evening star., 1914-04-17

will be worked regularly. Cashion is
seeing his fourth year with the team,
and it must be admitted that he has
never been success on the slab. But
Griffith has not lost confidence in him
and predicts that the day will come when
Cashion will win q lot of games. SO
far as his pitching arm is concerned. II
appears to be perfect. His control. too.
is better now than ever before and all
that Cashion needs is a taste of few
victories to convince him that he can
pitch, and then it is expected he will
go at a fast clip.
Todays game will be called At 3:15,
as are all games in Boston.
AS a result of being forced to play
in Wednesdays cold weather Manager
Griffith proposes TO advocate rule which
will leave the question of whether the
weather is suitable to play entirely to
the judgment of the umpires. They.
according to the Griffith plan, are to
make known at a certain hour on such
days that a game is doubtfui whether
there will be one or not. He is loud
in his protest against playing games on
such days as last Wednesday was here.
IIe says that it is injurious to the ball
players. and. incidentally, serious buSl-
ness mistake.
In the two games which have been
played CLYDE Milan has kept up the
splendid hitting pace which he demon
strated during the exhibition season. Mi
Ian insists that this is to be his best year
with the bat, and he is betting hats that
he will have a higher average at the end
of the campaign than he has ever before
enjoyed. So far as the base stealing hon
ors are concerned, Milan has made
poor start, for the reason that the oppor-
tunity to pilfer has not Yet come to him
in the games which have been played.
But his legs are sound and he has his
usual speed, so that the season pro-
crosses he will again make himself felt
on the bases.
For few days after George Mcbride
got back into the game after ten-day
lay-off he plainly showed the lack of
practice, but he seems to have overcome
that failing now and IS already playing
in midseason form. His fielding in the
two games here has been of the highest
order. Boston fans believe him to have
no equal as a shortstop, and he is decid
edly popular with local crowds.
Speaking of popularity, there is no city
in the circuit where the Nationals are as
well received as in Boston Griffith'S
team is of the best drawing cards
that visit here, and the attendance fig
ures of last season prove that In fact.
as a road attraction the Nationals in
a
fith's team outdrew all others OH the
road. and this performance probably will
be duplicated in the present. race.
Not only does the public like the style
of ball the team plays and the side play
of Schaefer and Altrock. but it has great
admiration for the team in general and
Walter Johnson, Clyde Milan and some
of the other star players.
Barring accidents WailE Smiths hardest
work is over. There Will be few opportu-
mites for him to break into the lineup un-
less one of the regulars falls by the way
side, but Griffith proposes to use him
quite often as an emergency hitter, at
which Smith is expected to shine, for
respect. In order that he may keep in
batting trim he will take part in the
daily batting practice of the team.
When the Nationals return home sew
eral hours will be put III every morning
for a month more at bunting practice
The pitchers will be given a particular
II hard line of this sort of practice, for
the very good reason that most of them
are now unable to sacrifice properly.
There is nothing more harmful to a team
than to have pitchers VINO cannot bunt,
for in nearly every game situation
arises where the contest would be won if
the pitcher could move up the base run
ners.
Griffith admits that he has neglected
this feature of the game in the spring
practice, but he proposes to catch up in
it soon the team gets back where
it can indulge in morning work.