Evening journal., 1915-04-12

Washington fans boast OF the great
est slabbist OF all times-Walter
Perry Johnson. the Coffeyvllle thun-
derbolt Manager Grifhth goes even
further than this. He claims that he
has the best equipped pitching stan
IN baseball and says that his kids, as
he calls them, are going TO demon
strate to other teams that such Is the
case.
Have you fans who 90 TO the ball
park day in and day out ever stopped
10 consider what the Nationals
pitchers would bring n put under the
hammer? Furthermore. have you ever
given Il a thought as TO the price
these thirteen slabbists cost the Wash
ington baseball club? II you haven't
then YOU will be interested 10 note the
following.
Manager 0rifiith has set price on
Walter johnson. "If I we're 20 put
johnson on sale he would bring at
least s60,000." said Griff. "Ayres is
worth 10000; Shaw 10000; Bentley.
$4,000; Boehling. $4,000; Harper,
$4,000; Engel. $1,000: Gallia, $4,000;
Hopper. $4,000. and probably more. to
say nothing of my other promising
youngsters. who would bring a goodly
sum" Despite the fact that Griffith
has named these figures. he says that
he would not sell one of them for
this price.
Summing II up. il is about a $780,.
600 investment. and II cost less than
any staff in baseball. Johnson came
here for his railroad fare. Think
Of that Cliff Blankenship. former
National. saw him working. and sign
cd him. Shaw was a gift, having been
signed while a member OF the Pitts
burgh Collegians. Bentley was a green
country lad and reported for a trial
Boehling was with the Richmond Bat
tie Ak team He pitched a game In
Washington and made such a favora-
bic impression that Griffith secured
his services.
Engel was a student at Mount ST.
Mary's College when he signed his
contract. while Harper was picked up
on the sand lots at Hackensack, y.
J. Thormahlen. Clarke. Russell and
Stevens are the youngsters who may
make good and further increase the
full value OF the pitching stan.
Only Three Uitchers Costly.
There we're three pitchers who cost
real coin. They are Gallia, Ayres
and Hopper. For Gallia. Grifiith trad
ed Vaughn and Walker and he figures
that Il was a $4,000 transaction.
Ayree was bought from the Richmond
club for the surprising low price OF
1920. Tommy Long. the outaelder,
was traded for Hopper. and $1,000
was spent In securing Long. There
fore. Il VIII be seen that the pitching
stan Of the Washington baseball club
cost but $500. and you could not buy
one who was on last years team for
this amount.
When Grifhth said that he had the
greatest pitching stan IN the business
he hit the nail sQuarely on the head
Griff has FIVE left-handers. three OF
which are bound to win a lot Of ball
games this season. They are Bent
ley. Boehling and Harper He has
Thormahlen, who gives every promise
OF becoming a star. and young Clarke
who. although still green. may become
a good slabbist when he gains more
experience. II is the most promising
southpaw quintet in major league
baseball.
Shaw, Ayers. Harper. Engel and
Callia are all good pitchers and above
the average. Besides costing a club
less than any in the business and be-
ing worth more, these pitchers, in the
matter of age, average less than those
on any other club. Several Of them
have not passed the minority mark
and Johnson, although considered a
veteran, is still a young man. Other
major league clubs are bound to have
a whole lot OF trouble beating this
pitching star this year. II is gradu-
ally rounding into shape. and will
be ready when the gong rings.