The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-29
GRIFFMEN ARE
At Home TODAY
Jim Shaw Is Slated to Pitch
Against New Yorks-Cald-
well Will Oppose Him.
IT'S UP TO THE FANS
Local Rooters Will Be Given Chance
to Size Up Nationals After
Long Road Trip.
IT'S UP TO THE FANS
BY WILLIAM PEET.

BY WILLIAM PEET.
Whether the Nationals are as weak in
all departments of the game as several
OF the local baseball writer's would have
US believe will be known this afternoon.
when the Griffmen~and New York Yanks
hook up before nome crowd.
Capital fans are critical they are also
loyal. Assure them that every member
Of the Washington club is doing his level
best and they will not deny their sup
port, but root all the harder for victory.
Just let a rumor leak out that the men
are loafing on their jobs and the games
here will not draw corporals guard.
The writer has been with the Nationals
ever since the club left on it's long jour-
ney through the West, and IL ever a
bunch of athletes gave their manager
the best they had in them the Griffmen
are that bunch.
The three-game series against Bill
Donovan's Yankees, which starts with
today's contest, will show only slight
change In the batting order of the Griff-
men. Merito Acosta is slated to play
left field and Rippy Williams will be on
first base.
Georgetown Tommy Connolly is still
suffering from a Charley horse" and 1t
is Griffiths intention to rest him I'D a
few days. although if badly needed ne
could be showed into the combat this
afternoon.
Washington fans want to he shown this
afternoon just what the club can do, and
II the Griffmen play the kind Of ball on
tap in Cleveland and Detroit there will be
no cause for complaint
Nothing helps a team more than good
oid-fashioned roofing. Let's all get to-
gether and trek out to the old ball yard
To-Day prepared to do some roofing
Throw away your hammers and buy
a flock Of horns.
The Nationals reached WASHINGTON at
IL O'Clock yesterday morning from De-
troit and We're booked to work out on
the Florida avenue grounds In the after
noon, but the park had been previously
engaged by the colored high schools of
the District for n big field meet and
there was nothing doing in the way of
practice
/ thought 1t was the opening game
OF the season-there was such a big
crowd I'm the stands" remarked one of
the players TO the writer last night.
Today's game against the New YoSks
will start promptly at 3 o'clock and
Jim Shaw will be on the mound for the
Ray Caldwell. the best finger in Bill
Donovan's stable.
The New Yorks arrived from Chicago
at O'Clock last night and for a pennant-
contendinS aggregation made a poorer
showing against their Western rivals
than did the Griffmen.
The Yankees played thirteen games
and only won five. Washington played
the same number and won six.
Starting in Cleveland the Yanks won
three out of four; in Detroit, one victory |,
against one defeat was chronicled st. |
Louis won three out of four from the |
Donovanites, while Chicago grabbed all |
three games played.
The. Nationals split even with every club !
except Detroit, the count standing three |
defeats to pair of wins.
Out through the West they are still !
talking about Walter Johnson's long !
distance clouting.
A Detroit fan, as he entered Navin |!
Field last Thursday afternoon, inquired !
of his friend:
Are you going to the game to see !
Walter Johnson pitch?''
Nav" came the reply. I'm out here |
to see him hit?''
Georgetown lOiiIHy CoHnOlly VIII De /
given plenty of practice in fielding dur !
ing the time the Nationals are at home |
and able to use the park for morning |
workouts.
Connolly looks like a good hitter and |
his regular position is in the infield. but ,
there is no chance for him to GUST one |
of the present quartet comprising the |
Washington inner breastworks. So Griff |
is of necessity forced to use Connolly in
the outfield. where he will be played as |
soon as his injury heals.
That Connolly will finish the season in
left field is not assured by any means. |
Howard Shanks is mighty sweet fielder
and only poor hitting keeps him on the
bench. Acosta is also corking good !
fielder and a pretty fair hitter. Connolly |
must demonstrate his ability to hit all !
kinds of pitching before his job will be
cinched. t
Today's game with New York starts
promptly at 3 O'clock. There will De
two games here on Monday Decoration |
Day), the morning contest starting at |
1899 o'clock and the afternoon game at |
o'clock. Tickets for the Decoration I
Day games will be placed on sale this
at Spaldins's. the downtown
office of the Washington club.