Evening star., 1915-06-21
RED SOX ARE HERE
FOR FIVE CONTESTS
Neither Manager Griffith Nor
Carriean Certain as to
Pitchers They Will Use.
BOSTON LEADER DECLARES
TEAM HAS GOOD CHANCE
Present Line-Up of Nationals Not to
Be Changed Unless One of the
Outfelders Slump.
BY j. ED GRILLO.

This is going to be a busy week for
the Nationals. For the next four days
they will have the Boston Red SoN Tor
their guests, and that Boston team is
figured on dope to be the strongest IN
the circuit. The series with the Reo
Sox starts with a double-header today,
and the result of this dual conflict Will
have an important bearing on the out
come of the series. Just which pitcher
Manager Griffith would send TO the
mound could not be learned. He ad-
mitted he was sure to pitch Boehllng
in one of the games and either Shaw or
Gallia in the other, though this was by
no means assured.
Manager Carrigan of the Red Sox also
was uncertain as to which of his pitch
ers he would work. But he has quite
an array of pitching talent. and is sure
to present two tough propositions
While there has been an impression
that Manager Griffith would make a
change in his outfeld as soon as Tommy
Connollys ankle got back in shape, 1t
seems that for the present there is not
apt to be any interference with the
present makeup of the team.
Il am we'll satisfied with the playing
of the team it is now made up. 1t
has been playing fine ball, and until
some one falls down or is hurt 1 do
not intend to make single change"
said Manager Griffith this morning.
Manager Carrigan of Boston is very
confident that his team will be in the
present race right down to the I'm
ish. He also sees good chance for his
club to, TO win the flag, but 1 he is - not ct
and it will be a lot tighter as it grows
in age" said he. We are going better
now than We did earlier in the season,
and 1 don't think they will be able to
stop US. We have had our slump and
ought not to be bothered again in this
way
With reference to whom he would pitch
today Carrigan said: II really don't
know. but I may pick them from Shore.
Collins and Ruth
Had the Nationals been blessed with
good pitching in the recent Detroit
series they probably would have made
a clean sweep of the three games. But
poor twirling in the first two games
gave the Tigers the advantage, John
son being the only victor in the three
contests. The past week was not a
good one for the Nationals, as three
games were lost and only two won.
There have been six games played be-
tween the Red Sox and Nationals SO far
this season, and of these the locals
have won only two 1t is. of course.
true that at the time these games were
played the Griffmen were not in good
form. and there may be a reversal of
that form in the series which opens to-
day. 1t must also be admitted, how
ever. that the Carrigan forces are go
ing at a better speed now than they
did earlier in the season.
That Detroit team received an unex-
pected setback in the game with ST.
Louis yesterday when 1t was beaten
! to 0. Jennings hoped to make a clean
sweep Of the Browns series, and the
opening defeat must have been bitter
disappointment to him and his players
There surely is a batting slump preva-
lent on the team just now, for in the
last two games they have failed to
score a run.
expected fall out of the Cleveland ag-
gregation. winning both ends of a
double-header without much trouble.
factor In the National League race.
The st. Louis Cardinals, coming from
nowhere. have suddenly shown such re-
nsrkable improvement that the team
. now is in second place. and not very
far from the lead. This team was
II finished third. but did not have
strength enough to do better. Miller
HTsgins. the Cardinals manager. seems
Ia have made up for the severe loss he
suffered when he lost Perritt. his best
pitcher. and Wingo. one of his best hit
ters- The Cardinals were not given a
chance 10 have a look-in after these
two stars were lost. and the team S
present showing is a real surprise.
Howard Shanks is the real leader Of
the Nationals hitters. He has an aver
age of 216. and while this does not place
him with the leagues leaders. ii makes
Shanks of the most valuable play
ers in the league because of his wonder
ful fielding ability and alertness on the
bases Shank<. 100 IS still handicapped
by hard luck in mis- hitting. He hits more
line drives AZ opposing telders than any
other PLAYER in the league. and when the
time comes that these hits will go safe
Shanks Is going to have a much higher
batting average.
In the game Saturday Walter johnson
pitched eiehty-four balls. only twenty OF
which were called balls. Only one batter
had three balls called on him and only
fvs batterS two