The Washington herald., 1915-04-30
,etcs Finally Win Game hereNaona|s Off for Boston Tonight
Griffnen Off Tonight
For Long Road Jaunt
Nationals Will Be Away Dur
ing May-Play Red Sox
Tomorrow.
OTHER SPORT COMMENT

I Clark Griffith tonight chaperones his
ball club to Boston. where the Nationals
open tomorrow a four-game series, mark
ing the first stop of long road trip
which will consume the better part of
one month and during which time twenty
four championship struggles are sched-
uled TO be played
The outcome of this extensive journey
will determine just about what the
chances are for the Nationals to win the
American League pennant.
The Boston Red Sox and Athletics have
already been tackled and neither club
appears to have whole lot on the Griff-
men in any department. What the West
ern teams will show remains to be seen.
but the one club Grif fears is Detroit.
Last spring the Nationals found their
Western rivals hard 10 beat during the
first invasion. for. if memory serves the
cleveland bunch won every game OF the
opening series in the Forest City. while
II. Louis and Detroit also cleaned up.
Today's game the final OF the present
series against the Athletics. will start
promptly at 2:45 o'clock in order to give
the Nationals chance to catch the Fed
eral Express for Boston, which leaves at
5.%%5 o'clock
Griff will take with him every member
Of his club except Seislie. the young Gu
ban infielder
Either Joe Boehling or Engel will be
called upon TO pitch against the Athletics
this afternoon. while 1t would not be sur
prising if Bob Shawkey was sent back at
the Nationals by Connie Mack.
Joe Villa. OF the New York Evening
sun. just about hits the nail on the head
in the following:
while followers Of the Yankees would
rejoice at the engagement of J. Franklin
Baker, the Home Run King, it must be
said in fairness to Connie Mack and the
Athletics that Bakers position is open
TO severe criticism. In view of the hue
and cry that the magnates must live up
to the terms Of contracts with their play
ers. 1t appears rather strong that Baker
does not see fit to meet the conditions Of
his contract with Mack and the Shibes.
Baker signed an ironclad contract for
three years in 1914 with the Athletics He
was apparently satisfied with the salary
named therein. and he played last sea-
son without finding fault. With his con-
tract having two more seasons to run.
Baker refuses to rejoin the Athletics un-
less he receives an increase in pay. In
refusing to yield to these hold-up tactics,
Mack is fighting for principle and he Is
sustained by every fair-minded critic.
Bakers case is similar to that OF Bill
James. OF the Braves. who, though bound
by legal contract, vainly tried to force
Gaffney TO increase his salary for this
year. Baker. under the circumstances. is
not a hold-out. He is a contract breaker.
and some way should be found to make
him live UP to his signed agreement, just
as Mack would be forced to pay an ex-
orbitant salary il legally held by the
player"
Al Orth. for eight years a pitcher with
the Phllies in the latter 90s and now a
National League umpire. believes that
Grover Cleveland Alexander throws too
many curve balls and that he will cut
several years off his career by the con-
tinued use of this delivery. Orth says
that Alexander is not the only star who
is using too many curves. He attributes
the sudden decline of Nap Rucker to the
same practice.
Nobody is better qualified to talk on
this subject than Orth. who was known
as the "curveless wonder for years after
he Joined the Phillies. He had won
dsrful underhand fash ball, together with
one of the best slow balls in the land at
that time, with the possible exception of
Clark Griffith and Bill Carrick: but the
many Philly managers he worked under
insisted that he develop a curve ball.
or course, Orth always had a curve.
but 1t did not amount to much, and he
used II so seldom that he acquired the
title of "curveless wonder
The development of the curve ball cut
at least five years off his career, accord
ing to Orths reasoning. and he says that
too many curves are used by the present.
day pitchers, and he undoubtedly Is cor
rect