The Washington herald., 1916-06-05
Old Fox Protests JgaIeers Victory Tigers Win Nin 4to3
Griffith Protests Game
Won by the Jungaleers
Umpire Connolly Violates Rul-
ing on Hit Into Crowd, AL q
lowing Veach Home Run.
JOHNSON WORKS TODAY

Detroit, Mich, June 4-Manager Grif-
fifth tonight officially protested the game
which the Detroit Tigers won this after
noon, notifying President Ban Johnson
by telegraph to this effect and adding
that he would forward by mail tomorrow
affidavits signed by two of his ball
players that Umpire Connolly has vio-
lated his own ruling permitting Veach
to make a home run in the eighth inning
when two base hit was all that Veach
was entitled to get.
Detroit baseball writer's most OF whom
are disposed to be fair, together with the
majority of the Washington players and
the scribes travelling with the team, be-
lieve that President Johnson will sus-
tain Griffith's protest and order the
game played over again.
1t was this home run, allowed IN the
eighth, which broke the existing tie,
otherwise the Nationals undoubtedly
would have won in the ninth for Griff
proposed to substitute Walter johnson
in the final half OF the NINTH If his team
jumped into a one run lead, which would
have been the case, had Veach only got
ten credit for a two bagger.
About the sixth inning the ground
keepers stretched ropes from deep CEN
ter to the right field pavilion in order to
accommodate the overflow crowd. When
this was done Mana gers Griffith and Jen-
nings got together to decide upon ground
rules.
Jennings insisted that a hit into the
crowd should go for only two bases
Griffith wanted three bases, because his
team was one run behind. When man
ayers cannot agree upon ground rules
the umpire is always appealed to and set
ties the argument.
1t was up to Connolly to make a de-
cision and he favored Jennings two-base
pm. Vlr
was made happened in the Detroit half
of the eighth. 1t was raining at the
time and the crowd which formerly had
packed itself sOlidly behind the ropes
went to the sheltered stands. The ropes
were about 30 feet from the center field
bleachers. Two were gone when Vcach
hit high fly to right center. Shanks
dashed madly after the ball but could not
get it. The ball, according to Shanks,
who was closer to 1t than anybody else,
shot under the rope. took a high bound
and landed into the center field stands.
Umpire Connolly gave Veach a home
run, claiming that the ball struck sew
eral feet in front of the ropes and then
bounded into the stands.
Both Shanks and Milan are prepared
to swear before a notary that the ball
landed inside the ropes, and Shanks
even goes so far as to say that in his
position he could have caught the ball
had the ropes not been in his way.
After the game Umpire Connolly ad-
mitted that If Shanks and Milan were
right Veach should only have been
allowed a two-bagger. 1t is unfor-
tunate that the rain caused the crowd
to fall back, for had there been any
people behind the ropes and the ball
landed into the midst of them it never
would have bounded into the stands.
or else had the crowd given way for
the ball Connolly could have seen
clearly the progress of the sphere and
never would have made a home-run
ruling.
"If baseball is honest, as have
always claimed it to be, then Presi-
dent Johnson must sustain my protest
and order the game played over again,
for Umpire Connolly violated his own
ruling when he permitted Veach to
make a home run on a ball hit into
the territory set aside for the over
flow crowd" was Griffith statement
to the writer.
For the final game of the Detroit series
here tomorrow afternoon Walter John
son is booked to do the pitching and
needless to say, every effort will be made
to break the Nationals losing streak,
which amounts now to six games in a
row.
The last three games have been lost
by one run and won by the opposition
in the final half of the ninth.
The shift of Henry Rondeau to the left
field when a southpaw is pitching and
Rippy Williams on first base, worked
like charm today and will probably be
tried often again. under similar con-
dtions.
Williams plaed a fine game and got
himself a hit. while Rondeau also came
across with a double and single out of
four times up.
Sam Rice had two strikes on Dauss
when he made the fatal mistake of
putting a fast one in the grove for the
lanky pitcher. who slammed the ball high
over Milan's head driving in the winning
run.
Griffith's strategy worked like charm
in the Tigers half of the fourth. There
was one out, Veacb on third and Heilman
on second, when Pop Young was pur-
posely walked. filling the bases Oscar
STANCE, a slow runner. was up and with
the infield playing back Stanage did just
what the Griffmen figured. hit into a
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