The Washington herald., 1916-03-31
First Real Test Today;
Brooklyn Plays Griffmen
Crack National Leaguers Open
Short Series -Rube Mar
guard Slated to Pitch.
KLEIN AND NALLN JUMPS

For the first time this season the Griff-
men will be put to a test, in other words.
up against a real ball club when the
Brooklyn Dodgers are tackled at National
Park this afternoon.
Manager WiIbert Robinson, of the
Dodgers. piloted his bunch into the Capt.
tai last night and announced that his
players were In first-class condition; that
the training season had been a great sue
cess, and that IL Washington beat him
he would offer no excuses.
More than forty ball players comprise
the Brooklyn squad. which includes Jack
Coombs, one-time Athletic star, and Ole
Olson former shortstop of the Cleveland
team, both well known to local fans.
Rube Marqusrd is slated to pitch part
of today's game for the National
Leaguers, and will divide the box work
with big Ed Pfeffer. a right-hander.
Grif will oppose with Bert Gallia and
Harry Harper.
Bill KLEIN. the oest umpire in the Ma
tional League. nas been obtained to work
with Nalltn, the American League indi-
Gator handler, for the series with Brook
lyn' and the presence of these arbiters
will serve to add dignity and seriousness
to the games which might be turned into
jokes With inferior umpires on the Job
KLEIN told the writer last night that
he had never before umpired in Wash
ingtop, in fact he stated that he had
never seen the local club play, and looked
forward with considerable interest to
the short series.
The majority of the Brooklyn players
state that Connie Mack's Athletics,
against whom a series was recently play
ed and every game won by the National
Leaguers. is anything but a formidable
aggregation, and predictions are freely
made that Mack will be forced to do con-
siderable Strengthening II he expects to
finish better than last place during the
present campaign.
The report that Ole Oleson, the lntield-
er. has been sold to the San Francisco
club OF the Pacific Coast League. Is en-
phatically denied by Owner Charles
Ebbetts, of the Brooklyn team, who is
here with his ball club to witness the
series.
With the Brooklyn Dodgers Is Chief
Meyers, the Indian catcher. who for
years has been the New York Giant 5
mainstay behind the bat. Meyers looks
TO be in good physical condition and
Manager Robinson is counting on the
Indian to do a whole lot of catching this
season.
OF all the National League clubs which
visit Washington each spring for e series
of games, the Brooklyns have been hard
to beat In fact, IL memory serves.
Brooklyn has invariably won from the
| locals.
Griff. however. is confident that his
team will show to better advantage to-
| day and tomorrow than ever before.
| MOroan he
Nationals, did very we'll yesterday, draw
| ing two bases on balls and connecting
| for a hit out of four times up and Grif1
| will more than likely keep him in that
position for the present.
In the third inning Foster signalled for
! the hit-and-run, and as Eddie slammed
the ball past the spot where the short
| stop stood before dashing over to take
a supposed throw from the catcher, Nor
third base, showing considerable speed
in spite of the heavy field
|
Fahey, the Catholic University pitcher
| Is said to be slated for trial with Con-
| ME Mack's Athletics when he graduates
from the Brookland institution. Fahey
looks as IL he might be developed into a
big Lacquer.
George Dumont's work of striking gu,
eleven of the fifteen men to face him In
| five innings, shows that the youngster Is
sure to be considered seriously when the
| Old Fox gets ready to assemble his regu-
| lar twirlers for the coming season.
Dumonts curve ball was the most
puzzling. while he also exhibited fine
change Of pace and mixed in a fast ball
| when the opposition was not looking.
The reDOrf that Eddie In rro,,1d
be sold to the Boston Braves Is denied
by Manager Griffith, also Scout Mike
Kahoe, OF the National Leaguers, who
has been in the Capital for several
days.
There is no deal on so far as 1 know"
is the way Griffith dismisses the subject.
WILLIAM PEET.