The Washington herald., 1916-04-24
Bill Donovan's Crowd Not
Likely to Make as Good
Showing as Nationals.
OTHER SPORT COMMENT
Walter Johnson or Galia to Pitch
Final Game of Series
Today-Gossip.
BY WILLIAM PEET.

Members OF the Washington ball club
from Manager Griffith down to the bat
boy cannot see the New York Yankees
as coming American League champions.
as many of those Gotham experts would
have Us believe
As a matter OF fact. the Yanks, with
all their boasted strength, Frank Baker
and Lee Mages touted as heavy hitters,
do not appear to be any stronger, If as
strong. as the Grifmen. On the season
New York may. as a team, bat little
better than the Nationals, but their
pitching sta1 and catchers do not begin
to compare, the Outleld is not as strong,
and there is not as much speed.
The games played by~the Washingtons
and Yanks thus far do not show the New
Yorks as pennant winners, although they
are sure to grab of a lot OF bail games
and cause considerable trouble before the
season closes.
For the final game of the series against
the New Workers this afternoon Griffith
will either work Walter Johnson or Bert
Gallia. 1t would not be at all surprising
II johnson faced the Donovan clan for
the third time, for the big fellow appears
20 be the only pitcher lucky enough to
beat them.
Harry Harper and Ray Fisher have
both clashed on two occasions this spring,
and both times, although batted harder
Fisher has won the verdict
That truth is stranger than fiction was
shown by a little incident which hap
pered while the Nationals were in New
York a few days ago to open the Ameri-
can League season.
The newspapers advertised that Satur-
day, April Is. would be Judge Day at the
Polo Grounds. and that Judge. the
Washington first baseman. would be hon
Ored by his old-hme associates and
friends.
Judge was born and raised in New
York City, where he also got his first
start in baseball playing with a semi
pro team.
This Judge Day item attracted the at
tentiOn of a middle-aged gentleman by
that name, who wondered why all the
fuss, and was curious to see the young
man who was being honored, so he
bought a ticket to the game and after
1t was all over discovered Joe Judges
father in the stands.
The stranger walked over to the elder
Judge. grasred him by the hand and con-
graduated him. Later he was introduced
to the ball player whom he had never
Ecen.
This stranger was Joe Judges uncle,
his fathers brother. Both had drffted
epert when young. both married and had
not seen each other for thirty years until
last Saturday one week ago at the Polo
Grounds.
For a minute Saturday it looked as IL
Henri Rondeau was going to win a ball
game for Harry Harper, as he had often
done In Minneapolis last season. Rondeau
did come across with the hit which tied
the score, but was unable to deliver later
when the opportunity presented.
1t IS a matter of record that three
fourths Of the games pitched by Harper
IN Minneapolis last summer were won by
Rondeau with timely hit
Just as soon as it was known that
Harper was down to pitch a game for
the Millers Rondeau would 90 over to
him and say in joking manner Go to it
lIarry-pitch your head of and if you
need any runs I'll get 'em for you" The
strangest part OF it was that Rondeau
usually made good his threat
Manager Grifith announces that he will
stand pat on his present lineup, but
there is likely to be a shake-up il many
more hard luck games go by the boards
as was the case Friday and Saturday.
Connie Mack's Athletics will be here
tomorrow and will open a four-game
series against the Griffmen. The Athletics
according to reports. have a better bali
club than most folks realize
Grsntland Rice, the well-known para
graph writer. remarked with a laugh to
Griffith recently. Il hope the Athletics
don't drop out OF the league before you
get q crack at EN-
BY winning two games in row from
the Boston Red Sox last week, the Ath-
letics appear to be very much in the
lea que at present