The Washington herald., 1916-06-02
Nationals Pitchers Claim that
STUFF" Was Not Effective
While in Beantown.
GOSSIP OF THE GRIFFMEN

ditions often affect their work and make
II impossible to get any stuff" on the
ball.
Those Decoration Day games serve as
examples. Harper told the writer that
the air was so heavy he could hardly
throw up curve, Boehling and Dumont
said the same thing, while Shore and
Leonard, the Boston pitchers, also ad-
mitted after the game that they were
lucky to get away so easily.
Ihere must be something in this, for
every t%irler used in the Decoration Day
frolic by both teams places the blame on
the weather for not having their usual
stuff"
To the average fan the definition Of
pitchers stuff" may not perhaps be
clear and explanations are in order.
STUFF" Is purely a ball players version
OF curves that break where they are in
tended. of fast ball with a hop to il
and good control
The "beaning' of Henri Rondeau by
Shore when the Frenchman was sent up
as a pinch hitter brought to light an
interesting little nature story
II seems that Rondeau had invited his
mother TO come to Boston Decoration
Day just to see the games. incidentally
Rondeau's mother had never seen her
son play ball. and Henri was slated to
hold down right field during the after
noon game.
Telling of the incident Rondeau said,
AS soon as 1 was hit on the head
thought of my mother who like most
French women Is easily excited and often
unduly alarmed. knew that il 1 dropped
TO the plate she would think l was badly
hurt, so l braced myself determined to
keep on my feet although my head was
spinning around like a top. l looked
over towards the Grandstand crowd
about where she was sitting and smiled,
SO that mother would feel assured that
was all right"
At the Red Sox ball park a device has
been installed which should be ordered
by the league to be placed in every es-
tablishment. Washington should have 1t
and possibly will in the near future.
Here's the scheme. The operator in
charge of the electric scoreboard keeps
in touch with the official scorer and when
ever there is question raised as to
whether a player makes a hit or a fielder
an error, the official scorer settles the
argument. and If a batted ball goes as
hit a big letter H is flashed up in plain
sight of the crowd. If in the scorers
judgment an error should be charged the
letter E Is shown.
der what the official scorer will charge
play, and If the scoreboard indicates
his decision the game is made all the
more enjoyable
Manager Griffith himself is greatly IN
favor of the scheme The Old Fox is
always in favor of innovations which add
to the pleasure of his patrons.
Nick Altrock last Sunday got himself
tangled up with poison ivy and his face
is swollen to twice its normal size. Nick
goes around wearing the most woe-bc-
gone expression and declares that every
time he laughs his face cracks.
Naturally the other players are having
a lot of fun at AItrock's expense.
w. ]. Thorne, of Washington. a thirty
third degree fan is making the present
trip with the Nationals. Mr.. Thorne is
in business in the Capital and spending
his vacation in this novel manner.
Little Jim Park. the former At
lanta semi-pro. who was given a trial
by Griffith in Charlottesville last
march and sent to the Springfield,
Mass, club. OF the Eastern League, is
still playing for that team. Park
holds down right field and although
not hitting more than .240 he is a
prime favorite among Springfield
fans and putting up a fine game of
ball.
Although the Boston Red Sox got
away with both games against the
Nationals on Decoration Day this club
does not look one bit more impressive
than it did earlier in the season and
unless Carrigan's crowd soon takes
brace it is hard to see how it can be
figured as pennant winner.
Fred Mitchell, the Boston Braves
scout and coach, has already placed a
wager of 500 that the Washington
team will beat out Boston in the race
for the flag. Similar bets have been
recorded where the gamblers hold
forth. So it can be seen that the Ma
tionals are pretty well thought of in
this section of the country.
Ray Morgan has in his possession a
lucky stone from Virginia, which he
wears dangling at the end of a watch
chain. Morgan declares he would not
part with it for all the money in the
world.
The stone is in the shape of a NAL
tese cross and came to him in a let
ter about the time the season opened.
The dopor of the talisman is not
known to Morgan for the message
which accompanied the stone read
soihelnlllS IKE tnls' L am lnCloslng
a Virginia lucky stone-wear 1t on
your watch chain and you will have
the best year of your career as a ball
player"
The letter was signed simply, Your
friend, who is pulling for you to
make good and show up the knock
ers who tried to drive you out of the
league last winter"
Morgan is playing better ball right
now than he ever did in the spring.
Like all players he is a bit super
stitious and continues to wear the
lucky stone.
WILLIAM PEET