The Washington herald., 1916-06-14
Former Star Of White Sox
Hurting Staff Is Given Hand
When Driven from Box.
JOHNSON WORKS TODAY

JOf1NSUN WUNkS lODA1
Chicago. June 1a-Ed Walsh, former
White Sox star pitcher, who has made
thousands of dollars for the owners of
the ball club, is through" as a twirler.
although he will probably be carried by
the Sox all season and draw his salary
He is slated for job as minor league
manager or possibly an umpire In the big
show. Walsh put everything he had on
the ball today, but the old zip" was
lacking and even his splitter was easy
to hit.
Chicago fans are still loyal to their
former idol. When Manager Rowland
called Walsh in the third inning, telling
him to quit the box, the big gathering
instead of remaining silent sent up
cheer that could be heard for miles
The cheer was not because of the bonn
bardment uncorked by the Nationals,
but rather a pat on the back expressing
the sentiment, you did your best, old
boy, and We are still for you"
Walter Johnson was slated to pitch to-
days game against Walsh, but Griff
switched at the last minute and sub
stituted Harper, who twirled the best
game OF his career.
johnson is carded to work in the finaI
game of the series tomorrow and vii;
probably be opposed by Urban Faber, the
big fellow, who trimmed the Nationals
in Washington last month.
The hardest ball Rondeau hit today was
line drive to left center in the fifth
inning. Jackson made a wonderful catch.
spearins the ball while on the dead run
In addition to this wallop Rondeau came
across with a pair of clean blows and
stole base. Griffith will probably keep
Rondeau in the game for the present.
Today's victory. the second one for the
Grirmen since leaving home, has raised
the spirits Of the athletes considera bly,,
and while no predictions are made as TO
what the future of this trip will bring
FORTH so many unexpected set-backs hav-
Ing thus far been encountered, yet it's a
cinch that the men will play better ball
and unless the st. Louis Browns have
greatly improved since this club showed
In Washington, there Is every reason to
believe that considerable lost ground
will be regained in the Mound City.
The Nationals leave on the 1o:5 ex-
press tomorrow night for st. Louis, where
a series Of four games will be staged.
.
Pitcher Kenneth McGovern was in uni
form this afternoon and warmed up with
Ainsmith before the game McGovern
has a good, easy motion and appeared to
possess considerable speed.
The weather today was warm and
sultry' the first warm day the club has
encountered since leaving the Capital. In
dications for tomorrow are not pronIs-
Ing. as rain is scheduled, but every effort
will be made to play the ball game.
While in Chicago and stopping at the
some hotel with the Nationals was the
ball club representing waseda University
or Tokyo, Japan, in charge of Coach
kono and captained by Asanuma one of
Japan.
The Japanese players had heard OF
Walter johnson and they soon picked
him out and introduced themselves, ask
ing him numerous questions in their
funny broken English
Johnson shook hands all around and
answered questions unhesitatingly. The
"rientals seemed very much impressed
From Beloit, Wisconsin. the home of
Ed Charity. little party OF five came
to Chicago to cheer the Grirfmen. The
party included T. Charity and ]. Char
rfty, brothers of the young catcher; G.
Sullivan, ]. Screenan and P Screenan
we think a whole lot of Ed in our
town" said John Charity. "and we are
pulling for him to make good in the big
show. Believe me the boys in Beloit are
all roofing for Washington to win the
pennant."
Pitcher Harry Harper has Just received
word that his townspeople of Hacken-
sack. N. j., have planned for a Harper
Day at the Polo Grounds, New York,
June o. where big demonstration is to
be held. This means that "Moxie" will
receive lot of jewelry, flowers and
other presents and probably be knocked
out of the box in the sixth or seventh
inning.
Manager Rowland could not have Sc
lected a better pitcher than Mel Wolf
gang to work against the Nationals in
Chicago last Saturday. In the first place
the diamond was SO soft and soggy, due
to five days of constant rain, that extra
base hits were scarcer than offers of
marriage to an old maid. Balls grounded
to infelders came on easy hops and the
Griffmen were held at a big disadvantage
Like all spitball pitchers, wolfgang
happened to have one of his good days
and his control was Just about perfect
Next to Covaleskie. the Cleveland twirler
Wolfgang has as good a spitball as any
twirler in the American League.
The history of spitball pitching, except
In rare instances like Jack Chesbro and
Big Ed Walsh. has been that they are
erratic. one day unbeatable and the next
soft mark for any club, everything de-
pending upon control
In spite Of the bad weather throughout
the West, the Nationals have been IA.
vored with good-sized crowds in every
city they have played. In Chicago last
Saturday, with the wind blowing a gale
and colder than Greenland's lev noun
tains, nearly 5000 fans parted with gate
money to see Washington and Chicaeo
perform. WILLIAM PEET.