Evening star., 1916-04-13
BY j. ED GRILLO.

ought to win his game. Kay f1sner
probably will oppose him, and he Is
i said to be in better form than any
other of the Yankee twirlers. There
are four Ieft-handed hitters on the
Yankee team-Gilhooley. Magee. Baker
and Pipp-and Harper ought not have
difficulty in disposing of this quartet
if he has his usual allotment of stun.
Griff1th is confident Harper can win
| from the Yankees, and for this reason
| he is anxious to have him pitch the
second game, hoping to make it two
straight from the ambitious Dono-
vanites.
| There were exactly 1896 paid ad-
missions in the Polo Grounds yester-
day. the chilly weather and the TACT
that the Boston Braves were holding
a Brooklyn opening affecting the local
! attendance. There were no passes
handed out here and those VINO at
tended the opening game had TO pay SO
| there some real money diVlued ny
the contending clubs.
| 1t was fortunate for the Nationals
that Ray Morgan made up his mind
| to play second base, or there might
have been a different story to tell OF
the outcome of the game
| Morgan was big factor in the We
tory of the Griffmen. in that he drove
in two of the Nationals runs with two
of his three hits. and also because ne
! PLAYED rare game of ball IN the
field Morgan is going to be of lot
of value to the Nationals this season
because he promises to prove himself
great hitter and has demonstrated him.
self competent fielder to date.
| Walter johnson pitched really Won
derful game of ball yesterday. Few
pitchers would have stood UP under
FL hnf
ways was master of the situation. and,
while he allowed five hits. he struck
out ten men and did not issue pass
to first while Caldwell was rather wild
and frequently was in hole. john
son is sure to pitch the opening game
in Boston, if he is not used here to
| finish later in the week. and II he
pitches the game in Boston he also
will be the twirler to open the season
at Washington.
| Griffith's team made quite an impress
sion here yesterday. when it made its
first appearance. The team is fast. al
ways is hustling and has keen defensive
strength.
It's hitting yesterday was far above
what it has been. but there will be
further improvement just as soon as
Judge gets into his stride. Judge is
playing a perfect game of ball at first.
and when he gets SO that he hits as
he ought to he will make it most in
teresting for some of the pitchers
one of the best plays of the day was
a running catch after leap by jamie
son of Caldwelrs line drive to the right
field wall. which might have been good
for a triple had not Jameson pulled il
.down. This happened in the third
inning and retired the side.
Umpire Owens has not had enough
work this spring to be able to do him
l-~ trt., II
yesterday. both costly to the visitors
He called Judge out in the sixth inning
when he had walked and attempted to
steal, though. Judge easily had the base
before Gedeon could touch him with the
ball. Owens called him out before the
lplay had been completed. Owens also
erred in the first-base decision which
would have given Morgan credit for
making remarkable play in the
,seventh and which incidentally helped
the Yankees to both of their runs. Gil
hooley had singled to center to start
this round; Magee hit ball past Judge
which Morgan picked up in deep inf1eld
land whipped to Johnson at first. John
son had his foot on the base long be-
fore Magee slid in there, but Owens
lcalled him safe. Bakers single followed
and Gedeon's long sacrifice fly to Milan
made it possible for Magee to score
from third.
Gedeon viii be blamed for the loss
of yesterdays game. The California
boy still is most erratic fielder and
had two errors i'll yesterdays game. and
the one in the eleventh paved the way
for the Nationals winning run. jamie
son started this inning with hit and
| aIoeller was put on to run for him.
After Williams had popped a fly to the
catcher, Mcbride hit short grounder
to Baker, who hurled it to Gedeon at
second to force Moeller. The ball was
there in plenty of time. but Gedeon
dropped the throw and the result was
that both men were safe Then, after
Johnson had flied to left, Morgan came
through with his third single and
scored Moeller. Gedeon did not cherish
going against Johnson and did not get
anything that looked like a hit.
Johnson was particularly tough
proposition for Maisel and Pipp, each
of them striking out three times, and
neither getting anything that re-
sembled base hit. Williams caught
a very clever game of ball and got a
single the first time up. He had but
one base stolen on him and handled
Johnson's delivery perfectly.
} While it is probable that the pitch
) ing slab is about two inches higher
! than it ever was before. the slope is
: gradual and consequently did not both
er Johnson's pitching in the least
Heretofore he has found it hard to ge,
control OF the ball in his games here
out yesterday he had perfect control
; and put the ball anywhere he wanted
} to. 1t remains to be seen If Harry
: Harper will feel as much at home pitch
, ing from an elevation as did johnson
1t may make a difference in the work
of the southpaw, in which event he will
not be kept in the game very long
Griffith will be quick to make change
if he notices that Harper is handi-
capped thereby.
Griffith switched from Jameson te
} Moeller when the former singled in tn.
eleventh and run was needed to Wir
the game, and it was wise play NJ
one appreciated it more than Jamjesol
himself. Griffith figured while Jamie.
son is fast he has not had the expert
J ence that Moeller has had in the matter
of Intelligent base running, and thi.
fact was proved when Moeller no
only got a good lead off second and :
quick start when Morgan's hit came
but he made a neat slide to the plate
, so that Nunamaker never had a chanc,
to touch him with the ball.
When Carl Sawyer has made tri,
J around the circuit he is sure to b.
D an attraction at games which the Ma
D tionals play on foreign grounds. Saw
! yer gave an exhibition in the coacher'
, box yesterday which set the Grove
wild. They had never seen any on,
! doing such antics as Sawyer pulled of
D while the Nationals were scoring tn,
b second run in the seventh He turnet
= fip-fops, took dive and a SWIM anC
gave a correct imitation of a donke,
braying and paving. The crowd neye
q had seen ANYTHING like SAWYER hefor,