Evening star., 1916-05-09
ones Browns Play Grfnen in First of Series oda1
FIELDER JONES AND BROWNS
ARE HERE FOR FOUR GAMES
Bob Groom. Former Local Pitcher, Due to
Oppose Harry Harper In Opening
Contest Today.

| hitting. It is showing intelligence In
the playing of it's games. and when
ever Mack has the assistance OF Sooo
| pitching his team looms up IN a man
ner that must be encouraging to the
veteran manager.
! Mack's team is hitting better than
! any team the Griffmen have faced this
year, which accounts for the fact that
| it is the only team which has won
| series from the locals this season.
| Ray Morgan was walked on every
/ occasion he faced the pitcher yester-
! day, only once having a strike called on
him. He walked four times, thus justi-
| flying Grif1ith's judgment in putting
| Morgan in the lead-off position. Grif-
fifth made the change without any an
/ nouncement as to what his intentions
| were. In addition he benched both
| Shanks and Moeller and sent Barber to
right field. Barber was responsible for
! the scratch home run which netted the
Griffmen their only runs, but he seemed
! to have been out of the game too long
| to do himself justice in the outfield.
Witt. who cavorts around Shortfield
for Mack, is improving with every
game, and it would not be at all sur
i prising if by the time the season ends
he is finished shortstop. He not only
/ covers a lot of ground and shows gen
eral ability. but he hits exceptionally
well. regardless of whether he is up
against a right or a left handler.
Dan Moeller was used as a pinch hit
ter for Ainsmith in the seventh and
struck out.
Eddie Ainsmith yesterday did not
catch nearly good game of ball as
on the occasion of his first appearance
last Saturday a week ago. when he
gave such brilliant support to Walter
Johnson that he deserved an equal
share of the credit for the victory.
Yesterday Ainsmith not only dropped
little fly in the center of the dia
mond, but on another occasion in try
ing to throw out Pick, who ATTEMPTED
to steal, he threw far into center field
and Pick eventually scored. Ainsmith
seems to need more work if he is to do
brilliant work behind the bat. Players
cannot stay on the bench for weeks
without breaking into the game and
then be expected to do themselves or
their team justice. The system of idle
ness is poor one and players who suf-
fer thereby have their failure to be
worked as good excuse.
Manager Griffith had his players re-
port at the ball park at 10 o'clock this
morning, and practice of the most
strenuous order was INDUCED in. The
team has not been on edge for the past
few days. and morning practice is ex-
pected to bring them back into form.
Fielder Jones, famous leader of the
Browns. expects better things from
his charges. now that his pitchers are
in good shape. Our pitchers were
not going well this spring, and that
is why we lost a lot of games said
Jones this morning. But now they
are in good fettle and I expect to have
a good trip.
MY ball team has not been hitting
as it should but it will get to going
in due time and then victories will
come easier. Cleveland has a mighty
good ball team. Iris Speaker is the
spark plug of that team, as he was
for Boston. and the Red Sox will SUI
fer for the want of him all season.
mark that
Groom is in great form this spring
and / look for him to be one Of nv
best pitchers. He will be used TODAY
against the Griffmen. unless I have
reason to change my mind and but
Davenport into the game"