Evening star., 1916-06-28
His Clever Hitting Makes It
Worth While to Develop Him
for Garden Position.
RONDEAU'S DAYS WITH
TEAM ALMOST AT AN END
Timidity of Frenchman Makes Him
Unfit to Stay in Fast Company.
Injury Keeps Judge Out of Game.
BY J. ED GR1LLo.

Sam Rice will not pitch any more
for the Nationals. The Petersburg
twirler is to become one of the teams
regular outfielders. and in order to
make this possible he Is to be put
through a course of training for a
period Of several weeks in the Nope
that he will learn to field, for he Is
better qualified in the matter of hit
ting and speed than any of Griftith's
present outaelders
Griffith will put In several hours each
day with Rice. teaching him to be-
come an outfelder. Rice is one OF the
most natural hitters that the game
has ever produced. and there Is no
question that he will be great help
to the team.
Henri Rondeau's days with the
Washington club are numbered. The
showing of the Frenchman on the trip
which closed yesterday has been most
discouragin and Manager Griffith
has been convinced that Rondeau Is
not what he believed him to be. He
did not hit at all. and, in fact, dis
played no spirit. He was detriment
lineup. and his timidity prevented
him from holding his own. Most of
the time when there were men on the
bases Rondeau would hit into double
plays.
Rondeau has not the backbone to play
in the majors. Just what disposition
will be made of him has not been de-
cided, but the chances are that he will
be sent back to Minneapolis, II that
club wants him.
The Nationals played twenty five
games on the trip which closed at New
York yesterday, and seventeen of these
games were lost and only eight won.
Yet, the team is today but two and a
half games behind the leaders. Four
teen of the defeats were by a single
run. Usually the Griffmen led until
the latter part of the game, when
mistakes by the pitcher or some other
cause would develop, and the game
would be lost.
Conditions on the Polo Grounds are
such that official action by the Ameri-
can League ought to be taken in the
matter of the right field
There is no reason why the pop flies
which are hit into these stands in right
field should go as home runs. and the
club owners are going to insist that
Ban johnson shall issue an order max
ing hits into right good for only two
bases. That would be a liberal ruling
Joe Boehling had lot of stun In the
game yesterday. but his failure to think
and follow instructions caused his de-
feat. In the fourth inning for in
stance. he had two strikes on Peck
inpaugh and instead of working him.
he grooved the ball and a three base
hit resulted, which gave the Yanks the
tying run.
Later in the game, with a man on
and the count three and two on Baker,
Boehling deliberately pitched a curve
wnere baker wanted it. and the home
run into the seats resulted
Johnson is to face the Red Sox today,
and If in form he should not have
much trouble putting it on the Car
rigan crew. Foster Is apt to be the
visitors pitcher The game will be
called at $3.50 O'Clock
Connolly and Owens, who seem to
have been assigned to umpire all of
the Nationals games. will start here
again today for an indefinite period.
Up to date this pair of officials have
umpired twenty-one Of the Washing
ton games, while Evans has been in
charge of but four since the season
opened. Just what the idea is of hav-
ing the same umpires handle majority
of the games for the Griffmen is not
known.
Joe Judge may be out Of the game for
some days, in which event the team
will be greatly weakened. for Judge is
one of the few members of the team
who have been playing good ball He,
in fact. looked better during the last
ten days than at any time this spring
be was hitting like fiend and using
intelligence on the bases while his
fielding was nothing short of sensa-
tional.
Judge was spiked by Caldwell the
ianks' pitcher. who was caught off
first base by quick throw from Henry
bag. his spike cutting through Judges
shoe and infiicting a deep wound
Joe Engel. who is with Patsy Dono-
vans Buffalo team. won his game from
Newark, to !. yesterday.
Joe called on Manager Griffith Sun
day night and confessed that his con-
troll was poor. that Cantillon let him
go and that Donovan had to take him
out in the first inning in his debut with
the Bisons. Grif11th gave Joe this tip:
When Reulbach was pitcher In Chi
cago he was very wild. and Frank
Reulbach a star He would work Reul-
bach in the batting practice before the
game. and he would then pitch him, and
ne displayed perfect control.
Try that, Joe. the next time you
work"
Joe did, and won his game. and
he will do this now for the rest OF
the season. Engel is said to have more
speed and better curve ball than be-
fore. and if Griffith's tip bears real fruit
Engel may yet be star
After his victory yesterday he called
on Griffith and thanked him for his tip
The Yankees are now only half
game behind Cleveland, and the team
will play four games at Philadelphia
this week. beginning today. The Mack
men are apt to be much more trouble
some than is expected however. in
which event first place, which the
Yankees are hoping for. may not be
reached. There is not a chance for the
Donovan team to finish first. however
though II is quite an advantage to play
seventy-seven games on the Polo
Grounds. with the short fences in left
and center.
Tesreau. whose name figured in a deal
for Slim Sallee of the Cardinals, pitched
a l-to-0, game against Brooklyn yester-
day, and McGraw will undoubtedly hesi-
tate about making the deal. Tesreau is
a fellow who takes good care of him
self, but he Is in possession of a big