The Washington herald., 1916-06-20
Nationals to Battle Athletics
One Game Today-Bert
Gallia Will Pitch.
BELIEVES SHAW READY
BY WILLIAM PEET,

By WILLIAM PEET.
Philadelphia, Pa, June l9.-There was
more rain than smoke in Pittsburgh to-
day so the exhibition game between the
Griffmen and the Pirates went by the
boards, and the Old Fox hustled his
athletes on to the Quaker City as soon
as possible. At l2:3J o'clock the game
was called off, and at ! o'clock the
Washington club was entrain for "Slum-
berland," arriving shortly after 9 o'clock.
There will be but one game here to-
morrow between the Nationals and Ath-
letics as Griffith and Connie Mack got
their heads together several weeks ago
and Mack promised not to double up onI
the Old Fox the first day the Nationals
were booked to play after the clubs re-
turned from the West.
Bert Gallia is slated to pitch for
Washington and as he has always been
effective against the Mackmen, chances
look bright for a victory.
In tackling the White Elephants the
Nationals meet club which had even
a poorer record on the Western trip just
concluded, for Comics boys played ten
games and dropped every one OF them.
The only reason why the White Sox did
not take four in a row was on account
of rain. which kept both clubs idle all
the time the Athletics were in the Windy
City.
Those four games to he played here
in three DAYS are not going to be so easy
for the Nationals as most folks think.
The Mackmen. although at the bottom of
the heap. always play good ball against
Washington, and every game is sure to
be a battle.
Today's exhibition game against the
Pittsburgh Pirates meant whole lot to
Manager Gritfith. for it would have given
him correct line on the ability OF Jim
Shaw, who was slated to pitch.
Thus far Shaw has not started a game
on account OF 4 sore arm. and while the
big fellow looked good in practice while
pitching to the batters. a real battle was
needed to show whether or not he pos
sessed his old-time speed and curves
With Shaw ready to take his regular
turn in the box the Nationals are
strengthened considerably and strength
ened at a critical stage, when one more
winning pitcher means a whole lot to a
ball club
Griffith and the players believe that
Shaw is as good as ever. but they can
not be sure until he has been put to the
acid test
In releasing Malone Stellbauer, and
Crowell to the minors Connie Mack has
cut his present regular squad down to
sters coming, and all Of them are to be
tried.
Capt. I.awrey, of Maine; "Jing" John
son. of Ursinus. and Walter Crisp, the
NeedhAm High School kid. are already
here, and it would not be at
all surprising II one OF them played
against the Nationals tomorrow. These
college boys are said to be diamonds in
the rough and sure to develop into real
stars.
The Athletics are not as bad as the
percentage column would indicate. The
real trouble seems to be the same old
jinx which traied the Nationals until
St. Louis was reached-weak hitting and
the inability to make hits count.
The local forecaster has promised un-
there is a possible chance the game will
be played.
Connie Macks Athletics the New York
Yanks and Boston Red Sox have found
the Western clubs almost as hard to
beat IS have the Griffmen, the showing
of the Eastern teams on this first trip
being miserable, and just about bears
out early predictions by the majority of
will be one OF the closest in the history
of the American League.
Had the Nationals broken even in the
games played on the trip the club would
be leading the league with a good-sized
margin.
Carl Sawyer has had few chances to
pull off his funny capers during the past
three weeks for the reason that the Ma
tionals have seldom uncorked batting
rallies the signal for Sawyers acrobatic
stunts to start.
Nick Altrock's juggling the ball and
playing first base in practice has made
big hit with all Western crowds and
the comedian always gets plenty of ap-
plause.
Howard Shanks asked Grin to give him
a chance to go behind the bat and try
his luck
Il believe l can catch as good as any
of en-" declared Shanks.
In Charlottesville Shanks was obcessed
with the idea that he was cut out to be
a pitcher, and was given a trial In the
box, but what the Virginia collegians
did to him was a crime.
GriT listened to Shanks' pleadings and
promised Howard that If the Nationals
had the pennant cinched some time late
in September he would not only give
Shanks chance to go behind the bat
but would pitch Nick Altrock.
Shanks had to be content with this ar
rangement.
Shanks' request got a big rise out of
Nick Altrock. who claims he can go
three or four innings as good as he ever
could.
Nick told Griff that If Big Ed Walsh
was with the Chicago White Sox when
the Nationals next visited the Windy
City he would like to oppose Walsh. and
offered to bet that he would last longer
than the former spitball king.
Besides said Nick, such an attrac-
tion would pack the park, for you know
have a lot of friends in that burg"
After listening to Altrock talk Griff
refused to commit himself.
The st. Louis baseball writer's, some
OF them, do not think a whole lot of the
Nationals. Here's what Dick Collins,
writing for the Republic, says: Wash
ington has the best pitching corps in
the American League-Walter Johnson,
Gallia, Harper, Jim Shaw, Ayers and
Boehling. There isn't much to the WASH
lngton club outside Of the pitching staff
Griff has an alright defensive combina-
ton, but a weak hitting outfit. II the
L.