The Washington herald., 1916-06-15
Baseball Experts Puzzled
At Nationals Great Slump
Grifmen Playing Rotten Ball
But Ray of Hope Breaks as
Team Meets St. Louis.
GALLIA PITCHES TODAY

Chicago, Ill, June 4.-At no time since
Grifith has managed the Washington
ball club has the team hit such horri-
BILE slump as at present. Had the Ma
tionals started of the season as they
have been going the past two weeks
baseball writers throughout the country
would have consigned the aggregation to
last place.
1t is only because everybody knows
the Grinmen are capable Of playing bet
ter ball than they have shown on this
Trip that the question is asked on all
edes: What's the matter with Wash
ington?" If anybody can furnish the
correct answer he will be in Grifith's
debt for life.
There is no explanation. The team
is simply playing rotten ball; nobody is
hitting. The pitchers are not pitching
and defeats are pilinG up.
One ray Of hope is held out that the
present losing streak will be halted in
st. Louis tomorrow, where the Nationals
open a fOur-game series against the
Browns, but the GriTmen will have to
play better ball than they have shown
since the present road trip started il the
Mound City crowd Is to be conquered,
for the Brownies are going better than
when they hit the Capital and out here
In the West Jones club is respected.
The Nationals boarded the 1o:45 express
for St. Louis tonight and will be lodged at
the Hotel Buckingham instead of the
Planters, as formerly.
It is Bert Gallia's turn to pitch. but
Cirin may send in Doc Ayers or Du Mont.
There is no telling what the Old Fox will
4 1oV- LIa ffpha hat
order every twenty-four hours in the
hope Of obtaining results. but Of no
avail.
Clyde Milan has joined the others and
has gone four games without getting
base hit. According to Milan this is the
hrst time in his career as a professional
ball player he has failed to hit safely in
four consecutive games.
It Is also strange coincidence that just
soon as GriT shoyes Eddie Foster
down toward the bottom of the batting
order Foster starts to hit the ball. Eddie
came across with two clean blows today
and one hit yesterday.
An old pitcher himself, Manager Crit
fifth boils over when one of his twirlers
throws badly to the bases. Such inct-
dents have cropped out more than once
since the club has been on the road.
There is no excuse in the world for
pitcher throwing wild TO the bases. He
has the play right in front Of him and
should pride himself upon accurate peg
ging. Several Of my pitchers have helped
US lose ball games by poor throwing.
and you can bet that when We get home
and hold morning practice I'll give them
plenty OF work to do along those lines"
snapped the Old Fox.
Next to baseball the Republican con-
vention in Chicago has been the one alb
sorbing topic of conversation among the
Nationals.
While the ball players will not put
themselves on record as to how they pro-
pose TO vote next fall, it is easily seen
that Woodrow Wilson rules favorite over
Mr.. Hughes.
Eddie Foster is not living with the
PLAYERS at the Chicago Beach Hotel. but
with his mother at the Foster home on
the South Side Grif gave Ed Charity
permission Sunday 10 spend a day at the
catcher's home in Beloit. Wis.