Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-08

| CLEVELAND, June Sit takes Lee
Foil. boss of the Indians. and Clark Grif-
fifth. leader of the Nationals. to pass out
compliments one to the other. Now that
each has seen the rival seven teams in
action, a prediction the outcome OF
the pennant chase in the American
League from either and both. is inter
esting. Foil has never been given to
| talking very much. 1t is one habit of
most big league managers that the chief
of the Indians hasn't acquired. But he
came to bat with the information that he
thought his boys would be in the pennant
fight right up to their eyebrows.
| 81 have seen them all now and ! can't
see where anybody has any license in
counting the Redskins out. They are
going to be there or thereabouts or ! miss
my guess said Foil.
i THE Boston club showed the greatest
| class against us of any of the rival teams.
but they don't seem to have the fighting
I spirit so necessary to a pennant winner.
The Nationals displayed several times the
! fighting qualities of the Red Sox in the
i four games we have played to date, and
| because they are fighters think they will
worry us more than the present world
! champions. Detroit and Chicago are
gerous. probably more so than the New
York Yankees. although the latter are
topping both of them at the present time.
II like the Indians best. not because
| happen to be their manager. but for
the simple but very good reason that
they seem to have more enthusiasm
and spirit than even the Nationals, 1t
ought to be a great race, with fve or
six clubs in the fight. If ] were sure
that Bill Mitchell would come through.
as ] have reason to expect he will. l
would go out on the limb now and say
that the Indians are certain to cop.
1t was only short time ago that
Grinith was quoted as saying, The In
dians are a spring blossom and will
soon fade"
Whether Griff really said that is not
known, but oath can be taken that the |
Nationals leader has said that the Red
skins are a corking good ball team |
else they would not be at the top; and !
Griff figures that if Washington tops |
Cleveland at the end of the season the |
Nationals will win the pennant.
Griff. along with President James C.
Dunn, Vice President Robert B. Nc
Roy and Iris Speaker. was a guest of
vertising Club luncheon, which was at
tended by about $50 The Washington
leader was called on for few re-
marks, and fairly took away the breath |
of the c when he n n.
nant 1 hope Cleveland can"
And, although he did not say so
point-blank, Griffith gave the inference
that he considered iris Speaker the
he said:
There never has been a ball player
who has outclassed Iris Speaker as a
team player. I have known in my time
just three really great ball players
Speaker. Hans Wagner and Walter
Johnson. |
You can imagine the surprise of The
$50 present when he passed up such
notables as Cobb, La joie. Collins. Baker
and other great stars. He said:
There have been some ball players
who have been classed with Speaker in |
some respects, but none who classes
with him in excelling in every way |
self Iris Is a great batter. but he Is |
not the kind Of a fellow who will make
base hits at the expense of his team"
When Speaker was called on he paid
a high tribute to Manager Lee Foil by |
saying:
II suppose in return for Griff's COM
pliments I ought to say that he Is the
greatest manager in the world. but
can't give him better than second place. |
as our own Cleveland club has leader |
who is certainly a great man. He has
the proper spirit. and certainly every
man who plays on our team would go |
the full limit for Lee Foil"
Griff insisted that while he was dis |
games. he was far from discouraged |
Il have a great team. the very best I |
have ever had at Washington. and you'll |
recall. too. that We came close to win |
ming in 1912 and again in 1913. Give us
an even break in luck and we'll win the |
flag just as sure as Walter Johnson |
will be the leading pitcher"
The Nationals will draw Lee Fohl's |
best pitching bets in the two instead |
Of four games that will make up the |
present series. Stanley Coveleskie Is |
slated to twiri against the Washingto |
mans today, and Guy Morton tomor |
row. Both Of these twirlers have de- f.
feated the Nationals this season. and
Fohl thinks they will repeat. BY the
same token. Clark Grifith will send
the two slab artists against the Red
skins who have obtained verdicts over
them-namely. Mel Gal1ia and Walter
Johnson The king lost one game to
the Indians, but obtained revenge his
second time out.
1t is Gallia's turn to pitch today. |
Coveleskie will oppose him. This will
bring Johnson and Morton. two Of the
greatest pitchers in the game today.
together tomorrow. Grif1th says he
may change his pitching program and
use Harry Harper against the Indians.
but Gallia and King Walt appear to
be tho real bets
Wide, apart as they are in tempera-
ment-and no two managers are more
the Nationals and Indians. respectively. J