The Washington herald., 1916-05-04
NATIONALS OFF
FOR short TRIP
Grifmen Will Tackle Connie
Mack's Athletics in Phillie
Today johnson to Pitch.
OTHER SPORTING GOSSIP
I"Old Fox" Confident of Bringing Back
His Club in First Place.
OTHER SPORTING GOSSIP
BY WILLIAM FEET.

BY WILLIAM PEET.
Connie Mack's victory over the New
York Yankees yesterday In the ninth
inning strengthened the Nationals hold
on first place, and this afternoon Walter
Johnson is slated to pitch against the
Mackmen in the first game of a four-set
piece. to be staged in the Quaker City.
Clark Grifith is determined TO bring
his club back from Philadelphia next
Monday In the same position 1t enjoys
League leaders. and
there is every reason to believe that he
will accomplish this purpose.
OF course. it's long, rocky and hard
road from May to October, but Washing
tons fine start thus early, augers well
Tor the future.
1t is hard to see how the Nationals
can possibly slip back a whole lot with
Its present fine twirling staff. Incident
ally this stan is not at its best for the
have yet to start a game, and when these
boxmen are right the team will be at
least 20 per cent stronger.
The statement printed by an evening
contemporary that the Nationals at pres
ent are hitting the ball better than ever
before at this stage is born out by facts
and figures, IL any one cares to look back
over the dope.
Grifiith evidently figured about right
when he brought back Rondeau from
Minneapolis and put him in the cleanup
position. while Joe Judge. the youthful
first sacker from Buffalo. who was also
figured to add batting strength, is COM
ing along slowly but surely.
It's a far cry to the pennant, but there
is every reason to believe that before the
old rag Is decided the Nationals will have
had a prominent part in the argument
The Nationals will leave on the 1903
express for Philadelphia this morning and
start a four-game series against Connie
Mack's Athletics this afternoon, with
Walter johnson slated to pitch the first
game.
The entire squad, with the exception
OF Shaw. Jameson and Charity, will be
taken along.
As In seasons past. the Washington
Club will be quartered at the Majestic
Hotel. corner Of Girard and Broad
streets.
Here's a hot one from the pen Of Boze-
man Bulger. OF the New York Evening
World: They say that Clark Griffith stin
bursts out crying every time he looks
at the box scores and thinks Of Joe Ged-
con. Had the Washington manager sue
ceeded In his efforts to land Gedeon after
the Yanks had signed him the Senators
would have been easily the favorites for
pennant honors. They look pretty good
as 1t is.
As matter Of fact. Griffith is not los
ing any sleep over the loss OF Gedeon.
for the reason that Ray Morgan is de-
livering the goods, and II the fans care
to talk with ball players or ever get
chance to talk with them they wifi learn
to their surprise that Morgan is regarded
on all sides as a better second sacker
than Gedeon
The Boston Red Sox here for a series
which closed on Tuesday, told the writer
that Grlfhth should be congratulated
upon having the services OF such a capa-
BILE player as Morgan.
Il consider Morgan as good a second
baseman as any In the American
League" was Manager Bill Carrigan's
tribute, and Carrigan meant what he
said.
That the Grlffmen will find the Phila-
delphla Athletics anything but easy pick
Ing in the series which opens today goes
ent constituted can hold its own with any
aggregation in the American League,
providing the White Elephants get good
pitching.
With Walter johnson working the
opening game in the sleepy city Harper
is slated to pitch on Friday, Gallia on
Saturday. and either Ayers or Boehling
next Monday.
If the GriTmen continue to hit the ball
1t
Griffith should win three games out of
the four played in Slumbertown.
Everybody loves booster-there is no
room in the Capital for a knocker, who
is usually hissed down and told to be-
have himself especially when the Ma
tionals are playing on the home patch.
Here's a note from a man who signs
himself Fan" His initials are r. z. D.
He says:
Root whsn We boot" boys,
Chesr when we err;
D And wen do the rest boys.
Don't fear
The best time to knock a ball club is
when It Is winning-the right time to
boost is when the team is losing.
Grifith has fine club here this sea-
son and the fans are Just beginning to
realize It.
Nothing helps team to win quite
so much as real down to the bone root
ing-lets have a lot of 1t.
Fielder Jones pulled "Merkle" Tues
day and gave the White Sox a victory.
After Eddie Plank had relieved Park in
the seventh inning and stopped a rally.
Jones pulled the southpaw from the
mound for a pinch hitter in the last
half of the same inning, despite the fact
that the Browns enjoyed a two-run lead
at the time. Wellman was sent to the
mound in the next inning and the White
Sox proceeded to bat out a victory in
the ninth. If Jones had been content
with n two-run lead and allowed the