The Washington herald., 1916-07-26

Norfolk Club u the Virginia Lessos-
| Pitcher Maurice Craft, who has been
ordered to report 70 the Grlnnea In
Detroit and who Is now on hIs way to
the Michigan city.
The following telegram received last
night is self-explanatory:
william Peet. Sporting Editor rh<
Herald-Bave bought Craft
pitcher and Outtelder from Nor
folk club, of the Virginia Le.xu~
He Joins us here.
CLARK GRIFFITH
According to reports from the VI-y1nis
League, Craft Is one Of the most p-ornis-
ing youngsters ever developed in the
! Old Dominion
The writer had a talk with Sporting
| Editor Biggs Of the Virginian-Pilot over
the telephone last night and Mr.. Biggs
who is good judge OF a ball player,
| ventures q prediction that Graft will
make good in fast company
! Maurice Craft, the latest addition 10
the Nationals staff. is Is years
old He stands S feet inch. and
weighs 10 pounds He is a right-hsnd
! pitcher but has also played the oUtfield
and also first base. He is said 70 be a
heavy hitter with a penchaut for knock
/ ing out home runs
Craft graduated from the Portsmouth.
{ Va. High School. last year and during
the 1915 season was given a trial with
! Norfolk. He was. so green that the Nor
! folk manager only used him as q pinch
hitter and to finish out games. but this
/ spring he has developed wonderfully,
and his work has been sensa tiOnaL
! Several big league scouts looked over
] Craft and recommended his purchase.
Last week II was rumored that he had
] -
/ Old Fox Gr1r was very much on the Job
( and managed TO get the inside track.
| The chances are that Nick AltrocIc
spotted the youngster when he was IN
, Norfolk last week and turned in q fsv-
orable report.
Craft is said to possess a whole lot OF
speed and good curves. He has won six
out OF the last seven games he pitched
! Those Detroit Tigers seem 70 take
great delight in staging ninth-inning bat
ting rallies, and trouncing the Grinmen
when Washington pays visit 70 the
/ Michigan city.
I just the same as did the three games
played against the Tigers early last month
or when the Nationals opened the hrst
/ 1915 Western invasion
The Jungaleers appear 70 take great
delight In hammering the Washington
| pitchers. They invariably hit the ball ,
harder and farther in Detroit than they
| do when the club plays here.
! A clever southpsw like Harper should
: have little trouble disposing Of the Tigers
yet Harper has not beaten thsm once
g this season.
/ Il is a singular coincidence that when ,
the Nationals opened the Western Inra-
sion on June in Detroit Harper pitched
the first game and until he was taken !
out in the ninth had allowed but four
E hits. Doc Ayers, who finished was
: reached for single and double, the Tigers
winning TO ? after the Nationals had
led all the way.
I The Tigers also won the second game
OF this series in the ninth. when with
the score a tie, Dauss slammed a triple
OF Sam Rice, putting over KavanaEh.
who had reached first through Fosters
error
, Yesterdays victory makes the third this
I season which Detroit won on its home
park in the ninth inning with a lively
batting rally. For some unknown reason
the Washington pitchers cannot hold the
4 Tiger sluggers in check this season. The
game yesterday is but q sample Of what
has been done previously this season.
: From Brooklyn comes the story that
/ Wilbert Robinson ventures q prediC-
/ tiOn to the effect that the Brooklyn
=
Pennant- Robby says:
! The Dodgers have been playing
/ better ball than any other club in the
I league. and right now look like real
! pennant winners OF course there are
some other mighty strong aggregs-
tions in the fight but the Dodgers
have been going along so well. even
with some OF our best players out Of
| the game with injuries. that I think
We going to win the pennsnt II
I IS entirely up 70 our splendid pitching
stan. II the pitchers can continue at
the same clip they maintained in the
last home stand. we ought to finish
first
The Giants, Braves and PhiTlies are
all frst-clsss clubs, but I think the
! Dodgers have an edge on Them IN the
matter Of pitchers. and victory IN such
a tight race as the current campaign
will depend mainly on pitching. Ths
clubs that are getting good patohinx
are winning regularly
Baseball msSnatss, CRITICS and s,zzru
are wondering who will be the pe11 play
er 10 pull the 7 retize,' stud Frank
Baker did 50 and than yearned for the
recall from Connie Mack thst newer
came Finally Prank was sold 70 the !
New York Yankees. Huoe Ohrtns and
Slim SalIee retired about the same tine. q
]
In about two weeks Oldrins wes back N
uniform, but not with the Athletics Rube
landed with a team which has a chance
to pull down some worlds series money {
II is said he also got raise In salary
when CoaNed back to the national pas
time. Sallee remained OF the field about
two weeks. He was only In retirement
few days when the story was sprung
that he would soon be traded by the
New York Giants. This report came true
Now Sallee is also with club thAt has
chance TO get into the next WORKS.
series
These two cases are being used by
writer's to warn the masnstes that Il
would be better to put an end 70 this
retirement business at once. That is r
when a player "retires." let him remain
retired instead OF selling him TO some
ether club. In Oldring's case Mack Wa
helpless. Rube was taken at his vo-,,
when he said he was through with base
hF u. and Connie gave him his uncondi-
tional release. 1t was then easy for New
York to step in and persuade Oldring 10
join the Yankees. The next PLAYER who
retires is likely to find that he Will b.
given a long time TO think things over on
the farm