Evening star., 1917-01-09
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

Arrangements for playing dates for
both squads Of the Nationals wniie Ell
route to Washington from the train
ing camp at Augusta, Ga, next spring
occupied the attention Of Manager
Griffith today. A batch Of letters 10
clubs in Tennessee, Alabama, North
Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia SUD-
mitting proposals for games was sent
out from his office. and If his expecta-
tions are fulfilled there will be few idie
days for either the rockies or regulars
after they start homeward.
After leaving Augusta Griffith will
take the regulars to either Chatta-
nooga or Birmingham before going to
Nashville and proceeding to LOUISVILLE
where his forces are slated to Join
those of Christy Matthewson for games
on March 29 and 80. The two teams
then will move on to Cincinnati for
Saturday and Sunday games. March 81
and April /, but whether q stop-on will
be made in any other Ohio town be-
fore coming on to Washington to open
the exhibition season is problematical.
The squad of youngsters probably Will
play in either Charlotte or winston
Salem. N. c., before going to Norfolk
and Richmond for games, and other
contests at intervening points will be
provided for if possible.
Although the Brooklyn Nationals
have called off the two games with the
Nationals tentatively arranged to be
played in this city April and s, the
two teams may meet at Augusta. If the
Dodgers close deal they now have on
to train there. Griffith today said he
would be glad of the opportunity. but
under no circumstances would he pit
his men against the National Leaguers
until they had had at least two weeks
work.
Il have had no correspondence with
Manager Robinson about meeting his
team in Augusta" Griffith said today.
but if he does take his team there we
undoubtedly will get in some practice
contests. We would be able to play
them by about March 20, but certainly
| no earlier. as I do not want the boys to
overdo themselves before they are
properly conditioned"
Catcher Charity of the local club will
receive a letter from Manager Griffith
within the next few days calling his
attention to rule of the club prohip-
iting the playing of basket ball in the
tion called to the fact that Charity is a
member of the Rockford basket ball
team, now playing in Iowa, Illinois and
other middle western states.
Il am surprised that Charity should
be foolish enough to endanger his fu-
ture in base ball by running the risk OF
serious injury in playing basket ball.
Manager Griffith said. Il will notify
him Immediately to cut out the floor
game as I intend to carry him next
| behind the bat. He is a promising
catcher and cannot afford to take risks
such as playing basket ball."
| Agitation among some of the base
bali magnates for reforms in the play
! ing rules to increase the batting ana
lessen the effectiveness of the pitchers
probably will come to naught. Ban
i johnson has announced he sees no rea-
! sons for any drastic changes. That
settles it as far as the American
League is concerned. 1t also Just
| about embodies the answer for the
| Tener is said to favor any change that
| would increase batting, but has been
unable to hit upon any revisions Of
the. code that would assure this result
OF the many suggestions advanced
the elimination of one foul strike and
the reducing of a base on balls from
four to three seem the most feasible
| but even these have been objected to
by some club owners as inadvisable
Changes in the rules to improve bat
ting have been considered nearly
| every season in recent years. but for
every suggestion offered an argument
in opposition has been forthcoming, and
it is not likely that any changes will
| be made this winter.
AS a matter of fact, it is not alto.
gether clear why there should be de-
mand for more batting and runmaking
considering 1t would mean longer
games Last year at the local parl
games that did not run two hours OIL
more (sometimes considerably more,
were the exception. not the rule. Thu
fans like to get a run for their money
l 4, ,cf all
isfied II the entertainment is run Of
with dispatch than If 1t drags on to
ward the three-hour mark. This ap
plies also to the women folk who
up the dinner SO that Mr.. Fan ma!
enjoy his meal when he does get home
Aside from the question of time in
volved. 1T Is decidedly questionabl
whether patrons of the game want NOR
batting, with it's attendant heavie
, scoring. In 1916. according to the Off
cial records. a total of 1896 runs wer
scored in the American League. al
average of 81 runs a game for eacl
team. or nearly 71s runs a contest TO
the two teams. Amy 4-to-3 or 5-to-
game will satisfy the average fan.
Closely following the announcement
that Mike Donlin. former Giant player
would manage the Memphis club of tn,
Southern Association comes the new
that Mike Doolan will leave McGraw
team and become manager of th'
Rochester International Leaguers mex
season. McGraw postponed his trip t.
Cuba to help Doolan land the Roches
: ter job. The deal was consummate'
yesterday at conference between
McGraw and C. p. Chaplin. Rocheste
owner.
Further evidence that no prejudc
exists against players who deserte'
organized base ball at the time of tn
Federal League invasion is Furnishes
, | in Doolan's case. While field leader an
shortstop of the Phillies Doolan jump
ed to the Baltimore Federals, and late
t, was traded to the Chicago Feds. Tinke
} picked Mike to play short for the reor
1 ganized Cubs. but he fai1edl to fill TIL
bill and was released, along with Stew
Yerkes. to Atlanta. Doolan refused t