The Washington herald., 1917-04-01
Grif Starts to Weld Axe and
Four Players Feel Its
=. -. Effect.

rity, Rippy Williams, Howard Shanks
and Sammy Rice, who have been given a
chance at the initial sack, have not
come up to his expectations. Due to III
ness Joe Judge was not able to do him
self justice last season, but he has
shown enough to warrant the Old Fox
giving him a great deal of consideration
this season Howard Shanks could not
get the "a la Chase" movements around
the bag, and the Old Fox quickly shifted
him into the outer garden Sammy Rice
seems to take better to that position
than any of the aforementioned
athletes. but still Griffith is not sat
isfed with what he has shown him and
r. already in the field for finished first
50 ckcr.
The reported lead that Christy Mat
heWson was after one or two of Grif-
nth's outfielders, proved to be more than
rumor today when the real tip was
handed down the line that the Old Fox
is heartily considering a big trade deal
with the Red Legs. in which the Ma
tiOnals are to receive the services OF
Mike Mitchell. the sensational young
utility player of the Reds.
Just who Grifr is considering giving
Mathewson in exchange for Mitchell is
not known. but it is a known fact that
the Old Fox Is sweet on the makeup
Of this big utility player. and II Mat
hewSon can pull enough strings to get
him out OF the National League it Is
sure bet that he will land with the Cap
itol City club.
Foxy Grin will find that he is up
ggainSt a Tartar when he attemDts to
slip Matty any kind of lemons like he
slipped over on Lee Fohl last summer
in that famous Boehling- -Moeller trade
for Leonard and Smith. as the complet-
ing OF this trade depends on whether the
Old Fox can get the players that he IL
considering out OF the American League
hut is Grin generally gets away with
the best OF it in these trade deals. there
- every chance to believe that Mike
Mitchell will become a Griffman within
tho next few days.
Mitchell was purcha sed from the West
.rn League BY the Red Legs last season.
as a pitcher but he handled himself So
vel around the initial corner that
CHristy Mathewson Immediately madt
Eir1 an undcrstudy for Peerless Hal
,'aa~e. Because of Mitchell's ability a;
w;,loin= the willow. Matty is attempt
ing 10 break him in as an outfelder
Old Fox Wields Ak.
-.'i,,. Old Fox started to WELD the ak
Ills morning when he handed out in
str.vtions to a quartet of his athletes
10 report to Joe Cantillon's Minneapolis
club in st. Joseph. Mo. Claude Thomas,
who worked in the game today against
tn" Cincinnati club left here tonight to
meet CantilIon's bunch in st. Joseph on
TUESDAY. while Carl Sawyer. Charlie
Humphreys and Horace Milan. Of the
Naunisans. will be given railroad trans
portation by Secretary Fowler in Wash
incton tomorrow to make the trip. The
odd Fox does not believe that either
Humphreys or Thomas can yet stand the
pace in the big show and will send them
Uut 10 ''Unclc joe for one more year
sea soEin=. Horace Milan and Carl
Savycr arc both being placed with the
Minneap polls club with the recall sign at
tached to them.
sammy Rice and John Henry Joined the
hospital sCuad OF the Nationals today.
claude Thomas cut loose splitter which
caught the big catcher on the right knee,
forcing him to retire from the game, but
Trainer Martin announced tonight that
he was confident that he would be iii
shape for the game tomorrow. Rice was
spiked by Cueto when the little Cuban
sid hack into the bag. but the injury is
ru- enough to keep him out of the game.
I'nc!e Nick AltroCk was presented with
n hic bouquet of flowers before the con-
test today by his friends here. Walter
Johnson and Jimmy Shaw are slated to
grab the edge for the Griffmen in the
fifth game of the series here tomorrow
Up for the Reds.
Earl Ying!ing. the big southpaw pitcher
tina: the Old Fox received by the draft
route from the Minnea polls club of the
American Association. was an early Wis
itor at the Havlin Hotel today. Ying-
ling refused to report to the Nationals
because. it is claimed, he was going to re-
tire from the professional game. but
since the birds have started their spring
f- ole 1fv,O
tho call of the wild and may join the Ne
t'crals at any time.
This - Yinglings home. and as he Is
we'll enough off with good old American
dollars 1t is not necessary for him to par
takc in the national pastime, but love Of
the old game may bring him around. as
Eftcr talking over his troubles behind
closed doors with tie Old Fox, he an
rounced that he may at any time come
be-
Gift can ut present use eve~vthinG in
:.g''y tfat flings from the southsfde. but
Ell questioned last nj hit as - whether
Yi2gling was going to make the trip
hack to the Capital City with the Ma
tio0ais. the Old Fox stated that he could
not persuade southpaw Earl TO jump back
iE the game. but that he still had hopes
and Yingling may Join the squad at any
time.
YinsIinE wouId Help.
Because CT the setback that the Ma
tiOnais were handed in the southpaw
pitching department, veteran of the
Caiibcr OF YingliEg would help the club
over that rocky road in the Ban John
son circuit.
Harry Harper, the Nationals depend
nble side-wheel pitcher, appears to once
more he rounding into shape. as the
Fackensack junk dealer pitched to the
batters yesterday for the first time since
he became troubled with his arm In the
Augusta training camp.
IIarper's motion is MOI free and there
Is n" signs of any binding in hts arm.
l ut III" Old Fox Is not satisfied with his
CONDITION and intends giving him another
long rest before he will send him into ac-
ton agaiTst al? OF the clubs on the ex-
fibitiOn tour. Jumping into Cincinnati
Is to the Old Fox. just Ike jumping back
10 America from the other side as this
Redland spot of the National League is
hoTe sweet home to Griff.
The Old Fox has many friends in this
city. wnO are at all times pulling for the
Na'i3ra's. and as Cincinnati is some
thing like Washington in the respect tina:
they have never had a pennant winner
there seems to be some natural sympathy
tctween the clubs. Grin managed the