Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-05-22
.CR|FF TO come BACK"
IN EXHIBITION CONTEST
Washington Manager Plans to Pitch
Game at Bloomington,
Ill, Today.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
| BLOOMINGTON, ILL.,, May 22.-Come
backs are by no means rare in base
ball, but when staged after an interi i'm
of twelve years they are decidedly SO,
and that is what c. Calvin Griffith
! plans to do today in this thriving city.
I Of which C. Calvin formerly was
In his day one Of the tn gre not
| heaved a ball for a dozen summers:
This afternoon. however. in honor OF
his Homecoming, when he Will appear
on a local field for the hrst time SINCE
he has become famous as a leader, he
has decided to go into the box Just 10
demonstrate that 1t is not an arm alone
| that a good pitcher must depend upon.
/ O1dtimers will tell you that Clark Sal-
vim never had anything but a slow ball
a rheumatic shoulder and nooole;
Employment Of the first and second
were necessary to get the ball up 10
| the plate. but it was with 'he +I las.
and fooled 'em good for more than
decade, and it is this he will depend
upon today when he faces the ihree-
Eye League sluggers.
Griff and his party arrived IN thelr
private Pullmans in the sma' hours OF
the morning and snoozed undlsturpeo
on a siding until am, when the re,
ception committee arrived and escorted
the guest of honor and his athletes TO
the Hills Hotel. After breakfast all
hands were bundled into autos and a
tour of the city and outlying sections
made, including Normal. about Hliie
distant. where Grin really My e nnee County:
to the old swimmin' hole. which SUI!
is doing business for the young ldea:
where Griff used to shoot marbles Win
Line Fleming. who headea Ine ,a ,,sed
to play penny ante with Bert DAVIS
chairman Of the entertainment COLI
mittee for the celebration.
This evening at 1870 o'clock ban
ouet. the chief function of the oupilee;
is to be given in honor of the prodisa.I
son, and it is on this occasion tha .
Grin will deliver the speech ne - mas in
the past week. Copies already have
been distributed to the press ana ~
will be released for publication by
wire from the banquet hall wnen the
address is started. In recogni .ao +b Ua
volumes Of authorities on rhetoric,
composition, syntax and diction. which
Griff purchased in Detroit to aid him
in preparation of the speech, Molly
Craft, the fairly well known librarian,
pitch part of the game today, after
Grifr and Manager Pro Tenn McAltroek
get through. In this event the faithful
Librarian stands s,+ go od o Gnah Of
the nine scheduled innings. However.
Harry Harper is aching for chance
to do something besides bull-pen duty,
so the Hackensack junk dealer may
let down the Yankees with four hits
in Washington the first of this month
he has failed to show anything put
tendency to wildness, but he hrmly
innings against any class c club. so
Griff will probably give him an oppor-
tunity to prove it today.
Members of Grif1th's party who did
not stop off for the festivities here
include Sam Rice, who was given per-
mission to go to his home in Watseka
ILL.,; Jim Shaw and Bert Gallia, the
latter, with Mrs. Gallia. going right on
to Chicago.
It did not start to rain in st. Louis
yesterday until less than an hour be-
pour was heavy and continuous. so an
other double-header was added to the
already long list of the Griffmen. Shaw
was to have pitched, and it is likely
Of the five scheduled with the White Sox
| in Chicago. 1t was for this purpose he
| was sent ahead to rest up.
Announcement by the committee on
training camp activities. rec - es-
tablished by Secretary Baker . the
War Department. to devise a program
Of recreation for the army mobilization
camps, that base ball will be the chief
game relied upon for the amusement of
soldiers during training, makes Man
ager Grifith's scheme Of raising a fund
for purchasing balls, bats. gloves and
other paraphernalia a most timely one.
Griff says an encouraging response has
been made to the appeal he has sent
out for contributions and he is hopeful
sufficient money will be forthcoming to
equip completely every camp.
Beginning with tomorrow's game in
Chicago, the Griffmen will indulge in
short exhibition drill just prior to the
| time for starting the contest. as will
| all other teams in the American
League. This will be done at the sug-
gestion Of President Johnson. 1t is an
other demonstration Of Big Bans wis
dom. With the date already set for
draft registration and war more than
| ever topic of conversation, johnson is
not overlooking an opportunity to give
the public f1rst-hand evidence of the
fact that players in the American
League are preparing for active service
when called upon.