The Washington herald., 1917-03-30
GOOD WORK OF rice
PLEASES GRIFFITH
Griffmen Order New Bats from the
Louisville Slusser Company.
BY JOHN A. DUGAN.

Louisville. KY. March 29.-Clark Grif-
fifth claims that he intends to do a great
amount of experimenting with the Ma
tionals from now on until the opening of
the season. The Old Fox slipped one
over on all hands last week in Birming-
ham when he sent Sammy Rice, the right
fielder, to the initial sack in place of
Howard Shanks
Shanks has proven to be one of the
best utility players in either league, and
the Old Fox stated before spring train
Ing season that he intended giving the
Monaco speed artist a chance at the
oag. Grin desired to play Shanks at
first because of his ability to clout the
pill. but Shanks did not come up to ex-
pectations during the Yannigan and
Regular games and Foxey Griff grabbed
at one more chance to experiment.
Rice. to date. has shown a great deal
Of ability at the initial corner and looks
to have the making of another Hal
Chase. Sammy is a brainy player and is
always In the game. Griff likes a player
mat VIII fight at all times for the old
Dali game. and Rice Is the caliber that
keeps up a line of pep from the opening
play until the final man is retired.
There Is no telling tust what the Old
Fox intends to do about the first base
JOB but for the present trip Rice will no
doubt hold down the bag. while Joe
Judge or Shanks may be shifted back
to this position when both squads start
playing their exhibition games at the
Florida avenue stadium
III the Old Fox can make a ffrst-sacker
out of Rice 1t will give him a great op-
portunity to add more hitting strength
to his club by using either Menosky, Hor-
ace Milan or Shanks in the outer garden.
II can easily be seen that the Old Fox
Is not only making attempts to build
up the defensive end of the Nationals
but that he is also looking for a little
moro hitting strength.
II this required hitting strength is
forthcoming one might be led to believe
that the Old Fox is somewhere near
right when ne predicts that the Nation
ais will have a chance in the race. but
until this necessary batting ability is
demonstrated against real ball clubs the
Nationals do not appear to be any more
an improved ball team than the one tina;
represented the capital city last season.
Elmer Smith played the hero ard vii
lain part In the ball game today as his
timely wallop over the right field fence
In the first inning paved the way for the
Nationals three tallies in that session.
but his miscues gave the Cincinnati Red
Smith first error came in the second
inning when he dropped Kopf's pop fly.
but his boot of Shean's grounder in the
final session was inexecusable and prac-
tically cost the Nationals the battle.
Joe Leonard executed one OF the most
brilliant unassisted double plays ever
witnessed on the association field today
when he retired Griffith and Kopf.
Cueto grounded to Leonard and the third
sacker throw home ahead Of Griffith.
Ainsmith forced Grifith back to thirt
and Leonard tagged him sliding in and
turned over in time to catch. Kopf slid
ing in from the keystone sack
II making a selection of bats will do
the athletes OF the Nationals any good.
Griff should bring his team through
Louisville on every occasion that he Is
hiking back from the West. The boyc
this morning paid 4 visit to the Louis
vile Slugger Company and went over
the assortment of bats. Each individual
has put in orders for half a dozen or
more, but II remains to be seen what
they can do with their new willows.
Heinie Groh. the star second basemar
OF the Cincinnati Reds. who left that
team In Memphis because OF being home
sick reported to Manager Chrisiv
Mathewson at the Watterson Hotel to-
day. Heinie walked in on the boys
shortly after breakfast this morning anc
made no explanation for his disappear
ance Manager Mathewson tonight stated
that he would lay fine on the second
sacker but would not suspend him.