The Washington times., 1917-04-23
FIFTEEN CONTESTS
BEFORE LADS HIKE
Nine Are With Red Sox and
. Four With Yankees, and Then
Team will Go West.
MAcKS END HERE T0M0RR0
Both Sections of American
League Look About Evenly
Balanced.
BY LOl s A. BOUCHER.

BY LOl s A. DOUGHER-
The Griffmen have fifteen more
games to play before striking out
into the West on their first swing
around the circuit. Four of these
Coming on the final four days of this
week, are with the worlds champion
Boston Red Sox in the Hub. The 9TH
ers are to be played at Georgia ave-
nue., and Manager Griffith is nope
ful of winning a majority OF the VIC
torRs.
II the Grinfmen can start upon their
first Western trip in a lofty position
in the race, they bid fSirto become
as popular on the road as ever be-
fore The Griffmen, ever since Clark
Griffith came to the Capital, have
been the best road drawing cards in
the American League. This has en-
abled the club to break even finan-
cially, even when the home folks
were laying off the team.
Against the Mackmen and the 1
Yanks, the Griffmen have done well
enough in several ways. Given steady
pitching they look superior to the
Mackmen. OF their three defeats at
the hands OF the Yankees in New
York, two came because of hard luck.
Certainly the Griffs were far from
OuJclassed by the Donovan clan.
Two more Games hcTcs
The Grinfmen have two more games
to play here before going to Boston
for their initial clash OF the season
with the Red Sox, champions of the
world After tomorrow's contest
with the Mackmen the Griffs Will
board the Federal express and on
Wednesday begin a four-game series
at Eenway park against the title
holders.
Though getting away to a poor
start, the Capitolians are not whit
discouraged. They believe that their
team work will grow better as the
days leAgthen, that some of their
backward hitters will find their eyes,
and that their pitchers will improve.
II these things come true, there may
be a chance for some of Grins
dreams to come true.
Following is the schedule until the
team leaves for the West on May 8:
ABROAD.
At Boston-ApriIs25, 26, %, and 2s. |
AT HOME.
Yankees-ApriI so. May /, 2, 3.
Red Sox-May 4, 5, Z, 8, 8.
East vs.. West.
in the American League, it would
appear Is il the East and West were
about even in strength. In the East
the led Sox and YANKEES have an
edg. ever Washington and PhiladsE
phia In the West Chicago, CIeve-
land. and St Louis are apparently
stronger than Detroit.
-he difference between any two 1
teams, however, is not much. De-
troit, reposing angrily at the bottom
of the heap, needs but to win three
OF four games while Chicago is
dropping that many to come up even
with the present league leaders.
Just as Ban johnson predicted be-
fore the race started, the American
League seems due for another heart
breaking struggle all down the line.
Don't Like Grinmen.
After looking at the team lose
three games to the Yankees New
York writer's have come out with
statements to the effect that, IL the
Mackmen don't finish last, the Griff-
men will. They claim that Johnson
is Griff's one real pitcher; that one
or two veterans are sliding back rap
idly, and that hitting is sadly needed.
johnson is certainly the teams
leading pitcher, but he is also one OF
the leagues leading performers. A
quartet composed of Johnson, Gsllia,
HARPER, Du Mont, and Ayers is quite
strong enough to make some impress
sion on opponents.
Mcbride, Milan, Foster, Henry, and
Ainsmith are the veterans with the
Griffs They may be sliding back
ward, but the signs are not apparent
quite yet. Possibly the warm wealth
er will show some of them UP, but
it's still cool.
OuthIt DonOvan's Men.
As for the lack OF hitting dis
played by the Griffmen at the Polo
Grounds, the Washington team out
hit the Yanks.
In the first game johnson. though
defeated, allowed only two hits,
while Russell was touched' up for
four.
In the second game the Yanks
pummeled GaIlia and Ayers for
eleven blows. while Shocker was let
ting down the enemy with four safe
ties.
In the final clash the Griffs made
eleven hits off Caldwell, while Du
Mont and Johnson were allowing
eight.
In the three games the Yankees,
one OF the predicted contenders made
twentSone hits to nineteen for the
Griffmen. This hardly proves the
New York writer's argument concern
ing hitting.
What IL Required.
II the Griffmen are to amount to I
anything worth while this season
they will have to show more steadi-
ness, especially in the box. That
pitching staff. which was confidently !
looked upon as one OF the best in the
league, has yet to show much. Only I
johnson has made good. ,