Evening star., 1917-06-01
CRIPPLED BROWNS HERE
FOR FOUR-GAME SERIES
Pratt and Lavan Out With Injuries.
Sisler, a southpaw, May
Play Second.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

! Clark Griftith's athletes will meet q
| crippled bunch in the st. Louis Browns
i today. When Fielder Jones team takes
| the field at 4:30 o'clock this afternoon
! in the first of series OF four games
| two of his regular infelders, Shortstop
| Lavan and Second Baseman Pratt, will
be missing from the lineup. Lavan is
| at his home in st. Louis nursing a bad
arm. having been spiked. ana Pratt Is
| out of the game with q broken bone in
his right wrist. In addition. Carl We'll
man. former star pitcher of the outft,
/: is in hospital recovering from an op-
(, GRAFTON in which one of his kidneys
| was removed.
! Those of the fans who take advantage
i of the first late starting contest at
! American League Park probably viii
be treated to the spectacle of Sisler. a
! left-handed thrower. playing second
| base. This feat has been essayed be-
! fore. but never with success. Hal
| Chase tried II several years ago for the
| Yankees. but for all his cleverness,
| covered "acres" of ground and made all
| manner of sensational stops, but the
/; handicap of taking ball to his right
| and having to turn around to make
! throw to first lost him many close de-
cisions at the initial sack, and it did
! not take Prince Hal long to decide that
as an infielder his position was at first
| Sisler is one of the most versatile play
| ers that every broke into base ball. He
pitches, plays the outfield and first base
| with equal ease, grace and skill, and is
| a natural hitter. However, notwith-
| standing his great measure of ability,
! it is unlikely he will make go of
| second baseing. 1t can't be done,
! With Sis!er playing second. Paulette,
| last season with the Memphis club of
the Southern Association. will be sta
| toned at first. and Ernie johnson will
| cavort at short in the absence of DR..
Lavan. Sisler is the fourth player Man
ager Jones has stationed at second
! base since Pratt was incapacitated
! Paulette tried it with but little sue
| cess. and Johnson also filed in, and
/ when the latter was injured Armando
! Narsans came in from the outfield and
tried his hand at it. As a result of
! their individual and collective efforts,
| st. Louis fans have formed a new and
/ highly appreciative estimate of the
| value of Derrill Pratt, and will well
come the day when he is able to return
| to the line-up.
| There are twenty-six in Manager
| Jones party quartered at the Harring-
/ ton. They arrived today, several hours
| late. from Toronto, where they were
| beaten in an exhibition game yesterday
Secretary johnson, Sergt. Wisener, who
| instructs the players in military work,
and Scribe r. Collins of the ST. Louis
Republic. Without WeiIman. Manager
| Plank. Hamilton. Groom. Davenport.
| Sothoron, Park, Rogers and Koob, 1t
is considered likely the latter, who
is left-hander and on May entered
tne nall OF fame by twirling a no-hit
will be seen on the mound for the
visitors today. Manager Griffith this
morning announced that johnson
would work for the locals. Walter
| pitched three innings against the Red
SoX day before yesterday, but his last
fuii game was in Chicago last Sunday
! When he was beaten through no fault
/ OF ms own On the occasion of john
| sons last start against St Louis Nav
| 19. he gave poor exhibition. yieldins
ten hits and five runs in five INNINGS.
put MS arm was troubling him at the
.ime; .n ar ana the fact that the Grinmen
shlVering in Cleveland and Detroit 90
| counted for his bad showing,
Despite their record of nine straight
| ae.eats: de the Grlffmen today take on the
i,rst ol the Tour western teams ONLY
1nree games behind Detroit for nth
pace. 1t Is possible for the local ont
mt to be leading the second division
Se Seiore the Browns leave Washington
81. LOUIS Is two games and the atb
ietics one ahead of the Griffmen.
In accordance with an edict issued
ny resident johnson of the American
League. the Griffmen tomorrow will
give an exhibition drill of about ten
minutes duration Immediately prior
to the game with the Browns. which
| VIII start at 3 O'Clock, the time all
saturday contests on the local lot will
| get under way. These drills, put on
! for the benefit of the fans will be a
daily feature of all games for the re-
mainder of the season.
| There will be big doinss at the
Georgia avenue park next Tuesday
which has been designated as regis
/ tr:ttion day under the terms of the
seiective conscription act. Hundreds
of Confederate veterans who will be
| here for the annual reunion, beginning
Monday. are expected to attend as the
! guests of Manager Griffith. All in uni
! form will be admitted to the park free.
| In addition to a band, which will play
martial airs. in keeping with the spirit
| of the day, the Eagles Fife and Drum
Corps Of Augusta, Ga, whore the Griff-
men did their spring training, will be
| on hand to help whoop things up.