The Washington times., 1917-04-09
These Pitching Stars Likeliest
Choices for Opening Game
Next Wednesday.
ToDAY'S GAME POSTPONED
Mackmen and Yankees First
Opponents of Griffmen on
Foreign Diamonds.
BY LOUIS A. BOUCHER.

Wednesday, when the Griffmen and
the Athletics clash in the opening
contest of the 1917 season.
johnson for years has been picked
to start his team off the line with
victory He is ready this spring for
his best endeavors and only injury
can keep him from serving up his
fast shoots against the Mackmen-
Joe Bush and "Jingling" johnson,
a promising youngster, were sent
home by Connie Mack Saturday night
to rest for the opening fray. 1t is not
expected that Connie will send a
rookie against the mighty Walter,
and so Bush is the choice for the
fray.
How They'll Begin.
The following shows how the big
league clubs will get down to busi-
ness this week:
AMERICAN LEAGUE.
Griffmen at Philadelphia.
Red SoX at New York.
White Sox at st. Louis.
Indians at Detroit.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Giants at Boston.
PhilIies at Brooklyn.
Pirates at Chicago.
Cardinals ct Cincinnati.
Today's Game on.
The heavy fall of wet snow made
conditions at the ball park impossible
today and so, after taking a good
look at things, the Old Fox called of
hostilities with the Phillies. Pat
Moran hastened to take his athletes
out of town, hoping to get some prac-
tice this afternoon on their own home
grounds.
At the same time, because the sun
and wind were working together in
drying the field, Manager Griffith or:
dered his players to be on hand at
1870 for a practice session of their
own. The same program will be in
order tomorrow.
VIII Leave Tomorrow.
The Griffmen will leave for Phila-
delphia tomorrow night at 7:05
o'clock, going at once to the Hotel
Majestic for a good nights rest before
tackIing the Mackmen on Wednesday. |
Corporal ]. H. Dean, in charge of !
the Griffmen's military instruction, 7
will accompany the party to Philadel- |
phia and will see that they miss no
drills.
Nothing has yet been heard from
Merito Acosta, the Cuban outfielder,
supposed to be on his way to WASH
ington.
Meet Athletics First.
The first four games of the season
for Manager Griffith and his merry
men will be with the Athletics. Sat
urday night the team will go to New
York for four more battles with the
Donovanites before pulling up the
curtain at Georgia avenue
The chances for a flying start are
not so good when it is known that
the Mackmen have been strengthen
ed in many places and are on edge,
while the Yankees lone weakness so
far this spring has been inability to
hit southpaw pitching. The Griffmen
are without southpaws just now.
See Little of Team.
Washington fans will sse little of
their team during the first few weeks
of the coming campaign.
On April 20. which is one week
from Friday, the Mackmen will open
the season here with a four-game Sc
ries. Then the home boys will rush
TO Boston for four games. returning
on April 80, to remain here until
May Q.
The first Western trip for the
Washington club opens in Cleveland
Then for the first time will local
rooters have a chance to get a good
look at their heroes. In other words,
only thirteen games will be played at
Georgia avenue between April IL and
May 20.
How Schedule Runs.
Lest you fans forget how the sched-
ule reads, and in case you want to
make arrangements, here's the first
few weeks of the 1917 season:
ABROAD.
April II, 10. 13. 14-At Philadelphia
April 16. Il, Is, 19-At New York
April IS, 26, %, 2s-At Boston.
May 10. II, u, 13-At Cleveland.
May il, Is, 16, 17-At Detroit.
May IS, 10, 20, 21-At st. Louis.
May %. "a, 2S, %. 27-At Chicago.
AT HOME.
April 20, 81, %, 24-Mackmen.
April 80. May l, 2, 3-Yankees.
May 4, 5. I. &, 9-Red Sox.
Pitching Means Much
In the spring, before the batsmen |
have begun their murderous clouting, |
pitching means much and on this ac-
count Manager Griffith believes tha- !
his team will hold a respectable posi- |
tion in the race when II returns from |
Chicago for rs first long stay at |
Georgia avenue.
johnson, Shaw, Ayers, Gallia, Du |
Mont and Craft form a staff of twirl- |
ers who step in any time and |
show to advantage. II Harper and |
Jamison round to soon enough, the |
Washington mound corps should be
responsible for most of the earlier |
victories OF the season.
The going will not be easy at any |
time, however, and 1t is possible that |
some of these pitchers will fall by the |
wayside. But with six good right |
handlers on the job and a couple OF |
lefthanders to mix in with them, the |
Griffmen ought to be occupying |
lofty place when they come home the |
last of May.
WILL PLAY BRAVES.