The Washington times., 1917-04-20
GRIFF'S STRONGEST
TEAM PLAYS TODAY
Is Best Combination to Open a
Season Here Since Old
Fox Came.
MARTIAL DISPLAY FEATURES
Players in Drill and Flag-Rais-
lng-Mack's Team No
, Longer A. l. Football.
ny LOUIS A. DOUGHER-
Wake m Washington fans!s

Today al loyal rooterS are Nure 20
hear the summons from the ball park,
for baseball In In their blood. How
can they help It?
The Washington team, as IL enters
upon its 1917 home season. Is stronger
than any with which Manager Grit
nth has opened q Campaign in the
Capital It has not made flying
start but there is plenty OF time for
Improvement The season is long.
Today the home boys initiate their
season with q martial swing meyer
before seen The new hagpole in
right center neid. standing seventy
feet high. viii carry a large national
banner after becoming eeremonies
Each home uniform. white with q
small blue stripe, has . shield show
ing the national colors on the left
breast. This little touch of pa,.
triotism is certain to be appreciated.
Team Is Unsettled.
As for the baseball team itself,
Judged from its performances this
spring, one might describe it best as
being In an unsettled condition, some
thing like the weather Almost any
thing may be expected, from the
glorious sun of victory to the chill
NAA16AC OA tCAOaN-
Manager Griffith offers his strong
est lineup. Two places may be said
to be In doubt, with the possibility Of
a third. At nrst base Joe Judge IA
playing bang-up bali. but he has yet
to make good sufficiently to have his
berth cinched.
At short George Mcbride continues
to play 90 well e. TO keep Sam Crane
81 on the bench, but the former Oriote
seems certain TO crowd his way into
the lineup. sI
Leonard Not Hitting.
Joe Leonard Is not hitting His
fielding has been generally excellent,
one Of his stops and throws in New
York being quite the best bit of work
shown by any Of the infieldera this
spring. But his light work with
the willow has caused his slide down
to sixth place, and unless he soon
begins to hit safely, Ray Morgan
may be found holding down the hot
corner. -
Instead of being the steadiest de,
paTtment on the team. the pitchers
have exposed to view several weak
places hitherto believed strong. Bert
GaIlia, after pitching first class ball,
exploded in New York.
Jim Shaw, after excellent work in
exhibitions, looked like hodcarrier
against the Mackmen.
Du Mont and Jameson were pain
rul that day, too, but the former
came back with a rush yesterday.
Batting Order Shifts.
Shifts in the batting order may be
expected for several weeks, Manager
Griffith seeking here and there for
the proper way to get the most Of his
batsmen. These shifts win mean lit
tie or nothing until that happy
change comes which will bring vic
tories. :.
Washington fans today get their
frst peek at a rejuvenated team un-
der command OF Connie Mack. II is
team which, in the estimation of
its leader, will no more be q foot
ball for the rest OF the league"
When the lengthy leader of the
Athletics broke up his murderous
maulers couple of years back, he
said that as he had built up that
team, so he would build up another.
He disposed Of stars in Collins, Baker.
Bender, Plank, Coombs, and Berry,
but he believes he has gathered poten-
tial stars in his present lineup.
1t takes years to mold q champion
ship aggregation: No one thinks the
HI
but also none who has seen them IN
action this spring can AFFORD to, laugh
at them. They have tremendous Of
fensive power and need only pitchers
TO night an even fight with the hest
In the circuit Good pitching, aided
by clamorous cfouts, can win a pen
nant. Connie is seeking this com-
bination.
Ping BodIe Il Back.
Ping Boddie, once chicago's priced
fiat man." - back In the big show.
this time as a Mackman. He has lost
much of his famous girth and really
looks like an athlete. He also carries
that same old bat which drives long
safeties to the outer gardens.
FRANK Thrasher, not much of a
helder but a dangerous batsmsA Is In.
right held. He has yet 10 hft his
stride, but Connie has faith in him,
Amos Strunk, one of basebaIPs
greatest outhelders, is one OF the
nucleus about whom Mack homes 10
pui4o ms next pennant winner.
Two New InAeIders.
The two new inielders are Row
Bates, from the Coast League. AZ |
third. and Grover at second. ~oatso
Lawry is another second basemsn
trying to horn into the regular line
up.
Bates Is a tan chap, built somewhat
on the lines OF Arthur Devlin. He Is
q tremendous slugger when in the
mood. Neither Grover nor Lawry is
much OF a hitter, bat among the rest
they are not missed
Lawton Witt, speedy as last year
and rapidly learning TO hit in the
pinches, and "Stuny'' McInnis are the
veteran infielders, though Witt is
more Of hold-oVer than a real vet
eran.
Pitchers Are PuxxIe.
Connie Mack's greatest puzzle is his
pitching staff. Joe Bush, Elmer
Myers, Jack Nabors, and .JingIing"
johnson now seem TO be the regular
quartet. 1t is q youthful stan of
promising fingers, Bush being the
only experienced performer.
Noyes, once with the Boston Braves:
Seibold, from the Philadelphia sand |
lots, and Ellis Johnson, obtained from
the Coast League with Bates, are be-
ing tried out. Lack of experience is
their greatest handicap right, now.
Wally Schang, Bill Meyer, and Pat
Haley. the-lat obtained from the |
Red Sox In the Barry deal, form the |