Evening star., 1918-04-03
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

pected to be the toughest opposition
the Nationals have encountered thus
far this spring will be met today. wher
they stack up against the Atlanta clut
| in the first of a series of four games
the first three of which will be played
on successive days, and the last next
Monday. after a two-day sojourn al
Chattanooga.
Atlanta is the site Of Camp Gordon
where some 10000 troops from Georgia
Alabama and Florida are being trained
for the National Army, and the fact
that the game today. is in charge OF
the Army officials, arrangements hav-
ing been made by the camp directors
of athletics, that the sammies have a
half holiday and that a percentage OF
the receipts will go to the soldiers
fund for sports assures large at
tendance. this being the hrst oppor-
tunity the soldiers Will have had tnls
year of seeing professional teams IN
action on the diamond.
| Walter johnson and Harry Harper,
| two of the members of the big four
that Griffith will depend upon this sea-
| son to bear the brunt of the pitching
! for the Nationals. will divide mound
duty this afternoon. Charity may give
Ainsmith a lift with the catching.
Shanks will play in left field and bat
| in the cleanup position. fourth place,
| because of the absence OF Rice, other
wise the regular lineup will remain
unchanged
| That the aggregation which will be
lopposed to the Grifmen is capable or
extending them to the limit is evident
from the fact that 1t copped the pen
lnant in the Southern Association last
season after a nip-and-tuck battle with
New Orleans from the middle OF May
through to September 15. when the race
Tended. Next to the International Pa
ciflc Coast League and American Asso.
citation, the Southern is the fastest OF
all the minor circuits.
| What pitchers Manager Charlie
Frank will send to the mound for the
ICrackers Gas the team representing the
Georgia capital is known) could not be
iascertained in advance. but he has three
who made good records last season who
have been working out for more than
two weeks, and they are expected to
lmake the big leaguers work hard to
iget the ball safe.
In Jake Munich. the big first baseman
Philadelphia Athletics this spring in
order to remain in Atlanta. the Crack
Iers have slugger capable Of making
johnson and Harper let out a notch or
1.-TWO to keep him in check. Munich last
Iseason finished second to Hall Hyatt,
batting leadership of the Southern
League, and all the pitchers in the cir
Icuit respect his big black bat. The
Crackers have some other capable hit
tiers in Center Fielder Mayer. Right
Fielder Strait and Third Baseman Nc
donald.
A scene reminiscent of decade and
longer ago was presented by the Grin-
men. when they piled OF their Pullman.
shortly after Z o'clock this morning.
and trooped to the Ansley Hotel, carry
ing their new uniform packs, contain
ing. in addition to base ball suits, their
spiked shoes. gloves. bats and other re-
is made of canvas, is rolled up in the
shape of an Army blanket and Is toted
by a leather hand grip. Players of the
Washington and all other teams are
isuch form all season. due to curtailed
transportation facilities. brought about
by the demands on the railroads for the
shipment of troops. munitions and other
war supplies.
Billy Smith, former manager of the
Richmond team Of the International
League. ex-scout of the Washington
club and now business manager Of the
Crackers. met the players when they
arrived at the hotel, and told Manager
tGrimth that the advance sale OF tickets
indicated there would be a capacity
crowd at the park this afternoon Sec
iretary Fowler evinced much interest in
Smiths prediction.
There was but one practice session on
getaway day in Augusta yesterday
Manager Griffith had intended having a
game played in the afternoon. but. rain
appearing imminent. he got a contest
started at midday and it proved such q
long and grueling affair he called it a
day after the two teams had struggled
| for ten innings without q decision be.
Ing reached. The score was to g.
Shotton and Lavan for the Regulars
and johnson and Mcbride for the yam
nigans were the batting leaders. Der,
got triple and two singles. in addition
to walk. and pilifered three hassocks
on Catcher Bob Berman. Lavan con-
trfbuted three-bagger. as we'll as a
ooupie. and also walked once. Two sin
gIes and double fell to johnson, while
McBride's two hits came with men on
the bases. and he scored himself after
drawing pass on another occasion.
| Du Mont pitched FIVE innings for the
Regulars and allowed six hits and three
runs. Craft, who succeeded him. per-
mitted only four safeties, but also was
nicked for trio of counters.
finglings Performance in the box
Ior the fannlgans was the best Of the
day. the southpaw holding the regu-
lars to one run iT five innings A
in the five runs registered of Wald-
bauer, who twirled the final half OF
the game for the Vans. Going into
the tenth round with the score tie
! A, Waldbauer hit safely. took second
on Crafts wild pitch and scored or
Johnson's third hit, Walter moving to
second on the throw-in, from where
!, he scored when Mcbride singled