The Washington herald., 1918-04-28
FOXY PILOT is
AFTERCATCHER
Nationals Manager Trying
to Land Jack Picinich,
of Crackers.

New YORK, April Z--lne entlre uedi
for the, purchase of Jack Picinich.
the catcher of the Atlanta club of the
Southern League, was framed by the
Old Fox tonight when he received
word from Cincinnati that Sammy
Crane. the hitless shorstop. would be
turned back to him. 1t is known that
the management Of the Atlanta club
wants three ball players and a small
purchase price for the buying outright
Of Picinich. who is rated as one Of
the best catchers that has ever been
developed in the Dixie circuit.
Griff started the proceedings uoon
the Nationals arrival in New York
by sending young Al Walbrauer to
the Crackers. This opened the way
for the foxy pilot. as he had been hot
on the trail of Picinich, and was will
ing to listen to any argument that
the Atlanta club would. offer. The
wires are burning tonight between
Manhattan and the Georgia city,
asking II Charlie Frank. the manager
OF the Crackers. is willing 20 take
Cuba Acosta and Sammy Crane as
the other players in this transaction.
Although the Old Fox is not yet
certain that he can force the Louis
willie club into lifting the waivers on
the little Cuban outfielder. he is
basing his plans in this manner. and
will no doubt have Picinich in his
lineup before the final tick Is heard
on the Third Liberty Bond clock.
Griff is getting far the best of this
exchange. 1t may appear to many of
the Washington fans that the gray
haired Lynx is favoring the Southern
League champions. Each player that
thas been turned over to Atlanta to
date. along with this trio, is still the
property OF the Washington ball club
and is under a recall agreement
which may be put into action at any
time.
Picinich Is sure to become a MEM
ber of the Nationals tribe IL the Old
Fox is forced to go outside of the
league for the purchase OF promising
players.
The one big reason that Griff Is
after Picinich is the fact that Ain
smith is the only catcher on his staff
who may not have to answer Uncle
Sans call to arms. Eddie Charity,
the understudy of Ainsmith, has al
ready signed up for a position with a
shipbuilding company In Whining
ton, Del, and has Joined the ranks
Of the "twenty-four hour notice"
boys. Charity may be forced to dis
card the uniform Of the Washington
club before the team arrives gack in
the Capital from this first Eeastern
jaunt.
More worries are following the Old
Fox than the obtaining of a catcher,
as it appears now that he may be
forced to go scouting for a few pitch
ers. George. Du Mont and MolIie
Craft are in the call, and may leave
at any time. =.
Earl Yingling. who was notified
yesterday that he must report for
the national army on Tuesday, re-
ccived word from his board tonight
Just before train time that a mis-
take had been made on his classifi-
cation and he need not report. This
leaves Griff with but five twirlers
who are not subject to the national
army draft namely, johnson. Har-
per. Ayers. Shaw and Yingling.
The first exhibition game of the
regular season is booked for tomor-
row at Rocky Point. which is just a
few miles from Providence. r. l..
George Stallings' Boston Braves will
be met in this contest, in which
Griff's selection for the hurling du-
ties is Mollie Craft. On next Sun
day the Nationals will jump down
from Philadelphia to Baltimore to
battle Jack Dunn's Orioles at the
Gentlemen's Driving Park.
Griff's regulars. along with Craft
and Ayers, jumped out at midnight
over the famous New York, New
Haven and Hartford route for Provi-
dence. while the balance of the
pitchers and the few utility players
will make the trip to Beantown to-
morrow. Earl Yingling and Harper
are slated for. the hill honors with
the Nationals initial game with the
"Frazeedised" Red Socks,