Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-03
NATIONAL S START BATTLING
FOR FIRST DIVISION TODAY
Ayers Slated for Mound Duty in Initial
Game Against Athletics Red Sox
Hammer Shaw and Du Mont.

slated for mound work today and II he
again allows not more than one hit to
an inning, as he did when registering
his triumph at the capital. the Ma
tiona1s should get the jump on Mack's
cohorts by annexing the opening bat
tie.
Vean Gregg, the veteran southpaw
who this season is staging one of the
most notable comebacks in the history
of the game, worked as recently as last
Tuesday and will not be sufficiently
rested for duty today, but he un-
doubtedly will draw the assignment
from Connie Mack tomorrow and will
find opposed to him another hurler OF
portside persuasion in Harry Harper.
the auto tire and accessories magnate
Of Hackensack. N. j. Harry will at
tempt to shake off the jinx Of wild
ness which has proved his undoing
each Of the three times he has started
since April is. but II he fails he prob
ably will earn right to the title OF
champion wild man Of the league. for
he is to be left in there to work out his
salvation regardless Of how high he
Johnson will be sent in for the final
contest of the set Monday. when he
will have an opportunity Of bringing
his victories up to the level OF the re-
verses he has suffered-three.
Two of Johnson's defeats have been
at the hands Of the Yankees and the
other was melted out by the Mackmen.
Walter obtained partial revenge on
Higgins men in Gotham and shut out
the Red sox in impressive style in Bos-
ton. Considering the form he had dis
played lately, the Kansan's prospects
for evening up matters with the Ath-
letics may be considered bright.
Judged from reports of the attend
ance at Shibe Park thus far, the Mack
men are benefting from the action of
the Phillies in selling Alexander and
Killefer last winter, which soured the
also has made big hit with the sport
ing public in decreeing that men in the
uniform of Uncle Sam shall be admitted
free to one game in every series the
team plays at home. This means two
games a week while the Mackmen are
performing on their own lot that SOL
diers and sailors may see without cost.
The same proposition was put up to
President Baker of the National League
club here, but was rejected by him.
further increasing the popularity of
the tall tactician's team. Connie Mack's
lead in the matter of playing host to
the boys in khaki and blue is one which
should be followed by fifteen other ma
jor league clubs. He deserves and is
receiving great credit for his patriotic
example.
OF Griff's entire array none has per-
formed in a more meritorious manner
this spring than Bert Shotton. the vet
eran gardener. Because of his poor
showing last season Shotton was tipped
as having slipped to the point where
his usefulness in the majors was near
an end. but that his 1917 work was the
result of poor health and inability to
get along with Fielder Jones. rather
than the inroads Of Father Time. is
proved by the able manner in which the
former Brown has performed for the
Nationals to date. One of the prime
requisites of a lead-off man is that he
get on the bases. and this Shotton has