Evening star., 1918-03-28
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

AUGUSTA, Ga. March 2S.-Manager
Grif1ith's program of extensive batting
drills forthe purpose of sharpening the
optics of his players is bearing fruit In
a manner exceedingly gratifying to the
pilot. For the past few days a long
session. both morning and afternoon,
has been given over to wand waving on
the part Of the regulars. Waldbauer,
Ayers, Lynch, Craft and. to lesser ex-
tent, Harper and Yingling. have occu-
pied the mound for fifteen minute Pc
RODS at a time, serving them up the
best they know how and giving the
veterans chance to get into their
stride with the hickory. Hitting prac-
tice has been given precedence over
everything else, and results already are
noticeable in the manner in which the
boys are meeting the ball, line drives
and solid smashes being the rule now
instead of the exception. as was the
case last week, when they had difficulty
In gauging the fight of the ball after
q winter of inactivity.
In the game with the 10th Infantry
team yesterday, in which the Griffmen
simply toyed with their opponents. win
ming Is to 3. ample proof of their prog
ress in batting skill was furnished,
nineteen hits, for a total of twenty
seven bases, being recorded against the
three moundsmen used by the former
national guardsmen from Pennsylva-
mia. A slimly built young left-hander
drop curve. had the Griffmen on his hip
the first time they faced him. but they
got the range of his southpaw hooks
on the second meeting and started a
bombardment which did not end untf1
every member Of the team, exclusive of
the pitchers. had obtained one or more
hits. They cracked out total of eight
safeties in the third and fourth rounds.
Facing right-hander in the fifth, they
were momentarily stopped. but resumed
conner to the shelter of his trenches
with four blows, and then nicked still
another grenade thrower for a quartet
of safe raps in the seventh.
Sam Rice was the batting star. with
three singles and a triple in Eve times
al bat, while Lieut.. Lavan got a brace
of doubles and single in three trips
to the plate, drawing a pass and polk
ing out a sacrifice fly on his other two
appearances. Foster, Milan, Judge and
Ainsmith each registered a pair Of safe
waIlops. One of the latter's whacks
was a double which hit the "bulr' sign
on the ny.
Adrian Lynch gave a repetition of the
splendid work he did the last time out
He had barrels of smoke, but best OF
all displayed perfect control. Not q
sign of hit was made off him in the
| four rounds he worked by the sol
diers. who have been playingf bal
down here for two months. and but fol
wide peg by Lavan none of thu
| Khakiklan would have reached firs
| base on him.
Johnson pitched for only one inning
| to give the camp men a peek at him
| Yingling, who relieved Lynch. wen
| four rounds 1t was during Earfs re
! gime that the soldiers registered thef
three tallies, but none of them wa
! is becoming hardened, but he has no
yet started to cut loose with the ball
| IIavan Is slowly working the stiff
ness out of his throwing arm. He es
| sayed shortstopping yesterday for tn
| frst time in several days, and although
compelled to merely loop the bal
/ across the diamond, says he feels sur
his whip viii be 0. X. again within
| short time.
Roehling. ex-Grifman and Indian ant
| now president of the battie-ax semi
| pro team of Richmond. for a game il
| the Virginia capital Thursday, April 1
| completes the exhibition schedule fo
| the Nationals. There are an even dozei
! games on the list. Leaving Augusts
next Tuesday, the Grifrmen will go t.
] Atlanta and play the Southern Asso
| citation clubs there on April 3. 4 and S
| putting up at the Ansley Hotel thos'
| nights. Saturday and Sunday. April
| and Z. they will play the Southern
! League club representing Chattanooga
| stopping at the Patton Hotel. Monday
April s. they hop back to Atlanta fol
! another game, taking a sleeper tha
| night for Columbia, S. c., where or
against their first big league opponent
| the Philadelphia Nationals. in a game
at Camp Jackson. That evening they
| will board a Pullman and be whirIed tc
! Greenville, s. c.. where on Wednesday