New-York tribune., 1919-04-17
ABaby Deluge
Saves Giants
From johnson
Griffith Is Ready to Hurl
His Pitching Ace Into
Fray With New Workers
By w. I. Macheth


NORFOLK, Va. April ia baby
deluge hit this sweltering village In
the midriff shortly after noon to-day
and soon drowned out all possibility Of
immediate renewal of the New York
Washington feud which has laid the
good Virginians by the ears. To-day's
postponement was greatly regretted by
both camps, both from sentimental and
monetary reasons.
griffith was cocksure he could get
the rubber" and the jump by employ
ing the redoubtable Walter Johnson.
McGraw appeared quite as eager to
stack his sluggers against the Idaho
cannonball to find out just how they
would conduct themselves against the
supposed master of the pitching craft.
But getting back to the sordid-why
the teams were Numbered out of gobs
Of the filthy lucre land filthy is At
term for the notes OF Southern cur
rency) by to-day's enforced idleness.
The two games here were arranged
under the auspices of the War Com
prices in harmony with worlds series
class from $3.50 down. And at these
t1attering terms the promoters were
preparing to dust off the S. R. o.
sign when the cloudburst saved them
from the trouble.
Both Anxious TO Win
Managers McGraw and Griffith are
equally desirous of winning the long
end Of this important series, now con
fined to six games at most, and will
ste eadily employ available resources
toward that end. Yet both are old
enough and wise enough in the ways
of the game to place the real premium
of good derived on benefit likely to
accrue later in the real championship
struggles Of. the respective major
league schedules.
SO far as McGraw Is concerned he is
satisfied he commands the best balanced
club it has been his good fortune to lead
during his brilliantly successful career
in New York. From first to third base,
from left field to right there IS not the
semblance of a weak spot anywhere. II
is true McGraws talent runs heavily
toward the ageng veteran class. But
it is equally true that none of these has
shown the least evidence of slowing up
aheld or on the paths. Because of many
physical injuries Larry Doyle and Lew
McCarty had to be considered doubtful
quantities when spring training began.
Both appear to have taken on new
lease of life Doyle, indeed, never
helded so ably or nimbly before.
The presence and self-assurance OF
Hal Chase by his side has Laughing
Larry "pepped" up to concert pitch all
the while Larry, moreover, shows none
of the old traces Of his limp which
curtailed speed on the paths. He seems
almost as speedy as in his heyday and
Offsets in cunning what little curtail-
ment Father Time may have effected in
speed.
McCarty never was fast, but had
wicked punch which is once more assert
ing itself in the McCarty fashion. Nc
(1911-12-13) principally on speed. In
his 1919 collections he holds almost equal
advantage in that line. for if some few
of the veterans have slowed the result
ing experience has made them quite
as dangerous operators ct making the
maximum Of runs OH the minimum Of
hits And for slugging proclivities.
Well, just glance down the batting or
der. Not weakness from lead-of 70
pitcher
Pitching, as has often been intimsted
in these columns comprises the only
conceivable "if" Of the Giants imme-
date future. Jess Barnes and Rube
Benton now comprise the known nucleus
of McGraw's pitching staff They should
be among the most consistent winning
pitchers of the year with such alright
defence and driving power as IS sure to
he at their command