Evening star., 1919-08-22

Several Recruits Are Due for
Tryout When Nationals
Return to Washington.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

dozen youngsters already lined up for
inspection when the Nationals return
to their home lot early next month,
hit the road" again on a scout
ing trip that is expected to augment
the size of the rookie squad he is gath
ering in the hope of finding some ma
terial to strengthen his woebegone
team.
After the exhibition his charges
gave against the White Sox yesterday,
when they were overwhelmed by
count of IL to 4, solely through very
bad ball playing in the field, the pilot
became more convinced than ever Of
the necessity of overhauling the out
fit from top to bottom. Readymade
players are not obtainable. His only
recourse is to locate youngsters ca
pable of running and throwing and
then drill them in the other depart
ments of play.
The list of juveniles he has ar
ranged for to report at the Capital
September 5 and spend the remainder
of the month demonstrating their pos
sibilities has been increased with the
announcement of the purchase from
Wichita of the Western League of Sec
ond Basenian Washburn. This player
is described by Frank Isbell, the Wich-
ita pilot, as a large-sized person OF
only fair speed. but with penchant
for hard-hitting. done in the orthodox
manner-right-han In addition to
Washburn there Is a trio of shortstops
en- route to Washington, including Ell
lerbe, the collegian who went south
with the Grinmen last spring and has
been playing third for Binghamton
since; Jimmy O'Neil Of Shreveport and
Lindsay. the star of the Goodrich club
in Akron. Pitchers Fisher and Snyder
of the latter team also are to get a
try-out. Griffith has his eye on sew
eral other juveniles. two of whom now
are with the Buffalo club of the Inter-
national League. 1t is to Buffalo that
Griff is going tonight. He may make
one or two other stops at points in
the east before rejoining his, team in
New York next week. In ST. Louis, in
the meantime, George Mcbride will
direct the Nationals.
Walter johnson had sufficiently re-
covered yesterday to be up and about,
but was not permitted to don a uni
form. and may be on the sidelines
another day before getting into har-
ness. It Is assured he will not do any
pitching before the club moves on to
st. Louis tomorrow, as Jim Shaw
definitely is booked to hurl the finai
of the series against the White Sox
today. With any kind of support
Shaw has q chance to win this after
are out Of the way. and unless Glea-
son sends Kerr to the mound the Ma
tionals are not likely to be confront
ed with twirling of a formidable
brand. But If Shaw gets backing of
Zachary and Gill yesterday there will
be just one answer, another walk
away for the Sox. Williams was far
from invincible. The Nationals hit
him hard. and with any kind Of
\
have taken his measure with ease.
only three Of the eleven runs the
Hose obtained being earned.
How the White sox. generally
credited with being a club with only
tain their lead in the race is not easy
to understand, unless you delve into
the figures. In the first place. in Kerr
Gleason has a hurler who has done
yeoman service in rescuing the fal-
and in the second place the Hose are
cufiing the ball at truly terrific
rate. Since returning from the east
Chicago has played eight games,
winning seven and losing one. In
sixty-three runs and ninety-four hits
of various descriptions-more than
seven runs per contest and an aver
age of nearly twelve hits per game.
AS for the Tigers catching them in
the stretch in the six games yet to
be played between the two clubs. the
records to date show that Of the four
teen White Sox-Tiger battles contest
ed to date. the Gleasons have won
nine, white the Junglemen have
grabbed five. II this furnishes a line
on the probable outcome Of the re-
naming half a dozen battles to be
disposed of between the contenders
the race may be regarded as ended
now.