The Washington herald., 1919-04-22
Jersey City Youngster
Turned Back to Orioles
Morgan Signs with
Dunn's Club-Other
Comment.
by JOHN A. DUGAN.

j ny JOHN A. DUGAN.
Joe Shannon, the young outfielder
who was purchased from Jack Dunn's 5
Baltimore Orioles just before the Ma
tionals took the hike to Augusta for
the spring training trip. was turned
back to the Monumental City club yes
terday. The Old Fox has now cut his
squad down to twenty players. and
will just come into the players limit
rule. by the addition Of outfielder
Mike Menosky. who is expected to
I report before the opening game.
/ Shannon last season hit the pill over
| the 800 mark while pastiming in forty
! one games for the Baltimore club. but
he was called to the colors early dur
ing the season. and a real line could
not be obtained upon his ability. Dunn
placed Shannon with the locals all in
good faith. as the youngster looks to
be a natural hitter and is both fast OH
the bases and fields his position in
good style. but he lacks the expert
ence which Is necessary to make capa-
bic players under the big tent. so the
silver-haired leader has turned him
back for another season in the Inter
national League.
Joe has the ambition to become
big Lacquer as his brother. Maurice,
is holding down the keystone sack
with ConnieMack's tribe from the
City of Brotherly Love. This
youngster is sure to be heard from
this year and will no doubt be in
the Nationals lineup when the
closing days. of the 1919 season ar
rive.
With the release of Shannon
comes the news from the Oriole
leader. that Ray Morgan. the for
mer second sacker of the Nationals.
wilr play that position with the
Baltimore club this season. Dunn
admitted yesterday that Jack
Coombs of the Philadelphia National
League club. had received waivers
on Morgan that would pass him out
of the big show. Ray asserted that
he would play with no other club
than his hometown crowd and he
Immediately signed up to n contract.
Shannon's release came as no sur
prise. as Grifflth was forced to cut
loose a player to make room for Me-
nosky. who Is expected to report We'd
nesday afternoon. At present the Ma
tionals are carrying but three out
fielders, Shanks. Milan and Rice, and
as Menosky has shown that he is of
big league caIiber of course a place
was open for him.
The Griffmen's talent which will
open the campaign tomorrow is made
up of two experienced catchers and
one youngster. Seven pitchers. along
with Uncle Nick Altrock. will come
in for the hurting duties. while six
infieIders will be considered for the
inner-trench work during the season.
The training season and exhibition
series being over it still appears that
the Nationals have n first division club
! whether or not they obtain the serv-
ices OF Davy Robertson. Briefly look
ing over each of the departments II
can be said that the Nationals are
well fortified with battery candidates,
as the ability of Agnew and Charity
speak for themselves, while Picinich
appears to be one of the best young
sters that has ever broken in behind
the mask
The pitchers are equal to any staff
in the league. as the big four look
to be as good as ever, while Hovlik,
Thompson and Craft, the youngsters
in the twirling brigade. give promise
of becoming stars. The infield prob
lem seems to be well settled, as even
the most critical scribes are now
beginning to see major league caliber
in little Ike Davis. The entire prob
lem of Grifith's infield has been CEN
tered around the keystone sack, and
Davis has shown enough so far to
warrant a thorough trial, while Hal
Janvrin only needs to regain his
strength to make him the best that
has been seen in the Florida avenue
lineup for some time. Even should
these players fail. the Nationals have
both Joe Leonard and Capt. George
/ Mcbride to rely upon in a pinch.
Walter johnson will be ready for
! the opening performance The big
smoke was excused from any hard
labor yesterday so as to prepare for
| the opening. The big train stated
last night that he was ready and
| only some miscue would keep him
from landing the opening contest.
The practice yesterday was of the
"skulI' kind, or as the football
coaches in breaking into print would
say, blackboard work. Signals were
talked over and gone through thor
oughly during a morning set-to and
behind closed gates were executed in
the presence of the Old Fox. The
same session Oh TWO llineS d udy ~
booked for the athletes this afternoon
and everything is expected to be i'm
shape for the opening tomorrow.
Bill Brennan has been umpiring in
fine style for the Washington and
Giants, though there has been much
bad blood between the teams. Base
ball writers watching the series are
yConderinR how Ban johnson ever
made such a miscue by signing up
Ollie Chill and letting Bill Brennan
stay out in the cold
Brennan Is a big man. fast on his
feet, using good judgment and has
nerve enough to call them as he sees
them. Ollie, or Oliver as he is best
known to baseball players. has been
sadly bluffed during his past perform
ances while working in the American
League, and Just where johnson gets
off with this kind of officials is still