Evening star., 1919-04-11
NATIONALS MEET
PH|LL|ES TODAY
Griff Pleased With Condition
of Players as They Go
Into Real Games.
FEW L1AovERwE|GHT
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.


CHARLOTTE, n. c., April 11.-"Our
stay at Augusta has proved just as
beneficial as was expected, and that IS
saying a great DEAL" observed Man
ager Griffith on the train today as it
was pulling into Charlotte. These
games with the phillies ana Giants.
which start today. are just what are
needed now to put the PLAYERS on
edge. I look upon them as more than
mcrs exhibitors. ai:5 out 10 Vim
every one of them. if ! can. The play
ers know this and will be out there
hustling all the time.
Il don't know what kind of, shape
the National Leaguers are in and |
am not making any predictions as to
the outcome of the nine games facing
US, but there is one thing ] feel sure
they will prove. and that is that the
members of the Washington club are
in tip-top physical condition. just
grind to prevent them from going
stale before the league season opens.
A few of the men, Judge. Foster. Rice.
Agnew and Shaw, particularly the
last named. still are a little heavy,
but that is as it should be. The ex-
cess poundage can be worked off in
the two weeks remaining before the
race starts.
Batting eyes are not fully sharp
ened yet, but that is where these OK
hibitions are going to prove bene-
fetal. Looking over the offerings of
strange pitchers will go Ions way
toward getting the players into their
hitting stride. I am eminently salts
fed with the results obtained at Au
gusta and believe the showing We
make here and in Virginia will bear
me out.
1t is likely Hovlik and Matteson
will do the pitching for the Nationals
in the first of two games with the
Phillies here today. They We're ex
cused in the final session at Warren
Park yesterday from any duty more
edge for the battle. Hovlik probably
will work the first five innings.
The ride here from Augusta was a
long one, consuming fifteen hours. the
train not arriving until nearly 10
a refreshing nights sleep. however.
as there was lay-over of several
hours early this morning at Columbia
S. c.. and they are full of pep this
morning. Manager Griffith is expect
ed to start his team lined up with
Judge at first: Foster. third; Milan
center; Rice, right; Leonard. second; ;
Shanks, left; Davis, short, and Agnew
and Picinich catching. Shannon may
relieve Shanks in the garden and
Hank may get a chance to do some
second-basing.
What pitchers will be nominated for
the Phillies is a question. but Man
ager Coombs this morning said that
with two right-handers slated to op-
pose his club. the lineup probably
would be: Callahan. right; Bancroft
short: Baird. third; Whitted. left: Lu-
ri dnr io,,
Pearce. second. followed by the bat
terymen. When southpaws are sent
against him Coombs intends to use
Meusel and Whitted in center and left,
and old Gavvy Cravath in the right
pasture.
Coombs thinks he has found in Lee
Callahan crackerjack lead-off man,
something the club has lacked ever
since Roy Thomas got through, sew
eral years aE6?Callahan is small, but
fast, and has been hitting like vet
eran in the nzactice games. Coombs
thinks he can continue his macine
against Griff's pitchers
The former star hurler of the Ath-
letics has been conducting what he
chooses to term a baseball school,
here and says it has produced excel
lent results. Coombs' contention is
that the average ball player picks up
his inside knowledge of the fine points
OF the game as best he may during
his diamond career. with an occasional
tip from some veteran. He has di-
vlded his players into four classes for
the lessons" and it is his idea to
teach them all he knows of the game.
There are few in harness who know
more.
Griffith devoted lot of time yester-
day TO drilling Leonard and Davis to
contend with the tricks of enemy base
runners. He had them covering sec
ond for steals. delayed and otherwise,
and taking short throws on double
steals, with a runner on third. Griff
also is teaching Davis to alter his
batting style. Davis has good stance
at the plate, being in no manner gun
shy but when he first reported he
employed regular Billy Keister
wind-up and haul-off. which gave him
no assurance of not being off balance.
with wise pitcher opposing him. es-
pecially one employing a change of
pace. Griff is coaching him to fol-
low the method employed by nearly
all the leading batsmen, of poising his
bat rather high and we'll behind him.
and taking cut at the ball with no
preliminary movements and with a
follow through motion. Good results
already are apparent.
Davis is exhibiting more speed
afoot. Right now there is no man in
the squad who can get down to first
ahead of him, and it is doubtful if
either Milan or Rice will be able to
beat him out after they get thorough
ly limbered up.
The team is quartered here at the
Mecklenburg Hotel. The start for
Norfolk will be made early tomorrcW
evening. after the final games with
the Phillies, and from then until the