Evening star., 1919-04-26
"CR|FF|TH'S ONLY
HOPE IS PITCHING"
Jim Nasium Sees Possible
Wonder in HovIik-Not I'M
pressed by Davis.


quirer. who was a recent visitor to
the Nationals camp at Augusta, is Of
fered as fodder for the fans:
Like the Phillies. Clark Griffith
Will also pilot a standpat organiza ton
into the approaching pennant scram-
BILE But. unlike the Phils, Clark ha 8
lost none of last seasons strength
is going to get by with his standpat-
ters depends upon the same players
that his measure of success in other
years rested upon-his big-four pitch
ing staff, Walter Johnson, Jim Shaw.
Harry Harper and Doc Ayers.
Says It Is All Pitching.
1T is all pitching with Griff again
this season. and this pitching staff
viii have to pitch seven other ball
clubs clear out of their socks to get
Griff where he can scratch his neck
above the common rabble, because, as
in previous seasons, the Washingto
battle array will be too weak III hit
ting power to win ball games in which
its pitchers aren't throwing it's oppo-
nents so far back on their launches
that they are kicking holes in the
horizon line.
The Washington campaign will
have to be one Of defense. II this fall
ters. the Jig is up, and you might az
well brush away the peanut shells and
go home. 1t is team that will have
to play for one-run lead and hold it.
practically the only change Wash
ington Will present from it's battle
front Of last season is in getting Sam
Rice, its best hitter. back from France
to play in the outf1eld, and in losing
good shortstop and gaining a good
second baseman, neither one of whom
is dangerous hitter. The shortstop
lost 10 Jimmy 1.av&n. the second sack
er gained is Harold Janvrin.
Granting that Janvrin is avail
able for service throughout the sea
son from beginning to end. this ex-
change will have little effect upon
either the defensive or offensive
strength of this ball club. II Is just
about on an even balance where it
stood before.
Not Strong for Davis.
''To replace Lavan at short Grif
has secured kid named Davis from
the Wichita team Of the Western
League. but as We happened TO have
seen Davis playing in ten consecutive
bail games, while we were browsing
through the alfalfa in the Western
League circuit. our personal OpiEion
Is that in the acquisition of this
player Griff has not secured that OF
which he stands most in need-scor-
ing power. 1t is doubtful If Davis
Shanks from being the regular short
stopper during the approaching heat
ed term. and he will have to hit to
keep Shanks out Of there. because he
Is no better fielder than Howard is.
Davis is small and fiashy. but he can
not cover the territory to his right
that Shanks can. Couple his mex
perience with this and it looks like
Shanks at short during the first half
OF the season at any rate.
This brings the lineup back to
practically what it was last season.
with the exception or Sam Rice in
the outfield instead OF Bert Shotton.
Janvrin at second instead of Ray Nor
shortneld TO replace Lavan, and Sam
Agnew added to the catching staff.
And the only benefit gained in those
shifts is the return Of Sam Rice to
the lineup. They lose something at
the shortstop position and they gain
The hitting of Rice. then. will form
the only extra added attraction
"A peculiar thing about this Wash
ington club has always been that
when any of it's newly acquired play
ing talent displays a lot Of big league
ability it has always been a pitcher.
Any success the Washington club has
achieved it owes to it's ability to dig
up good pitchers, just as Detroit and
the Phillies have always had good
hitters from the days of Ferguson.
Delehanty. l4ajoie Elmer Flick, Sam
Thompson and Dan Brouthers down
to Cravath, 1.uderus, Ty Cobb and Bob
Veach.
High Praise for Hovlik.
'Griff has four young pitchers in
the camp here. and among this quar-
tet is one who. If he can. ever acquire
control of the vast amount OF stuff
that he lugs, will beat any ball club
in the world and make the well known
wreath in the office safe. This person
is tall. gangling whopper-jawedB Bo-
hemian named Hovlik. from the
Hutchinson team and other points in
the west.
This Hoylik party will never run
show, but how that son-of -a-gun can
pitch base balls. We happened to
have witnessed Mr.. Hovlik pitching
several games in the Western League
two years ago when we were out
there and were willing to bet any
that nobody in the world ever packed
any more stuff than this guy, and
we dent exclude Walter Johnson or
Grover Cleveland Alexander. either.
This takes in an ALFRED lot of ter
ritory. but it goes.
''Hovlik has a curve ball that whistles.
fast one that sails like q stone and
Il straight drop ball that is apt to break
down and crown YOU on the bunions
when you swing at it. His only fault
has been that he never could appear to
get control. He has led every league he
has ever played with in strikeouts and
bases on balls, wild pitches and hit bats
men This tendency to scatter his
stuff all over the premises has kept
him from winning even half his bah
games IN the minors. but nobody has
ever knocked him out OF there by hitting
what he had
This HovIik person is Griff's newest