Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-06

II Will DC d ldSC VI HuotiS iva
noon, as both teams are booked to
Griffs will be going to St. Louis, W
Chicago. Pressure was brought to
at 8 o'clock instead of 3 80 so that
the finish of the contest to make
not be budged. He says he has con'
started at 80. Should the game
leave on later train.
The original plan to work Bill
Griff believes the fans are anxious
and his showing against the 4ank'
series in New York entities him to
Griffith ordered out all the ground
employees early this morning and If
the sun shines on the field it will
be in good condition for the game.
The field has received thorough
soaking. but with the flame brigade
on duty with plenty of gasoline the
base paths, at least. will be dried out.
Manager Barrow said last night he
would pitch Pennock. The southpaw
always has been a hard proposition
for the Griffmen to beat. but. the way
they have been hitting, all pitchers
look alike to them.
Mike Menosky will get in the game
If his shoulder comes around, as Man
ager Barrow is anxious to work
SotnaIS DtHlIu tHc pldtc anu SCI as
much batting strength as possible
Mikes host of friends here would
welcome his playing.
The Griffmen are due in St. Louis
tomorrow night at o'clock. Should
their train be on time the players
will be afforded a good nights sleep
to overcome the effects of twenty-four
hours on the train. They play four
games in the Mound city and then
g.
tet. They get Saturday and Sunday
in the Windy city. which means big
rake-off for the Nationals. There is
only one big day for them in Cleve-
land, their third stopping place, play
ing there from Wednesday to Satur-
day. Saturday is almost as good a
day in Cleveland as Sunday just now
with the Indians leading the chase for
the pennant. The final stop will be
at Detroit, opening there Sunday, June
20. for four games. The Tigers are
now playing some real base ball
There is an open date after the final
battle with the Tigers. the Nationals
travelling homeward to open here with
the Athletics. June %.
The Griffmen are confident of max
ing good showing on the trip.
Griff got his wires crossed on Sat-
ferfield thinking he was a pitcher in
stead of an outfielder. and the player
was allowed to return to his home in
Georgia last night. He will doubt
less play Independent ball this sum-
mer, gaining needed experience. He
will join the Griffmen when they go
south next spring.
Manager John Henry, former wash
1ngton player. will be here today to
confer with Griffith in regard to
Pitcher Olson of the Cornell team.
Olson has been barred all season from
college games. He is said to be top
liner. Griff is ready to do business
at any time when a twirler is the
prize and the youngster may shortly
be seen in Washington uniform.
Friends of the Washington players can
direct their letters during the swing
around the western end of the Ameri-
can League, in care of the Buckingham
in st. Louis, the Metropole in Chicago,
the Olmsted in Cleveland and the Fort
Shelby in Detroit.
President Ban johnson teleeraphed
Manager Griffith yesterday that the
home run rule as regards the ball
going into the stands fair and falling
In foul territory will be rescinded.
johnson and Heydler were In confer
ence In New York Friday and agreed
on this point. 1t will be welcome news
TO the umpires. as it ends a guessing
contest.
This makes the second rule adopted
by both leagues last winter to go by
the board, the other being the call
ing of dead ball when striking a
batsman or his bat while he was try
ing to dodge. While the home run
rule has not yet been officially can
celed. it will be just as soon as
President Johnson reaches home.
Manager Griffith has at, different
times been harshly criticised for
making moves on the field and in
buying and releasing players, but he
seldom goes astray in deciding who's
who" in playing ability. He always
has maintained that Maurice Shan
non is a first class ball player and
only needed the proper advice to de-
yelop. When Shannon first joined the
Nationals he was shifting from right
AS a result he dropped into the or
binary batting class. Griff took him
in hand, argued him out of the tao
tics. and as result Maurice sticks to
right-hand batting. He thus climbed
up into the select class of swatters.
Here is the dope" on Shannon since
he cut out the left-handed switch:
Starting May 9, Maurice has been in
twenty games, at the bat seventy-four
times. laced out twenty-six hits for
a batting percentage of .351. During
that time he has scored thirteen runs.
batted in eighteen more and secured
free passage nine times. He is
credited with a pair of doubles and
two triples. There never has been
any question as to Shannon's fielding
ability, and he has great throwing
arm.
The Ped Sox return here Septem-
her 5, which is Sunday. They have two
games for Labor day. Monday. and the
two postponed contests probably will
be played off on Tuesday, giving the
Nationals day to reach St. Louis.
and the SoX the same amount of time
to go to Chicago.
Manager Iris Speaker of the In
dams is now leading the American
League batters with a percentage of
1883, and has also scored the most
Cuns-forty-two Clyde Milan and
Buck Weaver are tied for the honor
of making the most base hits, both
having connected safely sixty-one
times. Sam Rice leads in stolen
bases. while Bill Snyder is leading
the pitchers with four victories and
no defeats.
Up to the present time the Grffmen
are the only American League aggre-
cation not to feel the bristles of
the whitewash brush this year.
For speedy recuperation Joe Judge
is entitled to the first prize. Those
who got a peek at the cash in his
leg over at the Polo Grounds said
he would be lucky to get back in a
uniform inside of three weeks. Last
night Griff said Judge had progressed
SO nicely that he probably would play
against the Browns on Tuesday.
Leonard to Fight Sheppards.