Evening star., 1920-04-04
GR|FFMEN 0UTP[AY
REDS AND REGISTER
/ VICTORY BY z TO 1
Crowd of 4,50O Welcomes
Team and Sees TitIehold-
ers Lose Fast Game.
EXHIBITION SERIES,
ny DENMAN THOMPSON.

league brand was furnished by
the more than 4,500 who yester-
day paid titular season prices
to enter American League Park
and shiver for the privilege of
getting their first glimpse of the
machine Clark Griffith will en-
ter IL the 1920 pennant hunt
They were we'll repaid by seeing
The Nationals nose out the Gin
cinnati Reds. 2-l, in a tight con-
test that required less than an
hour and a half to complete,
much TO the qualification of those
OF the fans who neglected to tote
their topcoatS with EN-.
As the score would indicate,
the battle resolved itself largely
into hurting duel between Jim
Shaw and Al Schacht on the one
hand and Adolfo Luque and Ed
die Gerner on the other. with
honors going to the local heav-
ers by a considerable margin.
Not only did Griff's pitchers
demonstrate they possessed an
edge in box work: their mates
outplayed the world champions
aheld. and it is to this fact that
the Nationals victory is due, for
on earned runs the count was
and L. The tally that meant vic
tory for the capital phalanx was
presented by Joe Meyer, an
obliging young man who is sub
bing for Daubert at first while
the redoubtable Jake is exhibit
ing a beautiful coat of tan ac-
quired in Florida-some of it
outdoors-to the natives OF that
dear Shamokin, Pa, while nurs-
ing pair of damaged digits.
O'NeiII Gets Lustiest CIout.
Griff's kid inhelder's. Who. along
with Capt. Heinie Groh, Batting
Champion Eddie Rousch and
others OF Garry Herrmann's title
holders. were the chief source of
interest to the fans, did not have
many opportunities to distinguish
themselves. but they handled
everything that came their way
aheld and each managed to regis
ter bingle. Jimmy O'Neill was
the busiest of the lot, taking care
OF six chances incidentally he
connected for the most resound-'
ing whack of the matinee, blow
over Rousch's head in right
center that netted him three
bases. but failed to figure in the
scoring. as the runways were un-
occupied at the time and Charity,
who followed. chalked up his hit
in another round. O'Neill had
but one chance that wasn't soft,
a rap close to second that he
scoooed up and shot to Judge
ahead OF Rousch, who can travel
down to first with the best of
them The double play he started
reeked of after of horseshoes, for
with Neale on first Jim had
moved just far enough toward
second in covering to intercept
Meyers liner.
The only noteworthy bit of
fielding accomplished by the
Griffs was stop by. Judge of
kopf blow to his right, which
Joe knocked down and timed per-
fectly in ferry1ng it to Shaw as
he reached the initial station. 1t
was Greasy Neale who set off the
only real exhibition OF pyrotech-
mics. and it cost the Nationals at
least one run in addition to rob-
bing joe Judge of sure-hre
triple. This act was perpetrated
in the fourth frame, when with
Charity on second by virtue of
his single and diving theft of
second. Judge Strengthened out
one OF Luque's benders and
started it on a journey to that
new fence in right field that Al
Jordon has covered with Easter
egg advertisements Neale turned
and while loping in a nonehalant
manner i'll the general direction
OF the Navy Yard speared the ball
over his left shoulder The fans
made Greasy uncover the latest
thing in haircuts when he trotted
III to the bench.
No Scoring After Third.
All oi the scoring was con-
fined TO the first three innings,
the Nationals breaking the ice in
TIC opener. after Rath gave the
Reds what appeared to be all
auspicious start by hitting safely
TO lett. only to be nipped off first
by Charity, when kopf failed to
connect in an effort to sacrifice.
Both Judge and Milan had been
disposed OF. when Rice jammed
single past Meyer, and prompt
ly stole second. Roth refused to
bite at bad ones, and made way
ior Shannon. who shot a single
TO lett. on which Roth was flag
ged sliding into third, but not
before Rice had crossed the plat
ter with precious tally.
This lead was short lived, Ed
Rousch paving the way for the
tying run in the second, when
he got a double on ball Rice
wavered under due to the tricky
course OF the ball in the gusty
wind. He eased on to third
while Shannon was handling
Duncan'S bunt. and registered on
a line drive from Neale's bat that
Maurice leaped for and checked,
but failed to hold. That ended
it for the Reds, the double play
O'Neill started following. The
champions had only one other
chance to score, in the fifth,
when Duncan led off with a
single TO left that went for two
sacks. when the ball bounded
past Milan. but Shaw got the
next three men i'll order. tanning
Nealc, much to the West Vir-
ginian's disgust.
Against Schacht, who assumed
the hurting burden when Shaw
lett off the Reds were hclnleSs