Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-04-01
BY JAMES CRUSiNBERRY.
Special Dispatch to Great Falls Daily
Tribune and Chicago Tribune.


Tampa, Fla. March 3l.--lf it is pos
s;ble for pair Of youngsters to handle
things around the middle bag i'll biz lea
guc style their first year out, Clark
Griffith may have quite an improved club
in Washington this year.
Even if it isn't possible for the kids
to do everything right. the team ought
to be better than last year. when Griff
had to turn an outfielder into a shortstop
and lost lot of bali games because Of
weakness in that position.
On the whole. Griffith has 4 pretty
fair hitting club. Il bunch of speed men
on the bases. and a high class pitching
staff. All he needs is Il first grade in
field to make ball club that might even
get into the fight for pennaut honorS.
hut it looks doubtful if his youngsters
can turn out such class, at least this
year.
Optimism De Luxe.
However. Griffith himself is more OPP
timistc than even. which is optimism dc
luxe. He always did think he could do
lot Of things, even in the years when
his club traiIcd. OF course. in all but ore
or two wears since he has been Il man
ager he has been disappointed. but Just
the same he thinks be has something
now.
Don't overlook this c!nb, if you're
going to tell the fans which teams will
be in the pennant fight. tell YOU
I've got ball team this year. he said.
maybe it is thought Impossible for us
to have good club IN Washnton, but
the wise guys will learn thing or two
this year. I don't see how any one can
keep us out of the first division, just
wait until that old race begins and watch
us go.
1t was just after his club has knocked
the worlds champion Reds down several
times that Griff made this speech. Pos
sibly his enthusiasm should be tempered
bit. for the Reds showed no signs of
the form that enabled them to trample
the White Sox in the dust last fall.
Acid Test Ahead.
The two Youngsters who hold the fate
Of Washington in their hand are Stanley
Harris and Jimmy O'Neil. Neither has
ever been in the big league, and doing
things in training camp and then re-
heating them in championship game
ara different thugs. 1t often hanpeps
that a yonngster shows great promise in
camp. only to fall down when the real
race begins.
But perhaps these two boys will be
exceptions. Or If both don't come
through, perhaps one will. In camp and
exhibition games both have been hitting
at big league stride. 1t may be to their
advantage that they are not extremely
young. O'Ncil is ~ years old and the
other lad is well past voting age.
Harris was whirlwind at second
base last season for Buffalo in the In
tcrnational league. He hit .:7S. ard
looks MS it he might do nearly az we'll
in the big show.
0'NeiI from Baseball Family.
ONeil was with Shreveport of the
Texas league, where he swatted for
.2SS, which is quite swatting mark in
a hot climate He seems to have all the
natural ability Of big Lacquer. and the
fact that he is from family OF ball
PLAYERS indicates he may have the real
stuff.
Steve O'Ncil, sterling catcher Of the
Cleveland club. is his brother. and 80
is Mike O'Neil, who made reputation
at Scranton. Jimmy hits exactly like
brother Steve. which means he has driv-
ing mower behind his blows. Already he
has the left fielder playing near the
fcuse when he steps up to bat
(should either one Of these tpys fall
.n "a; ;tx. the ,s,e,a' battle is on is place
: 1896 to the dollar, a.e'. ;. AZ b1.o ston
times: marks at 1..4O cents G1u !, ~.
81 diAn dollars ut o. so centss~asss