The Washington times., 1920-06-20

which is there with the biggest bea
And the Griffs, including Jim shaw
and Olaf Erickson. are once more IN
Detroit. SO is Doc Ayers. Therefore,
today is the day of the great test
Jim Shaw will be in charge
Until a week or so ago clark Srit
nth seemed to have all the better OF
the -Ayres- Erickson deal The Dig
swede began to pitch good ball at the
start, while Ayers mere fioundered
with the Tigers. just as he had with
the Gri1s.
The 1919 campaign ended with
Washington a shade ahead of Detroit.
This spring Erickson opened up In
wonderful fashion, and, as Ayers was
still a bull-pen pitcher, the Grins
hoped ahead, but Erickson began
slipping, and at last Old Doctor Cox,
as Ayers Is known in Washington
began to show real class. When Doc
shut out the Red Sox with three hits
on Friday. the deal seemed even once
more. Thus today's test gains real
Importance.
ZEIDER HELD HONORs
When Rollie Zeider quit the Ameri-
can League with him went the
greatest proboscis in the diamond
history. That beak and Rollie's mar
velous bunions combined in making
him famous. Rollie once explained
his ability to grab flies out of the sun
by saying that his great beak made
a cool shadow for his eye. and thus
IL was no great stunt for him.
Today there are two candidates for
Rollie Zeider's old position. Wash
ington presents Olaf Erickson. De-
troit boasts of Old Doctor cox, Wyatt
Yancey Ayers, Of Hillville, Va
p Detroit today gloats over its new
position as the fourth largest city in
the country. Washington grqaciously
admits that there is but one real city
to live in. and that is by the banks OF
the Potomac. 1t is a stand-off there,
you see Thus does today's test again
gain in Importance. 1t will settle this
great question. The Tigers used to
call Doc Ayers 1.-THE Oowr when he
was with the Griffs. They are back
ing his beak against that of the
Norseman.
BACK ERICKSON.
The Griffs insist that Erick has the
sawbones beaten: They claim Erick
can't walk across a good stiff breeze
without being blown off his course.
Remember now" said Jim Shaw
this morning before starting his sec
ond order Of ham and eggs, to-day
we measure you two birds and see
which has the biggest beak. I'm bet
ting 50 of O'Neill's money that you've
got Doc Ayers stopped. and stopped
cold" So today at Navin Field comes
the test to determine the greatest
beak in the American League.
Come to think of it. that Is about
the only test due here. The Tigers
are limping along in seventh place.
too far behind the Griffs to make
this series of any Importance what
ever, The Griffs are still without
Stanley Harris at second base and
steady pitching. Until both are OBJ
tanned the Griffs will merely be play
ing out the schedule.
EXHIBIT WAS GOOD.
Olaf Erickson gave mastery ex-
hibition of pitching for five innings
yesterday in, Cleveland, holding the
Indians hitless. Then, with the big
crowd roaring and stamping to sup
port Speakers gang, the Norseman
ascended to the skies. From then on
to the end he staggered into holes
and out of them, just escaping defeat
here and there.
1t was amazing that he won out
8 to /. Stanley Coveleskie's defeat
was his fourth of the season, and it
was decisive, the Griffs piling into
him for three runs in the first two
innings. Then he pitched good ball
until relieved by a pinch hitter.
Niehaus twirled the last two in
nings for Cleveland and permitted
two runs, thus cinching the victory
for the touring Griffmen.
Three infeld hits and Sam Rice's
great speed gave the Griffs two runs
right of the reel and started a chorus
OF mechanical noisemakers. Judge
slapped one to first for Doc Johnston.
Milan famed. but Rice beat out
slow one in the front yard. As Cove
leskie was tossing out Roth both run
pers advanced.
sHANKS IN PINCH
Shanks proved the right man in the
pinch, bouncing the ball over Covelys
head. Judge and Rice were moving
at top speed as the ball struck the
midway cushion and Sam slid in be-
fore wamby could get the pill to the
plate.
After two were gone In the second
Erickson picked one off his beak and
failed II to the lcft-ield corner for
two bases. coming in on Judges wal
lop to center.
Whatever hopes Erickson had OF
pitching n no-hit game were smashed
in the sixth. For nVe innings Elmer
Smith alone had reached first and he
did so on a pass. All the others had
been retired in order. Then came the
sixth.
Nunamaker drove the FIRST pitched
ball to left for a single, the uproar
from the big crowd was deafening,
and Erickson didn't seem to like II
any too well. Coveleskie flied to Rice.
Then Charlie Jameson laced one
down the nrst base line, putting Nun
Nlmaked on third.
Chapman's long ny to Rice scored
Cne big catcher, and the Bedlam ended
suddenly. as Speaker forced Jameson
with gropnder to o'Neill. Smith
and Larry Gardner singled in the sew
enth. but anhouRht Erickson flled the