The Washington times., 1921-06-27

This is expected to bring about
righthanders, and reduce the furio
THE new pitching rule has taken
two winning pitchers from my club.
Shaw and Erickson" says President
Griffith. Both Of them were win
ners last year and both have been
failures SO far this year. Now the
pitchers are not to be fed new balls
as often as they have been and when
they do get one the gloss, will not
bother them. The umpire will rub
the chemical stun on the ball before
. pitcher goes to work.
CERTAIN TO HELP.
This is certain to help McBrides
pitchers, and with Shaw and Erick-
son able to win their share of games
the club should be all set for q great
race to the very end.
ANY lingering doubts as to Walter
Johnson's comeback must now be
gone. Walter has taken a long time
to get under way bNt he's ready now
and should win often from now until
the end of the season.
The race Is nearing the halfway
mark and the Washington club Ia
near the top. 1t is. on the whole,
better to be trailing by Ave or six
games than to be leading by that
small margin. The strain is less.
The grind through July and Au-
gust Is what brings out the weak
places In club. July killed my club
last year. At one time ! had q COM
plete substitute inneld on the neld
and Walter johnson suffering from q
lame arm at the same time.
Mcbride is in much better shape
as July approaches. He has enough
extra players to provide against any
sort of accidents, barring train
wreck, and his pitching problems are
beginning to vanish.
LOOK TO WALTER.
"T expect Walter johnson to win
many games from now on and fnish
with a high rank. Walter may yet
prove to be the mainstay of the
pitching staff just as he has always
been.
"The team should easily hold its
present comparative position through
July. II is a good hard team. remem-
ber. and its pitching is improving
every week.
Then in August the team should
pick UP a little with its home games,
and be In fne shape for the squirt In
September. II we are Ave games away
fror' the pennant on Labor Day only
ar earthquake can prevent Washing
ron from winning"
National League pitchers are also
to be assisted. according to President
Heydler, with the use OF moistene ed
earth removing the gloss from the
ball. III this IL not successful the
American Leagues chemical prepare
tion may be used to decrease the
slugging which threatens to make a
Joke of all past records and replace
skill with luck IN deciding victories.
President Griffith maintains that
there are only few real good right
hand pitchers left in the league. He
says they have all been ruined by the
use of freak deliveries. instancing
Shaw and Erickson on his own team.
GAINES BEING TUTORED
Taking away the sailers, the
shines, and the emery balls means the
pitchers must show real old-fashioned
speed and curves. They are not do
ing 1t, that's all. 1t may be that a
whole new collection of pitchers must
be found. In that case. II may take
a few years before a new batch is on
hand, but there is such a demand for
good pitchers that the supply is cer-
tain to be found"
Young Gaines, the Grif's newest
southpaw, is being taught how to i'm
prove his curve ball He already has
a good fast ball. and Nick Altrock
believes he will yet make a real
Lacquer out OF the youngster.
Gaines works out almost daily
against the .batters. and is displaying
very fair control. Tony Brottem, who
works behind the bat, says Gaines has
paw Will very likely accompany the
team on it's second tour through the
West
In his brief trial yesterday against
the Yankees, Gaines pitched to four
batters. Meusel opened with a slash
Ing single to left. The best Pipp
could do was to roll to Harris and
there might have been a double play
save that Lamotte dropped Harris.
peg. Aaron Ward rolled to Lamotte
and double play snuffed out Pipp
and Ward. wslly, Schang's best was
an easy roller to Shanks.
HAS GOOD CHANCE.
Gaines seemed green in his actions,
and some of the Yankees tried kid
ding him. He paid no attention to
the Yanks' bench. however, and stuck
to his knitting to the end. with
constant work he stands an excellent
chance of graduating into fast COM
pany next season.
Jezebel Tecumseh Zachary and Jack
Quinn are expected to hook up in a
mound duel tomorrow. Zachary has
had plenty of rest and so has Quinn.
so there Is no telling what will happen
BY winning yesterday, the Yanks
are now within one game of catch
ing the Griffs on the seasons work.
has eight victories to
seven for the Yanka