The Washington times., 1921-04-14

johnson needs a lot of work and, :
as he is a natural giutton for work.
will probably get it. At Tampa he
pitched three innings. At Jackson
Z VILE he pitched one before rain
thalted his efforts. Returning home.
he pitched four innings against the
New York Giants. Thus. as prepara-
tion for yesterdays opening skirmish
Johnson had exactly eight innings
of actual toll
Whea Johnson left the squad at
Jacksonville 1t seemed to some that
he might better have gone with the
gang into the wilds of Tennessee, IL
only that he might have worked fire.
quently. This is no reflection upon
anybody connected with the team. 1t
is a mere statement Of fact the muir
merings coming to our ears more
than once. The murmerings were
well meant. too, the murmerers
thinking only of Johnson's own good.
AS compared with Zachary,
Schacht, Acosta, and Erickson, John
son has done little or no work
this spring to At him for the rough
going of a regular league campaign.
1T is probable that the Kansas
Whirlwind will be a mere zephyr for
a while.
Is BUMPED RUDELY.
The Griffmen's star hurler pushed
the first one over for Oscar Vits
but the next one went into the
crowd in right field for three bases
under the ground rules, witt scoring
la moment later on Eddie Fosters
long fly to Lewis.
In the second three hits were
chalked up against the big fellow.
though all three were of the fluke
variety. McInnis beat out a slow
hopper to Harris. Ruers bounder
skipped right over Shanks' left
shoulder and Jones' single along the
left field foul line went OF the
handle. But the inning showed that
walters control was none too good.
He was having trouble getting his
fast ball over the pan.
Mike Menosky smashed clean GIN
gle to right in the third and Tim Hen
dryx jammed a steaming bounder that
O'Rourke did well to defect. Had Nc
1nnis not hit into a double play. some
runs certainly would have come over.
whethsr Walter himself advised re-
lief or Manager Mcbride took the
yeins into his own hands, we know
not. We care not. Walter. as we
know him, might have asked for re-
lief. As we tl0nk Mcbride viii act
this year, the manager may have wig
wagged Johnson out and Erickson in.
Anyway, the big fellow was bumped
roughly in the fourth, Scott and Ruel
driving singles to left and Jones
punching hearty triple between
Lewis and Rice. Erickson was on the
hill in the fifth.
PITCHERS NOT READY.
Immaterial as to Official pronunciaS
Snentos. the Washington pitchers as
a squad are not ready for the grind.
One or two are farther advanced than
the others, but all need more work
against real opposition. or course,
now that the season is under way,
they'll get IL, sometimes two and three
OF them a day.
The series with the Giants indi
Gated more clearly than anything else
the comparative backwardness of the
Washington pitchers. While the team
rs a whole shaped up quite as strong
and quite as fast as the National
League favorites, the pitchers failed
to look as good as the Giants string.
One game does not make a season.
Sam Jones victory, clearly earned,
too. does not doom the Griffs to any
cellar berth. Today Hughey Duffy
may have to drag out two or three
hurlers to stop the onslaught. But
tho stubborn fact remains that Mana
ger Mcbride faces deep problem
when he considers his pitching talent.
JONES SETTLES DOWN.
Sam Jones was being hit savagely
for three innings, and IL began to
look as IL the Griffs had killed their
ancient jinX. Judge and Rice banged
out clean singles in the first Shanks
tripled and singles rippled off the
bats of O'Rourke. Picinich and Judge
Tn the second. Rice and Harris sin
gled in the third. But thereafter
Jones was invincible.
In the last six frames just one
measly hit was obtained by the Griff-
men. Rice smacking a single to right
in the fifth. Mr.. Jones deserved his
triumph. his mound exhibition once
he settled down being excellent.
III Jones receives praise. certain Of
his fellows horn into the picture.