Evening star., 1921-04-13


L sixteen teams of the America
ing games OF what is expected 10
different parks will be jammed tho
raucous bark of the peanut vender
the annual cold-dinner period for
been lured to golf or other sports
once more will be officially inaugur
The spectacle which will be present
ed at Clark Griffith's stadium will be
typical of that at the other plants
dedicated to the national pastime,
provided the weather man is as con-
siderate elsewhere as he promises to
be here-masses of good-natured and
noisy men, women and children, live
ly tunes by the inevitable brass band,
and the flashing figures of the players
darting here and there with the Pc
cVliar musical ping" occasioned by
the impact of second growth ash
against horsehide, being heard in
termittently as the starting signal
for the roaring noise made when a
mass of humanity gives voice to spon-
taneouS enthusiasm.
Has National Aspect.
But while the scenes at ith and
Florida avenue will parallel in their
main essentials those enacted in seven
other large American cities at ap-
proximately the same time. capital
fans will have one distinct advantage
over those of other cities. There is
only one President of the United
States. and he will participate in the
ceremonies incidental to opening the
season here. by tossing out the hrst
ban. Likewise there is only one Per-
shing and it is the general who will
march at the head of players of
both teams to the Flagstaff in center
field to unfurl the Stars and Stripes.
Ban Johnson. head of the league.
will be another distinguished specta-
tor.
Manager Mcbride this morning was
not prepared to say whether Walter
johnson, George Erickson or Jezebel
Zachary would get the call to do the
pitching for the Nationals. but assert :
ed he was confident that any one OF
the three was At to give a good ac-
count Of himself.
Hugh Duffy. the new pilot Of the
Boston club. has nominated sam
Jones. his sterling Highlander, for
duty, but is not SO certain regarding
positions, the club having been par
t.cularly hard hit this spring through
the lateness of two stars in reporting
and injuries to three other regulars.
Menosky In a Regular.
II is assured that our old friend
Mike Menosky, John Collins and Tim
Hendryx will comprise the outfield,
strained side Another gardener. Sam
Wick, has water on the knee. The ac-
complished Stuffy McInnis will hold
forth at the initial station and can
be counted on for his customary nigh
class exhibition. although he has been
with the team only about a week. due
to salary differences with President
Frazee, and appears to be CONSIDER
ably overweight. Everett Scott. the
best fielding shortstop in the Ameri-
usual, notwithstanding painful
charleyhorse in his leg. which has
kept him out Of the lineup for about
N Whether & Oscar Wit soes through
tho contes. at third win depend on
how an ankle he sprained recently
holds up. a promising youngster
named Clark Pittinger being avail
able for service there in case the vet
pected that Eddie Foster, washington
business man and former -Grinman.
will cavort around the keystone sack.
The position has been allotted to Der
rill Pratt. erstwhile R,ewn and
permission to relinquish his duties as
coach at the University of Michigan.
and while he agreed some time ago
to report had not shown up last night.
sox May Surprise Critics.
Circumstances, such as the fact that
the regular infield has not yet played
together even once, will prove big
his team on to a good start, but if
his veterans don't cave in the Sox
may surprise lot Of the critics who
have awarded them cellar honors
G4Il fc Fo~ frn a nd
tho inner Gordon with all the ;regu-
lars on the job and in condition is
one Of the best in the circuit
Tho catching stan. comprising Mud
dy Ruel. Al Walters and Bert Chap
Pennock, Joe Bush. Elmer Myers, AL
Ian Russell and Lefty Thormahien are
. fair fBtful Of fingers. The latter
Is not at his best right now owing
to mental stress due to illness Of his
sembie the Bullet Joe Of old and Rus
sell is said to have fully recovered
from a variety Of ailments which kapt
him bedridden in Baltimore for weeks
at time. Myers won nine straight
games for the Sox after being trans
ferred from Cleveland late last season.
Then there are others. including Ben
ME Karr, who can hit as well as
pitch: Curtis Fullerton, who earned a
reputation with Jen Tesreau's semi
PRO outfit around New York. and Frank
Taicott, a product Of Yale
Elks Put Up Good Game.
TO put the finishing touches on
their training the Nationals yester
day entertained Manager Charley
Johnson's Elks' team at the ball park
Although beaten. s-3. Lem Owen.
Emil Pfeil and the other players led
by Johnny Bleir gave a good account
Of themselves. The herd obtained
eight hits OF Harry Courtney. who
OF trouble getting the ball over the
plate. Monk Fraser got two of the
bingles, one a terrific clout to left
center for three bases, and both fig
ured in tho runmaking. Bleir dis
tinguished himself with a long run
ming catch of a drive by Shanks in
the third inning. He was so far out
when he grabbed the ball that Har-
ris. who had rounded second. had time
to get back TO first in safety.
Only few hundred fans turned out
for the game. They were treated by
seeing Bing Miller drive a ball over
the temporary seats in center field on
the FIRST bound to the jury box and
reach third base by merely jogging.
How Gri6s Are Batting.
Statistics on the batting done by
the Nationals in their exhibition
games en- route north from Tampa
show Rice did the best hitting of any
of the bunch, with an average of 36s
although Shanks. who appeared in but
four games, is the nominal leader
with a percentage of 500. Only the
game with the Phillies at Jackson
vile and those against the Southern