The Washington herald., 1921-05-06
RAIN AGAIN BALKS
GAME WITH YANKS,
MAY PLAY TODAY
Ruth's Batting Average
Bellies Report That He
Is Slumping.
BY JACK NYE.

ny shOh ~ s
President Clark Griffith leaned
back in the shiny golden oak
swivel chair in his newly con-
structed office, size eight by ten.
and watched 1t rain. He puffed on
a fat cigar and blew smoke rings
at the ceiling. He was feeling none
too clipper.
Thoughtlessly he picked up pa
per and glanced at the headlines In
the upper left hand corner he
caught the word weather" which
interested him moye than the ulti-
matum to Berlin.
Occasional rain tonight and to-
morrow: continued cold was the
cheering news of the official prog
nosticator.
Our president was plunged deeper
into the slough Of despond.
Here are fifty or more n2kfl!
paid New York and Washington atm
letes cooling their heels In the no
tel Hobbies while a large part OF
washington's population is acnlns
for a chance to see them play. Ihus
IL has been for two days. And there
is every prospect for another day Oh
inertia.
It's enough to make any magnate
sick.
| Griff. however, is an optimist. He
continues to hope.
"If 1t quits raining wen play
tomorrow" he asservates. ihe CAT
paulin is down and few hours OF
Sunshine will eue the soggy cofdt-
ton of the outfield. That tarpauitn
was guaranteed to be waterproof
and il it keeps the infield dry after
| all this moisture l guess l didn't get
| stung.
Rarney johnson is still ready to
pitch against the Yanks ana baoe
| Ruth is still anxious to eaten up
| with George Kelly in home runs.
So IL the weather man should faii
down on his dope, therem be some
I activity at Georgia avenue today
Nothing Wrong with Babe.
Mr.. Huggins denies the truth OF
| reports that he has warned Ruth
to cut out his parties and get down
to business.
Judging from the batting aver
ages of the league, there is reason
| to believe that somebody has been
spreading a bum brand of dope. Or,
| il Babe is addicted to parties. they
seem to have no effect on his bat
! ting eye.
/ Ruth is hitting at a rate of .3sS'
a mark bettered by only three men
| in the league. He can also boast
| of five home runs. George Kelly
| is the only man who tops him in
| long slugging, and George
will probably not have that honor
long.
In view of which circumstances,
the talk of benching Babe is prob
ably a lot of flapdoodle as Earle
Dorsey would say.
Perhaps the Yanks would fare
better if the other players added
parties to their training duties.
Stephenson stiTI Hitting.
Riggs Stephenson. Cleveland's
college second baseman, continues
his merry batting. After three
weeks of big league playing. he
had an average of AZ up to yes
terday. He is runner-up to Harry
Heilman, who is Leading the league
with the stick, and is tied with
the Detroit outfielder in the total
number of hits. with 25.
AS long as Stephenson continue.
to cut up in this manner, Billy
wambsganns is going to have a
hard time breaking into the line
up again when his injured arm
heals.
Shanks Bat Is Busy.
in the National regulars appears
| the name Of one Howard Shanks
| the famous utility performer. II
spring lasted all year, Hank would
| give George Sisler a run for his
money. In view o: the slim stick
| work of some of the Nationals. such
a punch is not to be despised al
| present and the best that Frank
Ellerbe and Deeby Foss can do is
to sit around and hope for the
] worst.
Turkey Can't Get Start.
Turkey" Brewer. slated for the
leading role as pinch hitter this
year. is still looking forward to the
I HoHPy SNGhl small Inns
his first safe one. To date the
Reading Rapper has faced the
pitcher seven times without a bin.
gle, though on most of these occa.
sions he has hit the bail with vim
and vigor. The youthful BRAZIL Of
the Athletics robbed him of one
extra base hit by a splendid stab
and others have treated him as
rudely.
Turkey" however, Is not the
Kind Of athlete to spend his days
and nights in worrying. He know.
ne can bust 'em and is equally
certain that they've got to fall safe
sooner or later.
Bing Miller, second best in the
pinches. is doing little better. Hi.
sum total Of safeties is one in. sever