The Washington times., 1921-08-08

In talking with President Griffith
one day this last spring we heard
him say: 81 have learned one most
important thing which | shall tell
Mcbride. 1t is to change your pitch
ers the moment you have the slight
est idea that you're going TO change
him. No. u haven't always done 1t.
But, sitting in the stand and away
from the bench, | can see that that's
the only thing to do. i shall give
George the benefit OF my own ex-
perience that far. anyway"
Manager Mcbride faced one OF
those crises yesterday. He started,
In the first place. an irregular pitch
err, that is, one not considered In the
first string. He took chance right
there. Some OF us second thought
guys" even before the game started.
figured George had pulled a bone in
not sending Walter Johnson TO the
hill. Johnson had rested three days.
1t was his turn to pitch.
Had No Confidence.
The team has no confidence in Mr..
Courtney. who was sent to the hill
against the hardest team in the
league for the Griffs to defeat. Look
at the box score for proof. II you
were there, you know that never
was any spirit shown by any of the
players. They seemed
to expect something awful to happen
every minute. Had johnson been on
the mound. this situation would not
have prevailed.
The Browns have an edge now OF
two games on the Griffs for the sea.
son to date. They will have more
unless the home brigade pulls itself
together and begins fighting again.
There was little or no fighting spirit
In sight Yesterday. However, that is
Possibly because he lacks the physi-
cal strength, Mr.. Courtney seems I'M
able to pitch nine innings al top speed.
This is no especial fault. Not all men
can be giants, even II they think they
are. Mr.. Courtney is no giant. Right
now he ranks high as a relief pitcher.
He is always good for three or four
innings. After that-well, consider
yesterdays exhibition. .....
Schacht Was Ready.
With Mr.. Courtney delegat ted to per-
form, Al Schacht, the comedian fling
er, went to the bull pen Immediately.
He was ready to go to work. In the
third inning he limbered up a bit and
then sat down again. In the sixth he
got busy, and most of the second.
thought guys" figured he would be in
there.
But 1t was not till the ninth that he
appeared. BY that time he might as
well have remained in the bull pen.
The game was lost beyond retrievaI.
The point Of all this is that some
where during those first eight innings
Manager Mcbride had a bunch that
he would have to yank his handsome
lefthander. AND THAT WAS WHEN
HE SHOULD HAVE YANKED HIM.
1t was a waste OF valuable time to
keep him in there until the game
was gone.
Far be 1t from us to manage the
Griffs. Too much of job that would
be. But, nevertheless, we do remem-
Ter those words OF Clark Grifith's.
dragged from him after years of han.
ding major league ball clubs. We won
der IL George Mcbride doesn't agree
with us that the time to have changed
pitchers was when the Grtffs still had
f. chance to win a ball game. And
that would have been in the fourth in
ming.
OF major league baseball
Il comes to yanking out pitcher.
They have fond idea that the ailing
hurler will work out of the bad holes
into which he has fallen. Now and
then veteran pitchers do that thing.
Seldom do youngsters.
The Iron car" type OF manager
who IL absolutely heartless in his
handling OF pitchers and players In