The Washington times., 1924-08-07

the well-known evil poisonage tai
There is much speculation here
among the athletes as to who o.
them is to be sent to Sacramento II
immediate exchange for Earl Nc
Neeley. The latter is due to repor
TO Manager Harris here tomorrow
AS soon as he has signed his con
tract and is eligible to play ball fol
the Washington club, President
Griffith will be under the necessity
Of sending player to Sacramento
AS McNeeley will leave a gap ir
the outfield, it is naturally supposed
that the Griffs must send an out
fielder to the Pacific coast in his
stead.
Two of the Griffmen, Sparkle
Matthews and Ralph Miller, may be
sent to the minors without the
3ormalities Of waivers being OBJ
ea1ned. They are purchased players
IN their first year with the Wash
ington club and no waivers are re-
Qulred when they are sent back
Qnoer option Of repurchase. Memo
Leibold. on the other hand, must
% waived out Of the big leagues.
Matthews proved valuable for
MS first month with the. Griffs.
Tnen ne slowed up, especially at
Dat, and was benched. LeibOld
replacing him I'M the garden.
started off at a tremendous pace
He, like Matthews lasted ahomf
q month. Then he slowed down
to a crawl. He has been of small
offensive value on this trip
through the West.
Ralph Miller, obtained as a utility
mtielder, has been working out
oally as an outfielder and might
III Sacramento's needs. Either
matthews or Leibold would most
likely succeed. in the Coast League.
II Is fair guess that one of this
trio will receive his marching
oroers as soon as McNeeIey re.
ports and Is ready for action.
McNeely has established a bat.
ting average of 1898 for 106 games
this season, going to bat as lead off
man AL times, scoring 80 runs,
making 143 hits, including "a dou.
oles, triples and Z home runs.
However, for the two weeks begin.
ming July 10, his clouting has
cropped back to .212. Going to bat
4? times in those weeks he has got
eight singles, a double and one
home run. He is a costly gamble,
II he makes good with the Griffs
and hits around 800 when his hits
count, he may be the balance swing.
ing the team into a pennant, If
ne proves just one more of those
coast flivVers, Clark Griffith will
merely have lost in a grand gamble
OF $4,000 for a pennant.winnine
ball club this year.
Coast critics, who usuallv Gao
things through rose glasses. saw
McNeely is a much better hail
player In that circuit than was Jim
OConnell, who cost the New York
GIANTS $4,000. OConnell is a
Dcnch.warmer and has never proved
himself worth $4,000 since coming
r. the big league. The Griffs, with
tfeir eyes on the pennant, are hon.
ing McNeeley will be a success from
the jump. He will be given plenty
or encouragement In his big league
trial In the hopes that he will shove
the club right up to the top of the
race again.
Since leaving home the Griffs
nave won four games and lost
nine games. They dropped three
out OF four to the Indians and
won three out Of four SfrOm the
Jungaleers. They dropped five
IN a row to the peshy Brownies
ever q tough outfit for the Griffs
TO humble. Now they are tackling
comparatively easier rival and
nope to make some amends for
their painful showing against the
Browns.
Though dropping that last game
70 the Browns, to 5, the Griff
men are only three games out oj
first place. The Brownies have
crept to within half a game OF
the Gr1ffmen, but the latter haven't
been distanced because the Yankees
have been battling the Detroit
Jungaleers for the past four days
The Browns have simply Joined
the grand fight for the 1924 pen
nant.
Two things stood out in that last
defeat in st. Louis, the poor pitch
Ing and equally poor Judgment OF
George Mogridge in the opening
round and Memo Leibold's wretcheG
base running during the rally ir
the ninth. Without either, the
Griffs might have won. They sure
~ would have forced the Browns
into extra innings.
Mogridge walked Tobin as 6
starter and, though Evans wa.
seeking to sacrifice, Mogridge in
sisted on walking him, too. Harri.
came through with an excusabl,
error and Tobin was in. McManu,
singled, scoring Evans. The mex
two died and Mogridge, instead Of
passing SEVERED, pitched to hin
In the groove.
A clean single brought over
two more unnecessary runs.
M0gridge should have walked him,
and pitched to Gerber, who end
ed the inning with a fly. But
the Browns had scored four runs.
With the count to 4 agains
them, the Griffs made game raj
ly in the ninth. Matthews, hlttin;
for Mogridge, raped a two.baggel
up against the bleacher wall IL
right center and Leibold did I'll,
same thing, scoring Spark Plug.
OeeSsesssssessss
Min a MF