Evening star., 1925-12-13
DEAL NOW BREWING
FOR CRACK PITCHER
Tour With Giants Is Feature
of Griffs' Long List of
Spring Exhibitions.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON,
Sports Editor. The star.

A LTHOUGH apparently barren
~ OF results. it develops that
considerable was accomplished
in the several days spent in New
York by the Washington club Off
cials last week aud that there may
be more to come.
1t was divulgcd last night by Presi-
dent Clark c. Griffith that practical
ly complete itinerary of Spring tram
ing games for the Nationals has been
arranged. with the New York Giants
as opponents in a majority Of them,
and it is learned from reliable, but
wholly unofficial, source that one OF
the many trades discussed in Gotham
has better than an even chance or
materializing in the not distant tu-
ture-probably before the holidays.
What the prospective deal involves
In the way of players. or the identity
of the trading club. was not divulEed
even by intimation, but bit of deduc-
ton ba sed on the number and length
of the conferences held by the local
representatives with various owners
and managers in the hotel lobbies of
the metropolis indicates that the
dicker, if IL goes through, VIII bring
to the Griffmen a seasoned pitcher
of the highest claSs-one capable of
strengthening the champions as much
as either Coveleslie or Ruether, the
acquisition of whom last Winter
meant the difference between Wash
ington winning and not winning it's
second straight pennant-
Griffmen Involved Not Named.
The name or names of the talent
that would have TO be given up by
the Nationals also is obScured in
mystery. but it is a safe bet that no
performers vital TO the success of the
Capital phalanx would be let go. In
other words there are players on the
local roster who might be calculated
10 bolster a rival which finished COM
paratively far down in the race, who
might we'll be spared by the club
which landed on top without very
much assistance from them.
Negotiating for another exhibition
tour with the Giants unquestionably
was a smart business move on the
part Of Griffith. After the hectic set
of contests that the little world
series" of last Spring produced it was
freely predicted that the men Of
Harris and McGraw never again
other kind of games, unless the for
tunes of the diamond brought them
together in another Fall classic, but
both camps fully appreciated the
value of the keen competition it af-
forded their actiYes in preparing for
the regular championship campaigns,
while taking into account at the same
time that no better arrangement from
financial standpoint was possible.
Series Last Spring Scored.
When the 1925 Spring exhibitions
got under way and il looked as If the
Giants were going to pile up an over
Whelming majority of victories over
the club that had vanQuished them in
The 1924 world series, the tour was
roundly denounced on all sides, par
ticularly on the score that the spec
tacle of n world championship outfit
being drubbed by the team it had tri-
umphed over the Autumn before
would undermine the confidence of the
public in the annual title clashes.
What happened, of course. was that
the Nationals, starting slowly, gradu-
ally gathered strength, and in whirl-
wind finish pulled up TO even terms
with the National Leaguers, who paid
the penalty in injuries to several Of
their stars of bearing down" before
ln6 players were properly COHulllOHcU
Giants Made EN- Hustle.
1t is widely recognized fact that
any club. especially one composed
largely of veterans. such as the Griff-
men, has a tendency to let down the
year after capturing a pennant. That
he Nationals did not sag last season
IS attributed by keen observers to the
fact that they had a scrappy aggre-
cation like the Giants to contend with
;.t the outset. They had to hustle for
all they were worth to prevent Nc
Graw's minions from getting the bet
ter of them. This served to bring
them to the wire in ths pink of con-
riition. and as q result they were on
heir toes from the outset of the sea
'%6fl, and by keeping their heads up
contrived to breeze over the line with
plenty to spare.
All told, a total OF 90 practice games
have been listed for the Nationals, in
Guiding 13 with the Giants, although
two of the latter have not been def
nitely closed, and there is prospect
that several others will be added.
Dates For Practice Tits.
As arranged now the Boston Braves
will be met at St. Petersburg on March
g. with a return game on the follow
ing Saturday, MarCn 10, at tampa.
Contests with the Giants at Miami on
Sunday, March IA. and the next day
at Palm Beach are on the books as
pending"
On Thursday, March IS, the Phillies
will be the guests at Tampa, and in
. turn play host TO the Harrismen at
Bradentown the following day. Sat
,jrday, March 20. will find the Ma
Iionals in Sarasota for a home" game
with the Giants, and on either March
% or "a the Cincinnati Reds are to be
encountered in Tampa. Saturday or
that week, March q. the Giants will
appear in Tampa and stay over FOR
games the following Monday and Tues
dav. which will bring to an end the
soiourn of the Griffmen at their train
ing base.
Harris and his men will break camp
ir, time to reach WaycroSs. Ga, in
,irne for a. battle with the Rochester
J JTnternationals on Saturday, April 3.
and the next day will move to Fort
Renning to meet on the field named
sfter him Hank Gowdy's Columbus
a A. club or a team recruited among
The soldiers at the Army Infantry
sunday, April 8. will find the Ma
,ionals again mingling with the
Giants. this time at Birmingham, and
tho rival big leaguers then will pro-
raed northward together, playing
tuesday and Wednesday at Augusta,
-rbursday at Atlanta and Friday at
Norfolk. with the two final skirmishes
~, washington on Saturday and sun
dsy April 10 and IL. The teams then
viii have one day of respite before the
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