The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-04-11
Me- YORK
Y|PSITS
SALVO
Johnson or. Zachary viii op.
pose Mc0ulIIan or Wisner
at Polo Grounds
BY R. d. THOMAS.

~
NEW YORK, April 11.-Amer-
iea's largest city is prepared to
yip a welcome home to its con-
sIuering Giants at the Polo Grounds
TODAY. Broadway once more has
the winning spirit and reveie IN
victory. Two games behinds rained
ont of all opportunity to finish on
the long and, but bent upon
achieving 1T least tie in the
unoffici:l world series with their
victims of the real thing, the
Griffmen were hoping for sunshine
in the sky and might In the right
arm of Walter Johnson, or in the
forkside wing Of Tom Zachary,
one of whom is expected to face
perhaps the hardest hitting ball
team in all Christendonn.
Either Hugh McQuillan or Long
John Wisner, the human string
from Rochester, is the promised
pitching choice Of John MeGraw.
The Griffmen have taken . beat
Ing from the Giants thus tar IN
GOOD spirit. realizing that McGraW's
nan cot the Jump on them In .he
early training. Their last defeat
served merely to strengthen the
washington players determination
. to make a showing ct least credit
able.
The team 10 in shape. The
morale IL high. Rucky Harris ano
: his men await with eagerness, III
concealed by their interest In .he
games with the Giants. the opening
of the American League Champion
shin campaign next Tuesday here
with the Yankees.
s 1--WE are ready" said the young
manager.
Two members Of the washing
ton team particularly VIII De pre-
: pared for the grand domga, though
neither = considered likely 20
have an important part IN them.
Wild Matthews, extrA outfielder,
and Mule Shirley, understudy 20
Joe Judge, lately have achieved
the IaudahIe distinction of being
the most energetic workers ON :
Clark Griffitlls pay ron. Also they
figure to rank high. u not fore
most, among balIplayefs dis
tinguished principally for their
Accept II on excellent authority.
the word of the young athletes
themselves. that they win halt at
nothing within the bounds of deco
rum to pull the heavy grade to
major league success.
A tWo-man batting practice. that
lasted three hours, and wore out
eighteen volunteer kid fly chasers,
was held by Matthews and Shirley
before the Griffmen entrained for
this place. They started at 10
o'clock In the morning, and were
shoced off the field at ! by Ground
keeper O'Day, who objected to haV-
ing his diamond marked up by
couple of basehall-mad youngbloods
playing in the rain.
Shortly after breakfast today
Matthews and Shirley. as eager as
a couple Of golf lunatcs or TOT
the links, left the Alamac Hotel
for the polo grounds, there to put
In another long batting practice not
ordered by RucKy Harris.
This sort OF thing Is on our
daily program for the rest OF this
trim, at least" Matthews replied to
questioning a. to how long he and
Shirley intended to carry on their
effort to become expert batsmen.
To an observer 1t appeared to be
matters Of how long the throwing
arm of each would hold up. They
do their own pitching.
The Shark Plug IL striving prin-
cipaIIy to develop steam behind his
drives. That ne already Is &C.
curate with the fail Is Indicated
by The fact that in fifty.three
games played with Washington
Iasf year he struck out only four
times. His average was .SOI.
Shirley. in thirty games. hit .2s4
and 10 proving now that he was
anything but well pleased with that
mark.
Since the team left Tampa
neither has had opportunity to prac'
tice batting regularly. The con-
slant rush Of transforming afforded
little enough time for the regulars
to get some work at the plate aside
from actual play. But Matthews
and Shirley are making up for lost
time and then some.
INQUIRY among the Giants today
revealed a high regard for Zeo
Fraser, outfielder taken from the
Washington sandlots by John Nc
Graw this. spring. Fraser has been
sent to Reading in the International
League under option Hughey Jen-
nings said OF him: Fraser Is
natural and a hard hitter and
promising in other respects"
Fraser, not long after reporting
at Sarasota, 1t Is said. was afflicted
with soreness in his throwing arm.
But even without this handicap 1t
II considered doubtful that he would
have won job this year with the
National League champions, who
are we'll stocked with seasoned out