The Washington times., 1927-06-08

Philadelphia, the washington GrtIf.
men will be back in the first divi.
sion by nightfall. That's how close
this race is running behind the
champion Yankees.
Only one point keeps the Griffs
today from tie with Dan Howley's
gang. That shows how important
were those three defeats by the
Browns last week.
The Griffs are but two and .
half games behind the third
place MacI1men and seven and
B half behind the second place
Chicago White Sox, who. will
make their debut in the Capital
Saturday.
1t is because Of this situation
that Manager Harris refuses to
knuclle down and say ''uncle' just
because his gang has been going
rotten. He knows from experience
how rapidly a team can climb. once
it hits q winning streak. He also
knows from that same experience
how suddenly a team can come out
Of the worst slump and reach the
heights.
The Griffmen have eleven more
games to play here before. hiking
up to Philadelphia to be insulted
and razzed from start to finish by
some Of the most unruly fans to be
found in the American League cir
cult. There are evidences that some.
real baseball weather is at hand.
That will do the players a lot of
good. 1t is something they have.
needed more than anything else to
put them in good playing condition.
AS to those Shibe Park fans, Milt
Castor, the Browns pitcher. took an
unwise punch at one of them yes
terday. OF course, that was foolish
and Milt will be set down by Ban
Johnson, or whoever is heading the
league at the moment. but those
Shibe Park fans have been making
life miserable for visiting players
and umpires all season.
Since Ty Cobb and Al Sim.
mons were suspended and fined
by Ban Johnson after q run-in
with Umpire Ormsby. the SEibe
ParkerS have been worse than
ever, IL that is possible. They
begin with the first inning and
never stop till the last, keeping
up a perfect barrage Of insults.
Hthas been the fate of the wash.
ington club to take the worst of it.
With the lone exception of Walter
johnson, every member OF the
Washington club receives his medi.
cine as soon as he appears on the
field. Bucky Harris and Goose Cos
get extra doses to make up for
what Johnson misses.
The trouble with Shibe Park
fans. says a Philadelphia sports
writer with a gift of humor, sis
that they are too prosperous. The
former bleacherites now sit in the
grandstand and they have brought
their bleacher manners along with
them"
The Philadelphia sports writer's.
al eminently fair fellows. give no
support to the roWdies and are
quick to assist the visitors. either
players or officials, but the Shibe
Park fans have made a name for
themselves all over the American
League circuit.
CASTOR will have the syrnpathv
of players with all clubs. but tba
Mackmen while in DURANGO vile
because of taking q sock at an
insulter in the grandstand.
Bob Reeves looked fair enough
I'm his first day as the Griffs'
regular shOrtfielder. II must
pc admitted, though, that ne
had little to do in the field. His
lone putOut was a pop fly. from
Summa's bat in the second and
ms one assist was on an easy
roller from FOnseca in the
eighth, forcing Neis at second.
At bat the kid from Georgia
Teen got one hit in four tries. but
II Was about the best hit he has
made since donning a Washington
UNIFORM, vicious drive to left
field off Sherry Smith in the big
second frame. He has been pokfng
hts few bingles into right, but that
Wallop yesterday had all the cor.
rect earmarks.
Bucky Harris pulled Bluege out
Of second place in the batting or
der yesterday and so startled him
that the third sacker began clout.
ing the ball all over the place. He
hit safely on his first three trips
to the plate, driving in four runs
and scoring one for himself.
y Because of Reeves inexperience
and lighter hitting, Ruel went back
to sixth place and the kid short.
FIELDER took his abandoned eighth
position in the batting order. Muddy
got two bingles, his two-bagger to
the center field wall driving Shaute
off the hill in the fifth.
T1..- -
Bucky Harris gave a fine ex.
hibition of fielding. His stop of
George Burns single in the second
was brilliant in the extreme. In
the next inning he raced into right
for Jamieson's fly and in the
seventh he brought down Fonseca's
aerial effort in center.
Dick Smelling, the DAYTON
University finger and third
sacker, is expected to renort
here tomorrow, coming from
his home in Cleveland. Buddy
Dear, the Virginia Poly short.
stop, may turn up at the same
time. Both have been well
recommended, but will have to
show something in practice he.
fore breaking into the batting
order.
One former Griffman, Cuckoo
Jameson, was in the Cleveland
lineup yesterday and two more
who trained at Tampa this spring
edged in, Bernie Neis and Nick
Cullop. Neis played a fine game
I'm center field, contributing one
long running catch and collecting
two hits. CYlop went to bat for
Karr In the eighth ana struck out.