The Washington times., 1931-06-02
WASHINGTON TIMES SPORTS
GR|FF TELLS
HOW FLAG
WASLOST
BY GARRETT WATERS

BY OAhhE i i WA1E
Baseball pennants can be won
or lost very suddenly, according to
Uncle Clark Griffith, president Of
the Washington Griffmen, who,
in a chinfest, gives out an inter
esting illustration.
"The psychology Of the thing
has a lot to do with it," says
Griff, who has seen it more
than brought out in several in
. cidents of the past.
The Griffmen lost the cham
pionship to the AS last year on
Memorial Day, he says. His in
teresting explanation follows:
The Griffs were in Philadelphia
on Memorial Day for a double
header, it will be remembered.
They led the AS by two games
and every idea of keeping on top
and finally winning the flag.
AS Upset Dope
The AS had been easy meat
for them up to that time and
the Washington players from
Manager Walter johnson down
figured that because of this the
two games of that day would
be taken and a larger lead added.
But the AS bobbed up and
took two victories by sheer force.
ut was the way in which it
all happened" says Griff. "AI
Simmons beat us and 1t was
just a case in my mind of just
playing out the remainder of
the games On the schedule
from that time on"
LiSka, it will be remembered,
pitched a whale of a game for
nine innings in that first game.
But in the ninth. with two out,
he got himself into trouble and
found before he knew it that
the bases were full and AL Sim
mons, then inactive as a regu,
lar player and out because of an
injury, ready to bat as a pinch
hitter.
I AL came through with a home
run, tying the score, and the AS
won out later, in the 18th in
ming to be exact, when Ernie
McNair, then rookiee and
known little about, singled the
winning margin over the plate.
Simmons Is Punch
But this was not all. Simmons
again was the big punch in the
second game, although he just
appeared as a pinch hitter. He
clouted out another home run
which decided the issue and
stopped the Griffmen in their
tracks.
"ThOse games and Mr.. Sim.
mons beat us for the pennant,"
says Griff. The psychological
part of it is the defeat of our
team in the manner in which
it was defeated, especially
after we had apparently held
the Indian sign on the AS for
the earlier part of the season."
Had the Griffmen been able
to down at AS in those two
games then different story
might have been the case by
schedule ending time. The
psychological explanation comes
in for its share here.
Instead of being tied by the
AS after the games the Griff.
men would have been four up, a
lead big enough to lend the
proper inspiration to go on and
win more ferociously. But it
was not to be.
Won Seven Straight
The GriffS, it will be remem,
bered. had won seven straight
victories in their series with the
AS before that memorable Nav
80. A decided setback like The
AS handed the Griffs at that
time, checked all condolences
then and there that the AS
could be beaten and beaten
easily. For the remainder of
the season the AS, if memory
serves us correctly, won the ma.
jority of their scheduled contests
with the Griffs.
And Manager Walter John
sons team was only able to keen
in the first division, although
fighting hard at all times, from
then on.
Yes, sir. there must be a lot
Of truth in this psychology bust.
ness. Uncle Clark Griffith
firmly believes in it and there
are many others who probably
do also, regardless of whether it
is in baseball incidents or every,
day life problems.
"LSI NIL TTI