Evening star., 1941-04-13
Yankees Here for First Game
Opening Be Featured by Familiar Ceremonies First
introduced by old Fox of Washington in 1912

day she wants to know the name Of
the batter when that batter is Cecil
Travis.
Mrs. Clark Griffith is pleasant,
friendly but highly sensitive woman
who can't understand why her hus-
band has any truck with sports
writer's. They write the most awful
things about poor Clark" she COM
plains. Besides, they always call
him during his dinner hour. If 1
were Clark I would never speak to
sports writer"
Forgets 1t.
Griffith today is highly tolerant
toward the newspapermen. He has
Gained down. If he becomes peeved
at some particular story he bides
his time, catches the unsuspecting
culprit in his den on the second
floor of the main Office at Seventh
street and Florida avenue and tears
into him. When his TRADE is finished
the old gent forgets it completely,
as do the veteran baseball writer's
who take the joltS.
Griffith today is a Sought-after
parsonage. He speaks at Kiwanis
and Lions Clubs meetings. He has
preached from a Sixteenth street
pulpit He is a model of tolerance
in all respects, except when Pegler
jumps down the throats of the A. F
L. and C. I. o. leaders and official.
Joining Flock.
Another of Griff's nephews, Sher-
rard Robertson, is a shortstop whC
belongs to the Washington chain.
Two more are coming. In fact,
little Jimmy Robertson is toiling
with the Orlando club Of the Florida
State League as a second baseman
and Billy Robertson, finishing a
college education, will join the flock
as a catcher.
The Clark Calvin Griffith Of 1912
is not much like the wnite-haired,
awning -eyebrowed man of 1941. He
has progressed. Now he lives in
luxury in a Sixteenth street man
| sion He makes visits to the White
House, notably the tours which en-
brace the presentation of gold
passes charged to the American
League, to President and Mrs.
Roosevelt. He is welcome every
where
The little park of 1912, which
could accommodate $4,000 specta-
tors, now holds $1,000 comfortably.
At cost of 100000, Griff built the
present bleachers. For $160,000 he
erected the left field stands. A new
Office cost $4,000 and other i'm
provements set the club back $780,
| 600.
Tomorrow Washington fans will
see the almoSt-finished structures of
Grifith's new $121, 900 lighting sys-
tenn rearing their shiny heads above
the stands. After claiming to be
the first to give night ball its bless,
ing Gin CincinnatD, Griffith. after
succeeding years of calling it syn
thetic ball, has capitulated.
He doesn't like to pick all-Star
Washington teams. He thinks that
| all-star teams irritate the modern
| crop But he picked one the other
day and he said that he meant it
and here it is:
In the infleld of the No. /, all
time Washington ball club are Joe
Judge. first base; Bucky Harris, Sec
ond base; Joe Cronin, shortstop;
Ossie Bluege, third base; Goose Cos
lin, left field; Clyde Milan, center
field; Sam Rice, right field; Muddy
Ruel, catcher, and Walter Johnson,
AL Crowder (whom he once sold on
waivers), Earl Whitehill and Fred
die Marberry, pitchers.
During Griff1th's 80 years as boss
of the Mats he has had many famous
ball players on the pay roll. Iris
Speaker was one. George Sisler was
another. But I amt a-gonna count
them fellers," he says, because they
was all through when I got EN-"
His second all-time Washington
team is as follows:
Joe Kuhel, first base; Buddy Myer,
second base; Roger Peckinpaugh,
shortstop; Cecil Travis, third base;
Heinie Manush, left field; Sammy
West, center field; George Case,
right field; Eddie Ainsmith, CATCH
er, and Dutch Leonard, Stanley
Coveleskie, Dutch Reuther and Sid
Hudson, pitchers.
1t is possible to go on and on with
Griffith, but this should be enough.
The old boy thinks that, despite
the experts criticism, he's got quite
a ball club this year. If he has, 1t
isn't likely to disturb lot of WASH
ingtonians, pure-bred or otherwise.
It's been q long time between drinks.