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Show SENATORS BOAST OF BJSESTIERS Clarke Griffith, manager of tho Washington Senators, has always boasted tho possession of a thick hido that never permitted him to worry about criticism, but just now ho is freU ting under criticism in the cast on his plun to increase base stealing by turning turn-ing loose Judge, Milan, Rico and Bob-by Bob-by Roth. This quartet has boon run. ning wild on tho base paths this season, sea-son, and one of the four let the cat out of tho bag by announcing that he was simply "carrying out orders." Griffith comes to bat with a tip to the critics that his plan has been misunderstood, mis-understood, and as a result ho has been justly criticized. "I did instruct Judge. Milan, RJco and Roth to attempt at-tempt to steal bases, saya the Wash' ington boss, "but not because I was especially anxious for the Washington club to capture the base stealing honors. hon-ors. My plan never included such honors, hon-ors, for I well know there is no world's series coin for such leadership. I was seeking to produce more runs and to speed up my outfit on the base paths and to eliminate the loss of so many games by a single score." The information regarding Griffith's instructions to his speed quartet came, about as a result of Judge and Roth each stealing a base with two out in1 tho ninth and the Senators ono run to tho bad. Each of the players were criticized for the rash act and they are said to have sought out tho critic for the purpose of unloading the respon-i J sibility and .placing Jt on the broad ! shoulders of their chief. "I do not usually take exception to i the voice of the critics," said Griffith.' ("but I think in this case they have been unfair in not conferring with me Instead of holding me up to ridicule on my base-stealing program, about which they knew absolutely nothing. If my plans fail I will have none other than myself to blame.' He added that he Avas sorry some of his players felt it necessary to apologize for their leader's lead-er's instructions. Griffith made an effort ef-fort to learn the name of the complaining complain-ing player, but this has been denied him. Judge, Milan, Rice and Iloth are four of tho speediest base runners in base-boll, base-boll, which shows that the "Old Fox" was wise enough to pick splendid possibilities pos-sibilities for a plan that seems to have brought out the wrath of some of the eastern, sport scribes. |