Evening star., 1925-04-14

Unless all signs are misleading,
day should prove one of the most
sionai base ball. and of all the 10 clul
tention than that which makes the \
Consigned in the preseason dope to
a berth in the second division, the
Nationals last year. under the dy-
mamie leadership of Stanley Harris,
years experience in the big show,
provided the most stunning surprise
the game had witnessed since a dec
ade before. when the Boston Braves
flashed meteorlike across the dia
mond armament. Achieving the load
late in June, Washington's comEira
tion of kids and veterans confoun1ed
the experts, who termed their squirt
merely a flash in the pan. and al
though ousted from the top. clung
tenaciously to the heels of the leaders
and with an uneXcelled exhibition of
gameness battled their way back to
the crest and then climaXed their
victory by defeating the Giants in
the most sensational world series ever
staged.
Nationals Are Confident.
Strengthened by the acquisition of
a trio of experienced pitchers and
capable reserves for both inner and
outer defenses, the Nationals are con-
fident of their ability to retain the
honors they now hold.
Most of Harris players regard their
opponents of today as the club most
to be feared. and in this belief a ma
jority OF observers concur, Detroit
generally being rated as the third of
the trio of Sure-fire flag contenders,
but the Yankees apparently are no
better fortified than they were year
ago, while there is little doubt that
the Griffs have been immeaSurably
bolstered, their more enthusiastic ad-
mirers estimating the margin of i'm
provement as high as 25 per cent.
The Yankees hurling staff, their
most important sector, shapes up as
not one whit stronger than in 1924,
Notwithstanding the acquisition iof
Shocker. Fine pitcher though he is,
Shocker last year was able to win
only one more game than the 10 vic
tories accredited to a brother spit
balliSt, Stan CoveleSkie, now a Grill
man, and in landing Shocker the
Gothamites had to give up Bush and
CASTOR.
The latter established quite a
reputation as relief pitcher, due
largely to his fine control, and Walter
Beall, the Washington boy taken on
by the Yanks to fill Gaston's shoes,
is notably lacking in that asset so
essential to rescue roles. Sam Jones
is expected to make a better showing
than in 1924, when he was able to
account for only eight wins. But
others on the staff accounted regulars,
especially Bob Shawkey, are likely
s., -, oi o~ly IF or
Earl Combs unquestionably is the
most valuable addition to the Hug
men, the American Association gradu-
ate who was shelved by a broken
leg after a brilliant start last season
being regarded as one of the coming
stars of the game. But his SUI
periority over Whitley Witt, whom he
displaces in center field, can hardly
more than balance depreciation in
other cogs of the machine, particu-
larly at shortstop, where Everett
Scott, the iron man." is showing
unmistakable evidences of accumu-
lated rust. He may not play today.
Ruth Yankees Problem.
Equal in Importance to the
Yankees pitching is the problem
presented by Babe Ruth, whose
frequently recurring illnesses and
accidents suggest that this year he
may not prove the tower of strength
he has been for so many seasons.
The Babe has been showing up with
more fat around his waiStline each
succeeding Spring, and the fact that
he is subject to ailments of various
sorts makes exceedingly questionable
the caliber of service he will be able
to deliver in the campaign just
starting.
If Ruth is reduced, through dis
abilities, from a league-leading hitter
10 a swatter of only ordinary class,
the Yankees will suffer from a
psychological aspect alone a blow that
will prove fatal to their pennant
chances.
1t undoubtedly would prove a good
investment for the Yankees if Presi-
dent Rupert would consent to pay the
salary of bodyguard for Ruth, some
one constituted with authority to SUI
pervise his activities off the field.
Much OF Ruth's troubles are attributed
10 failure to use good Judgment in
eucn matters as sitting for hours in a
card game with an electric fan playing
on his unprotected epidermis and
WaShlng down a trayful of hot dog
sandwiches with a half-dozen bottles
of pop as light lunch between seri.
Gus meals.
In the ordinary details of personal
experiment Ruth has persistently
shown an utter lack of appreciation
for the accepted standards on con
duct and if he hadn't been blessed
with a constitution of iron and the
stomach of an ostrich he would have
trlvoled his health away long ago.
Griffs in Fine Fettle.
The Nationals trotted ont for the
curtain raiser today generally better
conditioned than anv team Washing
ton ever had during the Griffith
regime. BuCky Harris has a stiff
neck, Johnson's back is a bit lame
and few of the veterans are a trif1e
shy of top form. but, speaking by
and large, the players are in great
shape physically and expect to make
flying start
II they falter at the outset for some
unforeseen reason they will not be dis
couraged, however. They are thor.
oughbreds and, as in the stake race
of 1924, they can come from behind.
EYCu aJHT nDTn TnEE