Evening star., 1926-04-16

There probably is not an outfit in
the circuit that will attract more at
tention here this year than the
Yankees. With the ever colorful
George Herman Ruth in probably bet
ter physical condition, due TO w inter
of gymnasium work and a Spring OF
earnest training, than he mas pee"
for several seasons, as the main
Sprins of their attack, the HuSmen
nresent one of the most powertui
smuggling combinations ever assembled.
From the top of the batting ordel
straight through to the boXlnen theft
is not a weakling with the wand ap
parent, and in Gehrig, Meusel and
Combs, with the Bambino. they nave
as heavy a hitting quartet as can be
found on any club.
Two Rockies i'm Infield.
But while the pill pounding pro
DensitieS of the Hugmen are their
most notable asset, chief interest IL
them this season will be due to the
presence in the middle of the infield of
q pair of entire strangers to Amerlcal
League fans, Mark Koenig and Ton
Lii Zerri. 1t is seldom indeed that
big league club starts season WIFI
two untried performers at the all-lm
portant keystone sack and followers
OF the game here will watch with
keen interest how the experiment
turns out.
Koenig, a turnover hitter who com
piled a mark of 30S in 126 games
ehortstop for the st. Paul Club of the
American Association last year. ana
Ii Zerri. who walloped Pacific Coast
League hurlers for an average of $50
while holding forth at second base fol
It oil ro
Manager Huggins fully capable of
plugging the holes that existed in the
Yankees inner defense last season.
Hug bases his conviction on the Splen-
did exhibition given by this pair IN
the preliminary games during the
training period when they were promi
nent factors in the 10 consecutive
triumphs registered by the Gotham
ties before they came cropper at the
Hub on Wednesday.
To what extent the Yanks will i'm
prove the seventh place lot that befell
them in 1925 depends to a great ex
tent upon the way these two recruits
are able to stand the big league gaff
over a stretch of more than tive
months. The other questionable fac
tor with the Hugmen is their pitchers.
Such familiar figures as Bob Shawkey.
Waite Hoyt. Herb Pennock, Sam
Jones and Urban Shocker are slated
to carry the brunt of the burden with
problematical results in view of their
long years of service.
Whether the less seasoned Walter
Beall. product of Washington:
sandlots; Herbert McQuade. Miles
Thomas, Henry johnson and Garland
RraXtOn can carry on effectively
should the old-timers falter is a ques-
ton that remains to be seen.
GriYmen i'm Form Reversal.
Coming on top of two such bang.up
exhibitions as the Nationals gave be-
hind Johnson and Covelesllie on the
preceding days their sorry showing
yesterday when they finished on the
short end of a 9 to engagement
with the Athletics was sad blow to
the meager crowd that turned out
at Clark Griffith Stadium.
Leslie Joseph Bush, making his
debut in a Washington uniform, was
both wild and ineffective. and when
he faded from the scene at the end
of the third inning was charged with
five hits, including a trio of triples
These wallops. mixed in with numer
Gus free tickets, gave the AS a quar-.
tet of tallies.
81 d w oOd Baumgartner, who
started against the eX-Brownie, was
shelled right off the mound in tho
third, when it appeared the Griffs
might drill on to victory despite the
lead Bush spotted them Joseph Les
lie, himself, started his southpaw rival
on the chute by cracking out a single
before fading TO let Tobin run for
him. Then walk to Rice. followed
by passed ball, made Stan Harris
long fly good for a tally. and two
more accrued when Goslin Socked
double high up against the right field
barrier and Joe Harris whaled triple
to the general vicinity of the score
board.
Pate Stops the Champions.
BaumSartner was motioned to the
dressing room at this point and with
him went all hope for n Griffithian
victory. for Joe Pate. who succeeded