Evening star., 1927-03-12
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

BY JOHN b. KELLER.
NARASOTA, Fla, March 11.-This
must be open season for In
juries among the Nationals.
- Right on top of the blow that
removed Walter Johnson from
the clubs active list for several weeks
has come another that is expected to
cost the outfit the services OF its man.
ager and second baseman, Stanley
Harris, for three or four days at least.
While his crowd was absorbing an
S-to-6 licking from the Giants here
yesterday in the opening battle of
the annual Spring exhibition classic
between these clubs, Boss Bucky
wrenched his left foot so severely
while in action in the first inning that
he had to send in Stuffy Stewart, util-
ity infielder, at the outset of the sec
ond round to finish the game.
Although he had not mentioned 1t,
and no one had noticed the ailment,
Harris announced after the accident
Yesterday that he had first hurt the
foot in the contest at Bradenton on
Thursday. He paid little attention to
1t then, but declared it bothered him
while at bat in the first inning against
the Giants and handicapped him seri-
ouSly when he attempted to field
Rogers Hornsby's tap few minutes
later.
Spike Catches i'm Sack.
Harris fooled in trying this play,
and in the next when he essayed 10
complete what would have been a
side-retiring double play, he caught
the spike of his left shoe in the middle
sack in pivoting after taking throw
from Ossie Bluege and all but fell to
the ground.
That stumble left Bucky quite lame.
although he gamely stuck out the in
ming. When he reached the bench,
however, he found his foot had Swol-
len considerably. and Immediately or
dered Stewart into the fray. Now the
manager and second sacker may re-
main on the sideline until the Giants
are encountered in Tampa late next
week.
This lay-off from active duty will
not prevent Harris from giving much
attention to the pitching problem that
has arisen since it has become known
the injury to Walter johnson will
keep that great veteran on the shelf
for quite a time. Just what Harris
plans are with regard to the reorgani-
zation of his pitching staff for the
start of the American League cam
paign are not yet known, but it seems
reasonable to believe he will carefully
groom Hollis Thurston for much more
give the ex-White Sox hurleis so early
in the campaign.
While Stanley Coveleskie had been
figured with johnson and Thurston
as a regular starter on the hill right
from the outset of the flag race, |
Harris has made no effort to conceal
the fact that he does not expect the
venerable spit ball artist to toll as
frequently as he did during the past |
two seasons. Covey will need much |
longer rests between his turns on the |
slab than formerly, the manager be- |
lieves, so some other pitcher certainly |
will have to do more than his share |
until Johnson is able to resume his |
job.
BraxtOn Is Considered
OF course, Harris has considered the |
advisability. of employing Garland |
Braxton, left-hander procured from |
the Yankees, as a starting hurler in |
stead of reserving him for relief duty |
as the manager first intimated he |
might do. Braxton's performance |
against the Phillies on Thursday was
SO impressive that Boss Bucky has
an idea the southpaw is about ready
to make a name for himself in the
big show as a thoroughly dependable
hurler instead of figuring only as a
few innings occasionally.
While the Nationals We're taking
their licking yesterday one of their
young pitchers looked very good on
the hill, even though he was reached
for a run in each of the three innings
he toiled. That was Horace Lisenbee.
youngster bought from Memphis of
the Southern Association. Horace
started the game and should have
1RAft
first inning. Then the two hits made
by the Giants would not have pro- |
duced tally. had Harris wobbly foot |
not hindered him afield.
In each of the other innings the |
Giants got a hit, the one in the Sec |
ond being a homer over the short |
right field fence by AL Devormer and |
that in the third being a single that |
moved Hornsby, who had walked, to |
third base from where he counted as |
Terry forced out Harper at the mid
die station.
Lisenbee, though. seemed to have |
a deal of stuff" on the ball, and his |
control was good. Two of the four |
hits CLEANED off him were rather /
puny affairs, one being a weak |
roller that Harris got to cleanly, bur /
not I'm time for a retiring throw.
When II is considered that Lisen-
bee is pitching this Spring for the |
first time since absence early last /
August, his showing is all the more |
remarkable. He was sent to the |
hospital nearly two months before the /
last Southern Association season |
ended when he collided with Curly |
Ogden In the course of a game, and |
1t took some time for Horace's shat |
tered bones To mend. But he seems |
quite sound now and Manager Harris |
evidently is satisfied the young fell |
low will make the big league grade |
this year
Jones and Crowder Lacking.
There was little to brag about in
the work of Decatur Jones and Al |
Crowder, who hurled three innings |
each after Lisenbee left the hill |
Jones suffered loss of control early |
i'm the fifth frame and walked a |
Giant after one had hit for "a base. |
l DOWN, IL TO GO
WASHINGTON. ABB. R. H. Po. A. E,
sI:s..! sIEs5, sif;,:: ,,:::::.::::: ( : J / 8 &
West. ef ft.....'....'. 1