Evening star., 1927-04-14
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

w YITH so few pitchers in really
n flrst-class condition, lay-offs
W. during the early part of the
American League season
are welcomed by the Ma
tionaIS, even though the club treasury
be hit to some extent by the postpone
ment Of contests. The rain yesterday
that forced Bucky Harris charges to
wait until this afternoon for their Sec
: ond encounter of the year with the
Red Sox, while not pleasing TO the
Nationals business officials. was some.
thing of blessing in disguise for
Manager Harris.
1t not only gave his battered finger
q chance to heal a trifle, but also
showed back his pitching program for
a day that might prove valuable to
Garland Braxton. Stan Coveleskie,
Irving Hadley and Horace Lisenbee,
who now are on the list of ailing hurl-
ers with Walter Johnson.
Harris now really has only four
pitchers of starting strength he can
regard as physically sound or near
enough to that condition to be used.
They are Hollis Thurston, who was
to ascend the hill this afternoon; Alvin
Crowder. slated for toll tomorrow; De
catur Jones, and George Murray.
Crowder seems good enough for serv-
ice, even though he still is shy a few
pounds as result of the dieting he
has been doing to rid himself of
stomach trouble.
Lisenbee Latest Casual.
Latest to join the casuals is Lisen-
bee, who is suffering with a strained
abdominal muscle. Lisenbee in some
way wrenched the muscle during a
drill at the Tampa training camp, but
the injury then was not regarded as
serious. Since coming to Washington,
however, 1t has caused him consid-
cradle pain. He has endeavored to
allay this by wearing a tightly strap
ped bandage around his waist. Little
good resulting from this treatment,
he has been ordered to take mild pitch
ing practice only and will not be
available for regular duty for sew
eral days.
Fred Marberry is in fine shape. Of
course. but Harris feels that he can
not afford to employ the big Texan
as starter with the staff in such
condition as it is at present. Fred is
apt to find plenty to do as relief
hurler for some time.
Braxton's grip cold apparently is
not so severe and he may be ready
within a few days. but it is not so
certain that Covey will be able to take
d turn regularly for a time. Whether
the spitballer has developed a kink in
his salary wing is not known, but
according to him it was not the leg
that has been troubling him that
caused him to retire from the opening
game. Hadley still is guarding his
diet and does not appear to be ready
for hard work.
The Nationals also have at hand
Bob Burke, 20.year-old left-hander;
Joe Carroll and Dick Coffman. Burke,
though, is not likely to be sent to the
hill unless it becomes necessary to
work him because the club must have
q pitcher in action, while neither Car
roll nor Coffman is accounted a finger
of major caliber.
Johnson was expected to loosen his
pitching arm to some extent today,
but the big fellow, who has been out
of commission since March 8, when q
drive from Joe Judges bat during
clubbing drill at Tampa fractured an
ankle bone, will not risk using the
injured limb much for some days.
The cast was removed from the foot
yesterday and the bone is reported to
have knitted nicely, but Walter still