Evening star., 1927-04-29

~ PHILADELPHIA, April 90
Beaten three times in their last
four starts and with a pitching
4 staff so uncertain that Mana
ger Stanley Harris can do lit
tie better than draw a name out of a
hat when choosing a slabman to open
fire, the Nationals were not so hap
py today. The licking it gets these
days are such terrible lickings usual
~ that the club is left so dazed it
does not recall whether it was in a
base ball game or a riot.
There we're riotious times yesterday
when the National made their first
appearance of the year at Shibe Park,
but all the rioting was done by the
Athletics. The hosts of Connie Mack
pounced upon Clark Griffith's hire
lings 9nd pummeled them so unmerci-
fully that when the rule book of the
great American pastime forced hos
tilities to end the National were sunk
under a 15-to-7 score.
After watching three of the six
hurlers he sent to the hill in this me-
lee do anything but hurl as hurting
Is understood in base ball, Manager
Harris was somewhat at loss early
today as to what pitcher he might
send against the Mackmen in the
second game of the series. His pitch
ing plans for the stay here were so
upset by the crushing blow the pilot
scarcely knew where to find what he
considered worth while mound ma.
terial within the ranks Of his outfit.
Thurston or COveIeskie.
He admitted he had an idea, how
blanked the Athletics when he faced
them in Washington, or old Stan
Covelesl1ie would get the call. If
either of these started this afternoon.
1t was apt to be Thurston, for Harris
fears to take much Of chance with
his veteran spitballer unless the day
happens TO be warm, and here in
Philadelphia they do not seem to
know that this ought to be Spring.
There was strong cold wind sweep
ing Shibe Field yesterday, blowing in
the direction of right field, and for a
couple of innings it played havoc with
the feeders of both teams. There
after only the Nationals were par
ticularly annoyed by the blustery day.
They had all the hard fielding to do,
for they offered too few chances to
bother the Athletics. while the latter
socked the ball earnestly.
1t might be well If some of the
members of the National mound corps
were ordered to practice two hours
each morning at throwing at a
target II inches wide, about feet
high and raised about l foot inches
above the ground.
That target would represent a verti-
cal plane the width of the home plate
and extending in height approximately
from the knees to the shoulders of
the average batter. After shooting at
such a target the pitcher might
acquire the knack of getting i1ost of
his pitches through this plane, but by
the extra work be made to realize that
he is expected to do something other
than walk flock of batters.
Fifteen Hits, Ten Passes.
In the first of the series here, half
q dozen pitchers were employed by
the Mats and four of them managed
to issue ten passes. Five of the six
also We're nicked for total Of Is hits.
Al Crowder. who started the game,
allowed two passes and three hits in
the first three frames. Then, after
disposing of the first two batters in
the fourth, he proceeded to pass the
two men at the lower end, of the hit
ting list and be hammered safely by
the two at the top.
That meant two runs in the fourth
for the AS and as they already had
made two in the third, their total COM
pared with the lone counter cleaned
by the Nationals off the port-side
pumping Rube Walberg at the outset
Of the riot did not appeal to Manager
Harris.
He hailed Garland Braxton, left
handler, to the slab and Buddy Myer