Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-11
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

~ ARASOTA, Fla, March 1l.-Wal
ter johnson will not pitch fol-
the Nationals in the opening
49, game of the American League
n campaign this year. The dean
Lii major league hurlers who has
|kIdorned the slab in many season IN
&augurals instead will be in the midst
HI conditioning work and probably viii
hot be ready to ascend the mound for
N oil against the enemy until the 1877
championship race is three or four
weeks under way.
II An injury sustained by Walter dur
|hng the Nationals batting drill at
iTannpa on Wednesday and at first
Thought more painful than serious,
HINDER X.ray examination proved severe
Enough to end the great pitchers
|kraining for a considerable period. The
|bicture taken at Tampa late Yesterday
Revealed that the drive from Joe
||Judge's bat had fractured bone on
|hhe outer side of Walters left leg just
above the ankle.
Will Start Home Sunday.
. Immediately after the extent of the
IN iury was ascertained, the bone was
'sset and the pitchers foot put In u
'rast. johnson will remain in Tampa
|hntii Sunday when he will leave with
'|Edward B. Eynon, secretary OF the
Nationals, for Washington. Manager
.Bucky Harris was informed in a tele-
|phone message from the clubs train
ling base late last night.
When Harris and the other Ma
Etionals left Tampa yesterday morning
For the game with the Phillies at
Bradenton, it was thought Johnson
would be in condition to resume prac-
tice next Monday. 1t seems, however,
that in the afternoon, the pain in the
pitchers foot increased and it was
|deemed advisable to have an X-ray
made Immediately.
Although Johnson may be in shape
! 10 assume his pitching task about
MAY l the Nationals are apt to feel
.his loss in the first few weeks OF the
I;eason. He had been making great
progress in training at Tampa and
Manager Harris had expected to
kstart the veteran in at least four OF
.the clubs games in April.
Now much more of the early pitch
ing burden probably will have to be
horne by Stanley Coveleskie and
Hollis Thurston and the injury to
8the mound ace may mean that Fred
|AIarberry will have to be called upon
las a starting pitcher. leaving the
hulk of the relief work TO Garland
SBraxton.
Rockies Make Fine Showing.
Pruning the big pitching squad of
5khe Nationals is going to be a tough
task for the directors of the clubs
activities if other youngsters yet to
show their wares under fire perform
las well as Bob Burke. elongated left
handler, and Dick Coffman, blond
baby of the corps, who hurts from
his right side, did yesterday at
5Eradenton when the PhillieS, We're
overcome in 6-3 engagement.
These Southern Association prod
nets. starting for the first time
against big leaguers--and the Phils
must be reckoned as big leaguers
|even though they have not Jared SO
well in the senior circuit for some
&time--came through with very I'M
'pressive exhibition. Burke, who
.started the fray, seems to have
IDEAL of strength despite the slimness
SOf his 6-foot-2 frame. He showed
noteworthy screw" ball for left
|hander, had sharp breaking curve
land plenty of speed.
In the first two of the three frames
he toiled Burke was fast enough to
make most of the Phillies blink and
he had good control of his speed, too.
HE opened none too auspiciously. for
|Sand, first to face him. slammed a
triple to right field. The Phil had
Ito cling to third base while Ossie
|Bluege tossed out the next batter.
hut as Nixon was erased Sand
drilled home.