Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-12
BY JOHN II. KELLER.

enbee. whose early -season
work indicated that he might
be the sensation of the Amer
lean League recruit pitchers
this year, but has been having his
troubles lately. is to be employed on
the hill frequently until he shows
signs of having recovered the fine
form that made him so effective be-
fore.
Manager Stanley Harris figures
that only by hard work can the younS
National hurler get back into his win
ming ways, and has announced the
Memphis graduate will have plenty
to do during the remainder OF TINS
tour, at least.
Although he started only last Sun
dav against the Indians in Cleveland,
Lisenbee was to be sent back to the
box for the start of the Tiger series
TODAY. And if Horace should be so
unfortunate as to be yanked from this
fray early, he very likely will get an
other shot at George Moriarty's crew
before the Nationals pull up stakes
here and head for Chicago.
WiIdness Main Fault.
Lisenbee's main fault in Cleveland
Sunday, as in his four efforts prior
to that contest, was lac kof control.
He apparently had plenty on the
ball" as the profession says, when
a pitcher can zip fast ones through
and show sharp-breaking curves, but
he found it difficult to get the ball over
the plate, the most important thing
q hurler has to do.
1t was not that Lisenbee passed
many batters in the Cleveland games
and the four other engagements in
which he did not go so WELL although
he did grant an unusual number of
passes for him, but repeatedly after
falling to get his fast one or his curve
over, he was forced to ease in his
work and then-sock. The opposi-
ton simply hammered him to all parts
OF the lot.
While with Memphis last year and
during his training in Florida with the
Nationals in the Spring. Lisenbee's
greatest asset was his control. He
was regarded as one Of the steadiest
and most accurate pitchers in the
Southern Association.
To get pass from Horace unless
he was ordered to walk a man was
something for the lucky batter to
boast about. And Liz was just as eff
fective in the Spring exhibitions, too.
He carried his sharpshooting ability
Into the championship season also, and
retained it until late last month. build
ing for himself a pitching record of
which a major league veteran would
have been proud. But suddenly his
control was lost.
Pummeled By Red Sox.
At Boston. on June 81. he was
given a fine lacing by the Red SoX,
and in Washington, on June 80, the
Athletics treated him roughly. He
started against the Yankees at home,
on July 3. and again was hammered.
The young fellow was fortunate in
not being beaten in those engage
ments Only by strenuous effort was
his club able to drag the games out of
the fire.
Horace was tried as a relief hurler
against the Yankees in New Work
week ago today, and did nSt fare so
well. His control off, he eased in his
pitching then to find the plate, and
took his first beating Of the year from
the league leaders. And it was only
great rally by the Nationals that kept
another defeat from being charged
against his name in the Cleveland
game Sunday.
Lisenbee don't know just what the
trouble is, but he is not worried. Like
Manager Harris, the young pitcher
believes hard work and plenty of it
viii effect cure and he is ready for
the grind AS Horace is serious
chap and determined to get ahead
he very likely will regain his early
season form within a short time, if he
is TO regain it at all. And there is
no reason to believe that the National
recruit was Just a fash in the pan.
The Nationals made it six straight
over the Indians by taking the final
of the series in Cleveland yesterday,
3 to 2. but they had to go beyond
regulation game for the second time
in the set to triumph. The decision
came in the tenth inning.
After Bucky Harris bunch had
reached the portside-pitching Garland
Buckeye for a couple of markers in
the first. frame the big fellow held
them at bay until the Tribe came to
life in the seventh and got to Irving
Hadley for enough runs to tie.
Fred Marberry, who relieved Had