Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-08

~ pitchers he sent to the firing
IA line in the Nationals first ap
4 a pearance Of the year before the
home fans, Manager Stanley
Harris today was merely guessing as
to which of his slab corps he would
start against the Giants here and III
New York tomorrow and Sunday III
the last three exhibition tits of the
Spring.
Although Boss Bucky has 10 pitch
ers on his staff, there are not more
than FIVE who are apt to be considered
by him for the clash in Clark Griffith
Stadium this afternoon and the two
tnssles at the Polo Grounds. The i've
are Bob Burke and Garland BraXton,
the lefthanders of the corps: Irving
Hadley, George Murray and Decatur
Jones. Jones and Murray made SUCH
brief appearances yesterday that they
are practically certain TO see more
service before the American League
flag fight opens next Tuesday.
The barrage of bingleS laid down by
the Giants when they won yesterday,
10 to 9, and clinched the annual eX-
hibition series, was not proof that Hor-
ace Lisenhee, Murray and Jones have
nothing to offer in a pitching line.
These three hurlers have demonstrated
to the satisfaction Of Manager Harris
that they are capable of much better
work.
Hurlers Not in Form.
The Lisenbee that was found for
10 safeties in the first five frames
here certainly was not the Lisenbee
that performed remarkably well
against the same Giants at st.
Augustine, while neither Murray, who
gave up six hits in a single session,
nor Jones, pounded for seven hits in
two rounds, was the Murray or Jones
of the Florida fields.
The effort of Joe Carroll, former
Little Rock slabman, did not mean
much in so far as the championship
campaign is concerned. 1t has been
known for some time that this big
Highlander is being carried only be-
cause the club must have an extra
finger or two to work in batting
practice. So his showing in his debut
in National uniform may be
counted out.
OF course, it was not a day calcu.
lated to bring out good pitching. The
chilling wind that made the afternoon
almost as uncomfortable for the busy
athletes as it did for the few faithful
in the stands prevented the mounds
men of both sides from unkinking
their salary wings as they could had
weather conditions been more pro-
pitious. Hugh McQuillan and Fred
Fitzsimmons, who stabbed for the
enemy, were reached for Is safeties
just 6 less than the Giants accumu.
lated.
Giants Make Bingles Count.
However, the Giants had the happy
knack Of profiting by most of their
wallops, while the Nationals early in
the fray were forced to exert all their
energy for everything they got. The
IL slams, totaling 16 bases, three
passes, pilfered sack, passed ball and
Giant error that occurred in the Ave
innings McQuillan was on the hill
Melted only five runs. During the
same section of the game the Giant:
got six runs with 10 hits good for Il
bases and two passes off Lisenbee anC
q swiped base.
In the first five frames the Ma
tionals had 10 runners left on the base
paths. The Giants had i've stranded
Plenty of Nationals got on the run
way. but they had to be pounded tC
the final station. The Giants, though
timed their punches well and breezed
along.
For q time it seemed the battle
would be nip and tuck all the way
with both teams denting the counting
block frequently. After the fifth
inning, however, the Giants went or
q scoring orgy, while the home Grove
seemed to forget that the most i'm
portant thing in base ball is getting
runs. When the parade of Nationa
fingers once got under way, after
Lisenbee called it a day, it was only
a question of how late supper time
would be for the contending athletes
Speakers Work Encouraging.
The only ray of sunshine tha
warmed the Washington fans wa'
the batting exhibition put on by Tril
Speaker, latest addition to the gar
dening department of Clark Griffith:
organization. The sturdy southpav
slugger slapped the sphere in man
ner to be expected of player with {
lifetime batting average of .347.
In the first three of his four time
at the plate he came through will
safeties, the last of the trio heinl
good for two bases. His wallopin,
average for the exhibitions thi
Spring is we'll above the 800 mark, s.
it seems likely he win add to the Ma
tionals' attack just the punch it wa
figured he would when he wa
brought into the local fold in Feb
ruary.
Mickey O'Neil, newest of National
and not rated so high as hitter, ais
collected three safeties off the Ney
York hurlers So did Ossie Bluege
who seems to have picked up con
siderably in his swinging recently
Most of the real Slugging of the gam