Evening star., 1927-04-03

OluCn more IMAM LnS FGUuCJlBIl OF
their squad from 40 to 30 players.
Ten days hence the annual fight for
the flag will get under way yet Man
ager Starley Harris right now is un-
= able to name a starting lineup for the
Washington club without lining sew
eral of the selections The squad leav-
ing here tonight for Birmingham.
where on Monday the Nationals are
booked to play the first game of a
three-day transforming series with the
Giants, has been hit so hard by in
jury and illness during its sojourn in
Florida that no one CONNECTED with
the club from President Clark Grif-
nth down ventures to gauge its possi-
bilities.
At the outset Of the training season
an optimistic spirit pervaded in the
Tampa camp. Would not the addition
of the hard hitting and fine fielding of
iris Speaker add punch to the club
and the practically certain develop
n1ent of several young hurle1s to back
the work of Walter johnson and Stan.
ley Coveleskie make a formidable
pitching staff?
Surely it was combination that
, ought to make a great bid for third
championship for the National Capt.
tai all at hand declared.
Fate Against Them.
their club. They have not given up
the fight. Far from that. for Bucky
Harris is no gutter. and he will have
no cutters on his club Rather, they
feel that fate is against them. But to
a. man they are determined to carry
on despite the misfortunes that have
beSet them. And this fighting spirit
that was so evident when they con-
Guided their Florida exhibition series
with three consecutive victories over
the world champion Cardinals may
keep them in the pennant struggle
until the present casuals round into
playing form and the Nationals are
, able to throw their fun strength into
the line.
Never before in Florida training
seasons have the Nationals been so
unfortunate al this year. or the go
players now on the squad half have
sustained severe injury or Illness.
Early in the second week in March
johnson had hone in his ankle
broken by drive from Joe Judge ).
bat during hitting practice and since
there have been additions to the casual
list almost daily.
Manager Harris. Judge. Reeves.
Cull0p, Rice. tsoyeleslxfe, Speaker and
Biuege we're put out Of commission BY
bone fractures, muscle wrenches.
strains or spike wounds Crowier.
ray We're attacked by illness at vari.
GUS times. OF this lot. the only ones
who have rounded into good playing
form again are Judge, cullop. Bluege.
West and Jones. Several Of the
. others are available for service, but
certainly not physically fit to give the
Club their best efforts.
The Nationals pitching corps has
been jo1ted fearfuIly. Although on
the verge of his twenty-first season
in the majors and his record for last
year noc particularly impressive at
first consideration. johnson was ex-
nected TO be the mainstay of the
mound staff this season. He reported
here in generally fine physical condi-
tion, and his progress in training was
rapid. Then came the accident that
laid him low. and now II is unlikely
that he VIII be of any use to the Ma
fionals any EARLIER than the latter.
part Of May
.Iphnson's less Was severe enough,
but to add 10 Manager Harris woes
Alvin crowdee, figured TO be one OF
the Nationals quartet of first-string
aiabnnen, was stricken by a stomach
ailment He has been out OF action
Tor more than week, and left today
Tor Washington. where he will be
placed in hospital for stay OF at
least two weeks. And I'm all likelihood
Crowder will need some time TO get to
playing condition after he leaves the
hospital, so the Nationals do not hope
10 have him in the pitching box before
another month rolls around
With Johnson and Crowder gone,
the logical choice for pitching in the
opener against the Red Sox al Wash.
fngton on April - Is Stanley Covel-
eslzie.
Three Others Experienced.
Hollis Thurstou and Garland Bray
ton are the only other members of
the STAFF excepting Fred Marberry
with any real amount of big league
experience who are In shape and
Manager Harris does not want to risk
starting Thurston or Braxton in the
initial engagement. while Marberry
asain is 10 be held for relief work So
CoYey, even though nerve in his hip
mas been bothering him for several
weeks. probably will have to assume
the role so often cared for by Johnson.
Back of Covey Harris evidently
will have to bank upon Thurston
BFaxton and Horace Lisenbee as game
starters. The last mentioned appears
To be the only one of the crop of
youngsters cleaned from the minors
tfwho may he depended upon as a ma
Jor league moundsman. Others Al
times have flashed considerable abil.
1ty IN exhibition games, but then
performances have not been consist.
ent enough TO warrant Harris ha wing
Z any great faith In them.
Ak& OF the IS hurlers who started train
ing here with the National veterans.
Johnson coveleskie and Marberry
only 10 remain on the clubs roster
and two of them are being retained
only temporarily. Dick coffmsn. who
was bought from Chattanooga. and
Joe Carroll, purchased from Little
Rock, are To stick around for a time
because pitchers are needed To throw
for batting practice. When Coffman
leaves. however. he win go with a
string attached, for he bids fair To he.
come worthwhile slabman with
bit more polish
Besides Crowder, Thurston. Braxton
!. and Lisenbee those of the recruit
class who stiii are. around and due
to get tests under fire in the big battle
are Bob Burke. Irving Hadley.
Decatur Jones and George Mlirra v
Burke. the 20.year-old handler
drafted from Little Rock seems to be
- good prospect lie has deal Of
natural pitching ability, but Is quite
green and Is being held for expert.
mental purposes more than amy
thing else.
Hadley, Jones and Murray were
with the club for a time last year.
IIadIey started the season with the
Nationals, then was farmed TO Bir.
haingi,snl where he was mound star
Zones had e brief experieree against