Evening star., 1927-03-22
BY JOHN n. KELLER.

4 a visits to three -fOurths Of the
clubs of the National League
tomorrow afternoon when they in-
wade Clearwater to tackle the Dodgers.
Wilbert Robinson s outfit Will be the
sixth of the senior circuit clubs en-
countered by the Nationals in then
rambIe through Florida this Spring.
They ought to know the old league
pretty well before they start the nag
fight in their own organization next
month.
From the first of the interleaGue
engagements. that with the Braves
at Tampa on March 5. through the
one with the world champion Cardi-
nails here vest crdaY, when the Ma
tionals took a 5-to-4 licking, there
has been plenty Of action for all con
cerned. In getting an even break in
the 10 games disposed of up to today
the battling was SO brisk that but q
single run separated the Nationals
from their rivals at the end of four of
them, and of this quartet three went
against the Nationals.
This afternoon Deacon Jones and
Horace Lisenbee, Southern Associ-
alton products, We're to go TO the hill
in an effort to put Bucky Harris
bunch head Of the old league rivals
once more.
OlkOWS OOuA T UFUl.
A couple of former Dixie Leaguers
were not equal to the task of sub
DUNG the Cardinals in the first Of
the two engagements scheduled here,
but George Murray gave very
creditable exhibition Of slabbing after
Bob OFarrells world beaters had fat
tened off the offerings of Irving Had
ley.
The Nationals were to go into to-
days fray without the service of their
manager and regular second sacker,
Stanley Harris. In attempting to take
a throw from Goose Goslin in the
first inning of yesterdays engagement
the pilot had the index finger of his
right hand so badly battered that i'm
mediate surgical attention had tosbe
given it.
The digit swelled SO quickly that The
surgeon was unable to learn at first
examination whether the bone was
dislocated only or a fracture had oc-
CURED, Harris left for Tampa last
night where a more complete exami-
nation was to De made today, but even
IL the injury is only q dislocation it
probably will keep Bucky out of the
game for the remainder of the week.
Harris job at second again was to
be assumed by Stuffy Stewart this
afternoon, but at Clearwater tomor-
row Bob Reeves, who played at short
stop yesterday, may move to second
IL Buddy Myer comes back to the
lineup.
Myer Left at Tampa.
Buddy was left at Tampa in the
hope that he might work off some of
the extra poundage he is toting. This
excess avoirdupois has slowed Myer
considerably afield, although it did not
seem to affect his batting in the exhi.
bition engagements. So Bucky Harris
decided a couple of days Of strenuous
work on the race track at Plant Field
and some special calisthenics under
the direction of Trainer Mike Martin,
would do his young short fielder a
world of good.
Harris also left at Tampa Sam
West, recruit outfielder, who has been
expected to romp in ahead of Nick
Cullop and Ollie Tucker in the race
Tor a utility berth with the Nationals.
Sam, however, found the going a
trifie rough and is supposed to put in
some strenuous licks at Plant Field
that he may acquire more polish in his
work.
While Sammy is out of action.
CuIlop and Tucker are being given
plenty of chance to show their worth
and both are going along well. These
husky swatters broke into the pastime
here yesterday and Tucker in his
only time at bat came through with a
clout that started a three-run National
rally in the eighth inning. Cullop in
the ninth drew pass that might have
meant more to his club had it decided
to employ the sacrifice and play for a
tying tally instead Of insisting upon
adhering to the old army game of
Gnh
Hadley's Control Too Good.
Hadley and Murray had plenty on
the ball yesterday, but the former
who Stabbed through the first five
innings, appeared to be too good with
his control. Most of his shoots broke
through the heart of the plate and
number of them were slapped soundly
by Cardinal batsmen. All but one of
the dozen swats credited to O'FarrelI
and his henchmen were made off
e irving. And of the II were clustered
in the first two frames when the
cardinals got four of their markers.
Hadley steamed through the next
three innings, though, and was good
enough to make strike-out victims of
Taylor, Douthit and the st. Louis
manager.
Murray went along In fine style,
three batters. Southworth, who had
hammered Hadley safely twice, got a
double off Murray after two were gone
IN the sixth session. No other Card
touched first base while George was
on the hill. He was a complete puzzle
for Frisch, Bell and OFarrell, throw
Ing third strikes by each of them.
Nationals Waste Safeties.
While the Nationals got nine hits,
they made little use of them outside
OF the eighth inning. The perform
ances Of Harris crew on the base
paths was nothing to brag about. Sam
Rice persisted in leaving first base, in
the opening inning, when lofts were
made TO short right field. Once he
scrambled back to the sack in safety,
but the second time he never even
bothered to glance at the soaring
sphere and when Southworth bagged
IL Sam was well on the way to the
sfar corner and had no chance TO
avoid being the second out of dou-
bic play. Several other Nationals,
too. appeared to think they were on
the runway for exercise only.
Two left handlers, Bill Sherdel and
Eddie Dyer, and the right hand fling
ing Jess Haines did the pitching
against the Nationals, the orthodox
boxman, getting his turn between
those of the others. Sherdel. who
started, breezed through six sessions
and had six hits and one run made
off him, the tally being registered in
his last round Haines was nicked
for three runs In the eighth when he
walked three men and was found fol-
a brace of hits and after he walked
Cullop with Tate already on and none
down In the ninth he gave way tc
Dyer.
Cards Grab Early Lead