Evening star., 1927-04-11
BY JOHN b. KELLAR.

Stadium, mplres 'BrlCk owen
and Red" Ormsby will take
their places to call 'em as they see
'em; the Nationals. without their man.
sger, Stanley Harris, in the lineup
will assume their defensive position;
''Peewee" Wanninger lead-off batter
of the Red Sox of Boston. will step
to the plate. and Stanley Coveleskie,
veteran spit ball pitcher of Boss
Bucky's corps, will send a brand
new horsehide-covered sphere bearing
q facsimile of Ban Johnson's sigma
ture hurtling toward Muddy Ruel.
Washington's 1927 base ball season
will be under way.
The inaugural will not be without
ceremony. Starting time will be a
trihe later than $3.50 because at that
moment President Calvin Coolidge
will shake a few kinks out of his lame
right wrist and heave a glossy base
ball to some club or game official, who
will promptly pocket it.
COIors TO Be Hoisted.
Fifteen minutes before this presi-
Dental act occurs Proctor L, Dougher-
ty and Sidney F. Taliaferro. Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia
and Clark G. Griffith. head of the
Washington ball club. with the Army
Band, will head q parade of the con-
tending teams to the flagstaff in deep
center field, where the colors will be
hoisted as the national anthem sounds.
Entrance to Clark Griffith Stadium
will he opened at noon and for the en-
tertainment of early arrivals Meyer
Goldman's Band will begin an enter
tainment at 1890 o'clock. The musi-
cal program will be continued until
the formal opening ceremony starts.
Advices from Boston indicate the
Nationals viii be called upon to face
the pitching of Bryan Harriss, elong-
ated hurler, who took special delight
in battling them when he wore the
livery of the Athletes. Grover Hart
ley, for some years a catcher in the
National League, probably will be be-
hind the bat for the Red SoX, now
directed by Bill Carrigan, who piloted
the club during the roseate days of
base ball in Boston.
It's Swim or Sink Now.
It's swim or sink for the Nationals
now. It's squarely up to them to
show whether they actually have the
strength they boasted on paper after
the expenditure of : sizable amount
of money Tor young pitching and re-
serve talent and the acquisition of
iris Speaker following the Winter
upheavals or constitute nothing more
than an ordinary ball club.
After a training season that in no
way can be considered a bowling sue
cess and a series of exhibition games
in which they failed to accomplish
much, they will begin the really seri-
Gus business of their profession to-
morrow Sne of the mystery clubs
of the 1927 base ball inaugural. Their
lineup reads well, but they have still
TO prove it can be a winner
Perhaps the Nationals are fortunate
In having as opponents in the open
ing series Of their campaign the Red
Sox. From accounts of it's training
activities, the club now managed by
Bill Carrigan does not seem much
stronger than the Boston club of the
Fohl regime. And Fohl's outfit was
the foot ball of the American League.
If the Nationals can get away to a
good start against these supposed
weaklings, the early success NAV
prove Just the tonic needed to give
them heart for the long grind ahead.
Lack OF Pep Chief Fault.
Although the club has been none
too strong afeld and in it's pitching
department. its greatest fault has
been lack of hustle. 1t has failed
to go about it's work with any en-
thusiasm. Whether this has been due
to lack of incentive or some other
cause is not so certain. But it has
been quite noticeable. Players of
clubs that have opposed the Nationals
this Spring have observed this and
commented upon it freely. To them
the Nationals lack of hustle has been
one of the big surprises of the train
ing campaign. They had been ac-
customed to encounter fighting Wash
tngton clubs.
Manager Stanley Harris has let his
charges know, though, that all must
be on their toes once the American
League championship race is under
way. That loafing or lack of enthu-
siam would not be countenanced was
forcibly impressed upon the Nationals
this morning in their meeting with
the manager at Clark Griffith Stadium.
Those now in the lineup must give
their best efforts to the club or give
way to players now in reserve. From
now on, the Nationals must take their
base ball seriously.
Must Develop Spirit.
Playing in proper spirit and given
good pitching, the Nationals ought to
be hard to beat. The spirit they must
develop. AS to the pitching, that's
Homething else. The injury to Walter
johnson that promises to keep him out
of action for at least month more
made more uncertain an already un-
certain slab staff. On the other hand.
the outfeld is apt to be one of the
greatest in years in major league base
ball. Goslin. speaker and Rice! What
q trio.
At present the infield is a doubtful
proposition. although Manager Har-
ris very likely made his wisest move
when he restored Ossie Bluege to
third base and decided to get what
he could out of Buddy Myer at short
stop. When his bruised finger heals
enough to let Boss Bucky resume his
position at second base. the Nationals
should present fairly strong inner
line of defense. In the meanwhile
Stuffy Stewart is a handy man to have
around.
Just how good the Nationals are
back of the bat is not yet known.
Mickey ONeil recently bought from
the Dodgers. is the best pegger of
the four catchers at hand, but purely
as a receiver he has yet to measure
up to Muddy Ruel The latter, though,
has done little so far. There seems
70 be deep, dark secret concerning
Muddy that those in charge of the
Nationals will not reveal. It now
looks as though O'Neil will get plenty
Of work from the start.
Greater Reserve Strength.
Summed up. the Nationals enter
the American League championship
fight tomorrow with pitching pros
poets not so brilliant. an infield await.
ing the return Of it's regular keystone
sacker to compare favorably with any
other inner Gordon in the circuit, an
outfeld already powerful and a catch.
ing corps of perhaps average