The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-06
HARD LUCK
PUTSH(QES.
IN TEAM

av / [hIV
BY Louis A. Dougher
AUGUSTA, Ca, April 6.--Ths fair
fields Of Dixie are about to pass
from before the eyes Of the touring
Griffmen and Giants. at least for
gbe the last booked for q minor
league diamond. Tomorrow Wash
ington fans win have an oppor.
tunity of judging for themselves
concerning the pennant possibilities
Of the team that has been grinding
away for two months in Florida.
Manager Harris refuses, at least
Tor publication, to lose faith in his
team. However, he does ldmit that
his gang won't be as strong as it
should be when the curtain goes up
next Tuesday.
Zeb Milan, managing the Memphis
club, remarked the other day at
birmingham that, not till he saw
the other teams in his league would
ne know what sort of gang he
had in Memphis. Bucky Harris fol.
lows much the same reasoning.
We've had lot OF tough
luck" says Harris, "and maybe
we don't look as good as we
might. 5ut maybe the other
fellows are in no better shape.
We know our own weaknesses,
remember. And we're always
inclined to think our troubles
worse than the other fellows.
Lets not quit before the bell
rings"
Washington fans have been com
PEELED to get their dope on the team
through the eyes of the baseball
writers. Tomorrow and Friday,
unless inclement weather prevents,
they viii have q chance Of getting
first.hahd information. The lineup
facing the Giants will be the same
as viii face the Red sox next
Tuesday.
Speaking generally, the Griffs
have only Joe Judge playing up to
form in the infield. Judge Is the
only regular not being tried in q
new position. Ossie Bluege, after
five years Of thiEd.base play. is
working with might and main to
become finished shortfielder. That
he will succeed seems assured. but
Rome was not built In q single
summer afternoon. Bluege right
now is not the brilliant shortfielder
he will eventually become.
On third base 10 another expert
ment. Buddy Myer, failing to i'm.
noises like q big league third.
sacker. He win be given plenty Of
time to prove his value or lack Of
value. but all that time he will Be
simply on trial.
Bucky Harris ID definitely out
Of the game. His injured finger
bOthers him now and probably
will continue to bother him for
several months. In his place is
Stuffy Stewart, who Is going
at top speed right now, by the
way.
]. Harris was injured March 81 at
Avon Park, Fla, and since then
he has done no training. He win
have to begin all over again to
work himself into condition when
his finger permits his return to
action. However. as he was Aot
hitting when injured, nor especially
brilliant in the field, Stewards
presence in the infielt will hardly
prove any drawback.
In the outfield are Goose GosNn
and two rather fragile veterans
Goslin ID not yet hitting hard
enough to suit himself, but he is
Improving rapidly and soon will he
going at express speed.
Speaker is landing on the bail
Tor keeps, but that weak knee
may send him to the hospital al
most any day. Rice, for the first
time in his career, is having trou-
bic with his legs and some are in.
clined to think this will increase
rather than decrease. Rice is one
of the veterans of the Washington
club
81 Muddy Ruels throwing at Birm-
iugham was of the cam puff
variety and little improvement is
expected. Ruers brains are as
prominent as his pegging is weak
He is getting by largely on his
handling Of the pitchers.
With less than a week to 60,
only one secOnd-string pitcher
has gone the route In q Wash
lngton uniform. Horace Lisen-
bee pitched nine innings against
the Giants at st. Augustine, but
!D - UlC VAAbS A0u ~ W. 3AA0u
this spring.
The Washington club as whole
might be compared with a boxer
preparing for championship bout
It has gone stale, more mentally
than physically but stale, neverthe.
less. It is possible that the opening
Of the season will provide the
needed impetus. But today the
team is stale and merely going
Through he motions. Injuries and
Illness have taken the life and snap
out of the veterans and have slowed
up the others.
Several wise baseball men, seeing
the Griffs for the first time within
the last few days, have expressed
their. surprise. They could not
understand how anybody. could have
picked Washington as a contender.
One scout went so far as to say
the Red Sox shape up stronger than
the Griffs. He saw that painful ex-
ilibition at Birmingham Monday
The Washington club is in great
danger of being left at the post.
1T Is sure to open the season minus
It's two best pitchers. johnson and
Crowder, without Its playing man.
ager and second-sacker. Bucky Har.
ris, and with two of It's three out.
fielders guarding leg weaknesses.
In addition, its first7string catcher
Is not throwing any too well and it
has two experiments in the infield.
1t il possible that Manager Harris