Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-02
MAY IDLE FOR DAY
IN YANKEE SERIES
Griff ShortStop Is Far Off
Form-NationaIS Drop as
Red Sox Take Two.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.


the Nationals Not the pitching corps,
as might have been expected, has paid
the price, but the infield of the Wash
ineton club The heavy schedule IN
effect since the club returned from the
West has forced Bob Reeves, shortStop,
to do so much extra work III acting
as Goose GoSlin's throwing arm as well
as taking care of his own position that
he has fallen far from the form that
made him so valuable to the Nationals
defensively and in attack during the
late long tour.
Last week, Reeves began to show
signs of ''stalenesS" His ability to field
grounders lessened, his judgment OF
lofts 10 short left became inaccurate,
his throws lost direction and he weak
ened at bat. The young ShortStop
steadily became poorer in his work and
yesterday when the Nationals dropped
2-to-i and 7-to-l games to the Red
Sox in the first Sunday double-header
ever staged by big leaguers in Clark
Griffith Stadium he gave about his
worst performance of the season.
Reeves is a far, far better shortstop
than he showed while the Nationals
were falling back to sixth place IN the
American League, exchanging positions
with the crowd that licked them. But
Bob is Just about worn out by the great
amount of work he has been compelled
10 do within the past two weeks. IN
the last is games in which he has
PLAYED. the Young shortfielder in every
inning or two has had to sprint deep
into left field to protect the ailiag
heaving wing of Goslin and this extra
effort has left him all but out"
Bob May Get Needed Rest.
What Reeves needs more than any
thing else at present is a day or two OF
rest on the bench. Even though the
Nationals now have a hard series with
the Yankees at hand. it might be better
to withhold Bob from some Of the games
rather than reduce him to such state
that he could not recuperate in a short
lay-ofT. Manager Stanley Harris IS
considering giving Reeves respite, even
though il would mean the use at short
of Jack Hayes, whose ankle, wrenched
not SO long ago, still is troublesome.
The regular slortfielder may be sent
into action today and tomorrow, but
there is q chance he win idle during one
OF the games of the independence day
double bin with the world champions.
The remainder of the f1rst-String IN
helders and outfelders as well as the
catcl1ers of the Nationals are IN fine
feftie, considering the amount of work
they have been through the past fort
night. And so are the pitchers, even
though the first two used in the clos
ing half of yesterdays dual sketch were
not impressive in their efforts. The club
has been beaten in 10 of the ID games
PLAYED since returning from the West
and IN s of its last games, but 1t still
is in good enough trim to give the New
Ycrkers battle.
For the first two days Of the scrap
with the Yankees Manager Harris VIII
call upon the two hurlers that have
been most effective for some time, Gar
land Braxton and Sam Jones. Braxton
was apt TO draw the slab assignment this
afternoon For Wednesdays double Dill
the washington pilot expects TO PICK
Irving Hadiey and Lloyd Brown. The
last mentioned, although inclined 10 pe
Wild IN his work the last time out, olo
not deserve such q zouncing as ne
took from the Athletics.
Nationals Lack Punch.
In both games yesterday the Nation
aIs suffered from lack of punch, and IN
the second encounter of the day they
also suffered from poor pitching at the
outset. The Clan Harris got only nVe
hits od Slim Harris In the opening
match Slim hurled about his best game
Of the season and after the third frame
when the Nationals did their tallylflg,
had the situation well in hand True,
he was aided in the seventh by foolish
piece of base running by Ossie Bluege,
but the fact that only two Nationals
passed SECOND base during the Tray
shows that Harriss' victory was no fiuke.
In the second setto Of the afternoon
the Nationals faced Ed Morris, serlsa-
tionaI young riglat-fander Of the Hub
men. and of Ed they got nine safeties
However, six Of the hits were spread
over the first eight innings. 1t was N
the ninth that they clustered three
blows 10 avert a wi1iteWashing. Morris
was somewhat wild at times. yet he
was clever enough in his work to- be
credited with six strikeouts.
Milton Castor opened fire for the Ma
tionals In the first game and in the first
six innings allowed but one hit and that
due to the misjudgment of a ny to
short left by Goslin. In the seventh,
though, the Red Sox reached him for
four hits and victory. Buddy Myers
drive 70 the angle back of right center
Tor four bases at the beginning Of the
round matched the score the Nationals
had made in the third frame with
Gast0n's double, Sam Rice's infield re-
tirement and Harris sacrifice fly.
Phi Todt famed after the homer.
but Ken Williams singled and went
10 third when the right hand swinging
Bill Regain in hit-and-run play drove
a base hit through the territory vacated
by Harris as Williams headed for sec
ond. Doug Taitt whitfield, but WalIy
Gerber's Texas Lacquer to right tailed
Ken. In the next inning the Red Eox
got triple with two gone to raise
their hit total at Gastone expense to
six. Pred Marberry hurled against
them in the ninth after Castor had
given way 70 a pinch batter and set
them back In order.
BIuege Over Ambitious.
The Nationals had a chance to tie
I'm the seventh when with one out
r seyes singled and went to third as
RlUege hit 70 right for a base. But
ClAsie tiled 70 staetch his gian into a
osuble and was tagged easily at tbe
midway station, Muddy Ruel followed
'E3tn a hoist 10 Williams that would
have gotten Reeves home from third
had Bluege not been 50 ambitious. AS
il was. IL became only a third out. In
the ninth. Red Barnes singled and was
AZ second with one down, but neither
joe Judge nor Reeves could aid him
The Red Sox lost no time In bagging
the second game. Bob Burke started
against them and they nicked him for
two singles. a double. triple and three
runs in two-thirds Of an inning. Horace
Liseflbee relieved the slim southpaw and
got plenty Of punishment in the next
round. Three singles and a pass were
mixed In the making Of two tailies Of
Liz in the second session and there was
but one OUT when he turned over the
siablsing TO Tom Zachary Eight safe
ties were Cleaned of the veteran during
the remainder of the tussle. but they
we're good for only two more Red Soz
markers.
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