Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-22
APT TO TRY AGAIN
IN PH|LLY OPENER
Pitches if HadIey Is Used To.
day-West May Follow
Barnes to Bench.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

w YHEN the Nationals help the
n Athletics open the American
NV League campaign in Phila-
delphia tomorrow afternoon,
another of the Johnsonian
pitchers widely heralded as exceptionally
effective during the training period, but
who hivvered when put to the test in
the championship season probably will
try again to prove his worth. None
other than e. Garland Braxton, the
slender southpaw from the sticks of
North Carolina may strive to demon
strate that those three frightful innings
he hurled against the AS here last
Wednesday were simply innings he had
to get out of his system.
It's about time some one OF the pitch
ers Manager Walter johnson and others
who watched the Nationals during their
training had expected to become main
stays of the staff comes through with a
worthy game. Besides BraXton, Sam
Jones and Irving Hadley have essayed
to live up to training campaign reputa-
ton in engagements up to today, but
they, like Braxton. have failed. Jones
has had two shots, but missed the mark
both times.
Braxton's going tomorrow depends
largely upon what the Nationalist do
~
a meeting with the Red SoX were not
bright and If second postponement in
the series with the boys from Boston
comes about Hadley and not Braxton
very likely will open fire against the
AS on their home lot. Manager john
son doesn't want Hadley to have much
time between his starts and today is the
fourth day since the pitcher faced the
Athletics here.
Rice to Play in PhiIIy.
johnson says he will send against
the Philadelphians the same lineup
that played through the two innings OF
the rain-curtailed game here yesterday
aginst the Red Sox. That lineup had
in right field the veteran, Sam Rice,
ordered there virtually at the last min
ute by the Washington pilot. No later
than Saturday johnson had declared
he intended to stand pat for a while
longer on the organization he had begun
the season with, but shortly before
game time yesterday he decided to der
rick the youthful Red Barnes and re-
turn Rice to right.
Whether the move is only temporary
johnson does not state. However, it is
virtually certain Rice will be in action
for some time Barnes, who performed
in sensational style during the training
season, has not been particularly strong
at bat or afleld since the championship
campaign started. Whether his slump
has been due to leg-twist he suffered
thing else isn't known, but here he
has been a vastly different Barnes from
the one he was in the South.
Harris May Be Used.
There soon may be another lineup
Tylla Ell
more power at bat he many find him.
self gazing at the games from the
bench. And the withdrawal of West
probably would result in the employ
ment Of Spencer Harris instead of
Barnes in the regular order. Harris
may not be as fast on his feet as Red,
but he is a clever outfielder, neverthe-
less, and 1t Is believed he would deliver
at bat.
This experimenting with players so
soon after the opening Of the season is
a shock to those who watched the Ma
tionals go through their PAGES in the
South. Then the club seemed thorough
" organized. 1t functioned well in every
department and played practically in
midseaSon form. It won consistently
and it was not a lot Of set-ups 1t won
from.
Through April 9 it was as fine look
ing club as could be desired at such a
stage In training. Since, however, the
Nationals have fallen off with a dis
turbing Steadiness, until now they show
little power anywhere. Unless they are
whipped into fighting trim quickly,
they'll be put ouS of the running as
early as they were last year.
This promises to be great season
for the rain check holders. Postpone
ment Of the campaign opener gave this
crowd a wonderful opportunity to wave
the storm stubs under the noses of the
box Office bunch at Griffith Stadium,
and yesterdays downpour added nearly
10000 to the rain check army. The
clubs swung into action few minutes
late because of heavy rain that cur
tailed practice and went through only
two innings before another young cloud
burst stopped everything.
HurIers Started Well.
Ad Liska, Washington's submarine re-
cruit, and Danny MacFayden, Boston's
bespectacled hurler, had started as
either side. 1t was one-two-three for
after Ira Flagstead started the Red Sox
down in order. A bobbie by Bobby
the beginning of Washington's second
Russell Scarritt's spectacular catch, then
Harold Rhyme took Joe Judges liner
and completed a double-play all by him
self. Came the rain and the Washing
ton club Office had nearly 10,00J more
q - he m Sfo le